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ACPC Constitution

Name
Objects
Function
Members
Executive Officers of the Branch
Election of Executive Officers of the Branch
Meetings of the Branch
Alterations to Constitution
By-Laws
Accounts and Audit
Membership Subscriptions
Dissolution

National Constitution (external)

Name

The name of the Branch shall be the AUSTRALIAN CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH.

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Objects

The objects of the Branch shall be:

  1. To assist and promote the work of the Australian Crime Prevention Council (hereinafter called 'THE COUNCIL') within the State of Western Australia :
  2. To assist and promote the work of crime prevention, correction and the after-care of offenders,
  3. to co-ordinate the activities of all persons and bodies interested in such works,
  4. To promote discussion and publication of matters of interest amongst those concerned with crime prevention, correction and after-care;
  5. To develop better public understanding of the problems of crime; to encourage the participation of citizens in the prevention of crime and in the alleviation of social injustices; to encourage and support the role of the volunteer in relevant fields and to assist those who work with juvenile offenders or with disturbed or disadvantaged children;

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Function

The function of the Branch shall be:

  1. To offer to all those concerned with crime prevention, correction and after-care an opportunity:
    1. To improve standards of performance and increase the effectiveness of crime prevention, correctional and after-care systems and techniques;
    2. to exchange ideas and techniques - among lay people and professional workers, people of different discipline orientations, and personnel from the various levels of the criminal justice system;
    3. to develop a better understanding of crime prevention, correctional and after-care problems, needs, programmes and methods;
    4. to develop citizens' support for, understanding of, and participation in, crime prevention, correctional and after-care activities;
    5. to make recommendations through the Council as to desirable research projects to any National, Commonwealth and State institutions (including universities) which are engaged in, or are likely to be engaged in, correctional research;
    6. to improve the laws in relation to public offences and offenders and the procedures by which these laws are enforced.
  2. To maintain liaison between all persons and bodies with related objects and functions;
  3. To arrange and conduct conferences, sectional meetings (to examine issues, problems and trends related to areas of interest to special groups), and workshops or seminars (to examine and through free discussion, to work towards the solution of specific problems of concern);
  4. Any other functions conducive to the objects.

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Members

    1. The membership of the Branch shall consist of persons or agencies or departments or bodies corporate or associations or professional organisations residing or situated or carrying on business in the State of Western Australia who are financial members of the Council. All members of the Council residing or situated or carrying on business within the State of Western Australia shall automatically become members of the Branch.
    2. There shall be the following classification of membership:
      1. Ordinary Membership
        Any person ordinarily residing in the Commonwealth of Australia who has paid the appropriate subscription and who has been accepted as an Ordinary Member by the National Executive of the Council.
      2. Ordinary Life Membership
        Any person ordinarily resident in the Commonwealth of Australia who has paid the appropriate subscription and who has been accepted as an Ordinary Life Member by the National Executive of the Council.
      3. Honorary Life Membership
        Any person who gives meritorious services to the Council over a period of years and who has had Honorary Life Membership conferred on him/her by the National Council.
      4. Student Membership
        A student who is not in recept of any form of regular income other than a student allowance ordinarily resident in the Commonwealth of Australia who has paid the appropriate subscription and who has been accepted by the National Executive as a Student members.
      5. Voluntary Organisation Membership
        A voluntary organisation within the Commonwealth of Australia which has been accepted by the National Executive as a voluntary organisation working in a field relevant to the objects of the Council.
      6. Organisation Membership
        Any incorporated body, government department, association or institution in the Commonwealth of Australia and which has been accepted by the National Executive as working in a field relevant to the objects of the Council.
        In an application for Organisation Membership, the applicant organisation shall nominate the organisation representative who is to represent them within Council affairs and who shall be the sole representative authorised to exercise the power of one vote when a vote is called for.
        Organisation membership does not permit more than one person, such person being the nominated organisation representative, to exercise the power of casting more than one vote where an election is being held.
  1. For all purposes including determination of entitlement to vote, Ordinary, Student, Voluntary Organisation or Organisation Members are those who have been accepted by the National Executive and we have been paid the appropriate subscription for the financial year (1st July to 30th June) during which the relevant election and/or meeting takes place.
  2. An Ordinary Life Members has full voting rights from the day following the day he has been accepted as such by the National Executive and an Honorary Life Member has full voting rights from the day he or she has been granted such membership by determination of the National Executive.
  3. An Ordinary Member, a Student Member, an Ordinary Life Member and an Honorary Life Members shall be entitled to one vote. A Voluntary Organisation members and an Organisation Member shall be represented at a meeting by one authorised person who shall have the power on behalf of such, organisation to register one vote whenever a vote is taken.
  4. Right of voting at any meeting of the Branch shall be exercised only by Financial Members, Honorary Life Members or the nominated representative of a financial voluntary organisation or organisation members.

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Executive Officers of the Branch
  1. The Executive Officers of the Branch shall be:
    • Chairman
    • Deputy Chairman
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    • Seven Committee Members

    all of whom shall be Financial Members and be elected in accordance with the by-laws at the Annual General Meeting of the Branch and shall together form the Committee of the Branch, provided that the Executive can increase the number of Committee Members to nine (9), through co-opting persons whom it considers may assist the Branch in achieving its objectives set out in Clause 2.
  2. All members of the Executive shall assume their duties immediately after election and shall continue in office until their successors are elected.
  3. A quorum for a meeting of the Executive shall be four members.
  4. When no representative for Western Australia on the National Executive is elected to the Branch Committee, one of the Western Australian representatives shall be appointed by the Committee as an ex-officio member.

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Election of Executive Officers of the Branch

Nomination for all Executive Offices of the Branch shall be called for by the Secretary of the Branch at least 28 days prior to the commencement date of the Annual General Meeting. Nominations shall carry the signature of the nominator, seconder and the nominee (all of whom shall be financial members of the Council), and must be in the hands of the Secretary of the Branch not later than the commencement of the Annual General Meeting provided that nominations can be called for during the course of the Annual General Meeting if the meeting has no objections.

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Meetings of the Branch
  1. The Branch shall meet annually during the month of July and at such other times as the Committee shall determine.
  2. The quorum for any Branch meeting shall be not less than one-quarter of the financial members.
  3. The Secretary shall give at least 28 days written notice to financial members of a General or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Branch and shall briefly set out the purpose or purposes for which an Extraordinary General Meeting has been summonsed. For the purpose of this clause, written notice shall be deemed to have been given to a member if it has been sent before the date of such meeting, to his address shown in the current National Membership Register.
  4. The annual meeting of the Branch shall:
    1. Receive Chairman's report as to the Branch's activities since the last annual meeting;
    2. receive a financial statement of accounts prepared by the Treasurer for the preceding financial year and duly audited by a qualified accountant;
    3. Elect officer in accordance with Clause 5;
    4. Conduct such other business as is deemed necessary.
  5. The Executive shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Council if requested in writing by no less than 9 members of the Branch so to do, provided that such written request shall clearly set out the purpose or purposes for which the Extraordinary General Meeting is sought.
  6. Save as otherwise herein expressly provided every question or issue at a meeting of the Executive or at any general meeting of the Branch shall be decided by a majority of votes. Every financial member present shall have one vote and in case of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

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Alterations to Constitution

This Constitution may be repealed or amended by Resolution at any general or special meeting of the Branch provided that

  1. at least 42 days' notice in writing of intention to propose such repeal or amendment has been given by the proposer to the Secretary and,
  2. that the Branch gives the Secretary of the Council at least 28 days' notice in writing of the proposal such that any written view expressed by the National Executive or Management Committee conveyed to the Branch is promulgated and considered at the General Meeting called for the purpose of voting upon such amendment.

A Resolution to amend the Constitution shall be deemed to have been passed if carried by two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

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By-Laws

The Executive or the Branch in general meeting may make such by-laws as from time to time appear necessary for the convenient administration of the Branch provided that a by-law inconsistent with the Constitution shall be deemed null and void. Alterations or repeal of by-laws may be made at any general meeting of the Branch or at a meeting with the Executive without notice to members and in either event, a decision by two-thirds of those present and voting shall be required before repeal or alteration is effected.

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Accounts and Audit
  1. A financial statement and balance sheet shall be prepared and audited every financial year (the financial year being from 1st July to 30th June).
  2. The accounts of the Branch shall be subjected to the audit of a qualified accountant.
  3. The funds of the Branch shall be banked or invested in the name of the Australian Crime Prevention Council, Western Australian Branch, and any two of the following persons shall be authorised to operate thereon; the Chairman, Deputy Chairman, the Secretary or the Treasurer.

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Membership Subscriptions
  1. Subscriptions for membership shall be as provided in the By-laws of the Australian Crime Prevention Council and shall be payable in the first instance, not to the Branch but to the Treasurer of the Council or to the Executive Director as the case may be.
  2. All membership applications going in the first instance into the hands of the Branch shall be sent to the Treasurer or Executive Director with such particulars as to the member, his address and occupation and with such other information as may be required for the proper maintenance of the national register of members

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Dissolution

The Branch may be dissolved or wound up by Resolution at any general meeting of the Branch provided that at least 42 days' notice in writing shall have been given to the Secretary by the proposer of intention so to propose and provide further that at least 28 days' notice in writing of the proposed Resolution and of the date of the general meeting has been given by the Secretary to all financial members. A Resolution to that effect shall be deemed to have been passed only if carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of members present and voting.

  1. Upon dissolution or winding-up the assets and funds of the Branch, after payment of all debts, expenses and liabilities shall be handed over to the Treasurer of the Council to be held in trust for a period of time that will be stipulated by the National Executive. In the event of the Branch being later re-established and the Council being satisfied that it is proper to do so, the assets and funds held in trust shall be returned to the new Branch Committee.

    Should the Council no longer exist at the time the Branch is dissolved, the assets and funds shall be handed over to such institutions, organisation or funds as may meet the requirements of section 78(1)(a) of the Income Tax and Social Services Contribution Assessment Act 1936-1960 (as amended) as a majority of members may decide.

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A just society through crime prevention