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ABF Profile

The ABF is the peak body for the administration of the sport of bridge in Australia.  The South Pacific Bridge Federation, which has Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and New Caledonia is an affiliate of the World Bridge Federation.

It is a non-profit organisation and its headquarters are located in Canberra.  The ABF has a membership of approximately 35,000 and there are nearly 330 affiliated clubs throughout Australia.

The objectives of the Australian Bridge Federation:

  1. To foster interest in and promote the game of bridge
  2. To act as the national bridge administrative body
  3. To represent Australian bridge players within and outside Australia and to maintain membership in good standing with the World Bridge Federation, the South Pacific Zone thereof, the Far East Bridge Federation and any other appropriate international bridge organisations
  4. To interpret and apply the international laws of bridge – to make, apply and interpret Australian laws or rules of bridge for events organised by the Federation and to appoint the Australian “National Authority” for the purpose of the “International Code of the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge”.
  5. To apply and interpret any laws or rules of bridge at the request of any State
  6. To sponsor, promote and organise bridge tournaments including international, national and interstate championships and championships for players of different grades and to do so on its own account or in conjunction with States and other sponsoring bodies.
  7. To accredit bridge players to represent Australia
  8. To control the conduct of players representing the Federation and of participants in Federation tournaments and to take such disciplinary action in relation thereto as the Management Committee may determine
  9. To promote, organise and administer an Australian Masterpoint scheme and to determine which bridge clubs and bridge players are entitled to participate in and be registered under that scheme
  10. To sponsor, promote and conduct training schemes for tournament directors, bridge teachers and other officials engaged in the conduct of tournament bridge
  11. To purchase, hire or lease real or personal property for the purpose of carrying out any of these objects and to appoint trustees to hold such property on behalf of the Federation to indemnify any such trustees against any personal liability in respect thereof
  12. To raise funds for the purpose of carrying out any of these objects and in so doing to borrow moneys and secure the repayment of loans by way of mortgage or charge over any of the assets of the Federation from time to time
  13. To invest any surplus funds of the Federation in accordance with clause 22(5)
  14. To do anything which is incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the above objects.