RULES OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES KENDO ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED

(incorporating amendments made on or before 21 April 2004)

 

1. Name

 

The name of the association shall be the New South Wales Kendo Association Incorporated (referred to in these rules as "the Association").

 

2. Objects

 

The objects of the Association shall be to:

 

(a)    promote interest in kendo, especially within the State of New South Wales;

 

(b)   promote goods fellowship amongst those interested in kendo;

 

(c)    educate, train and coach members of the Association in kendo;

 

(d)   arrange kendo championships within the said State;

 

(e)    support the aims, objects, interests and activities of the Australian Kendo Renmei within the said State; and

 

(f)     do all such things and acts conducive to the furtherance of the objects and interests of the Association.

 

3. Membership

 

(1) Subject to these rules the members of the Association shall be comprised of the members of the Association immediately prior to incorporation together with such other individuals as the Executive Committee admits to membership.

 

(2) Membership of the Association is open to all individuals interested in kendo who accept the objects and rules of the Association and are members of an affiliated club.

 

(3) An individual wishing to become a member of the Association shall apply to the Executive Committee and the Executive Committee shall determine whether or not to accept the application. The Executive Committee is not required to supply reasons for accepting or rejecting an application for membership.

 

(4) A register of members shall be kept by the Secretary showing the name, address and date on which membership commenced for each member. The register shall also make provision for noting the date of the cessation of membership.

 

(5) Subject to any resolution of the Association in general meeting, the levels of membership fees shall be set by the Executive Committee and may be linked to any criteria thought appropriate. Membership fees shall fall due on the first day of July of each year.

 

(6) A person shall cease to be a member upon:

 

(a)    resignation;

 

(b)   failure to pay outstanding membership fees within one month of the due date; or

 

(c)    expulsion by a special resolution.

 

4. Members' Liability

 

The members of the Association shall have no liability to contribute towards the payment of debts and liabilities of the Association or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the Association except to the amount of any unpaid membership fees.

 

5. Disciplining of Members

 

The Association may only expel a member by a special resolution.

 

A. Affiliated Clubs

 

(1) The Association may by special resolution grant affiliation to any Kendo, Iaido, Jodo club which:

 

(a) regularly conducts kendo training sessions in New South Wales;

 

(b) accepts the objects of the Association; and

 

(c) undertakes to comply with clause (5) of this rule.

 

(2) The Albury, Central Coast Kendo Club, the Kingscliff Kendo Club, the Newcastle University Kendo Club, the Sakura Bana Dojo (Milton), the Sydney Kendo Club, the Wollongong Kendo Club, Han Rim Won Kumdo Club, Moo Do Kwan Kumdo Club, University of NSW Kendo Club, Crookwell Kendo Club, Sydney Iaido, Seidokan and Suigetsu club shall be regarded as having been granted affiliation under clause (1) of this rule on the date this rule was inserted into these rules.

 

(3) If an affiliated club does not comply with clause (5) of this rule, the Association may by special resolution revoke the affiliation of that club.

 

(4) The Association in general meeting may adopt a policy specifying the circumstances in which affiliated clubs must refuse to allow persons who are not members of the Association to participate in training sessions, seminars and competitions organised by or under the control of the affiliated clubs.

 

(5) If the Association in general meeting adopts such a policy all affiliated clubs, must comply with the policy.

 

6. Executive Committee and Office Bearers

 

(1) There shall be' the following office bearers of the Association who shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Association:

 

(a) the President;

 

(b) the Vice President;

 

(c) the Secretary; and

 

(d) the Treasurer.

 

(2) The office bearers shall be elected of every second annual general meeting of the Association with casual vacancies being filled by election at the first general meeting held after the casual vacancy arises.

 

(3) Upon incorporation, the office bearers of the Association immediately prior to incorporation shall continue as the office bearers of the Association as if they had been elected under these rules.

 

(4) If a casual vacancy arises in a position other than that of President, the remaining office bearers may appoint a person to act in the position for which there is the casual vacancy for the period until the next general meeting. A person appointed to act in the position of an office bearer shall have the powers and responsibilities of that office bearer and shall be a member of the Executive Committee.

 

(5) Subject to clause (6) of this rule, the office bearers shall hold office until the next annual general meeting.

 

(6) An office bearer ceases to hold office upon:

 

(a) removal by a special resolution;

 

(b) cessation of membership of the Association; or

 

(c) resignation in writing to the Secretary, or in the case of the Secretary, to the President.

 

(7) Subject to these rules, the management and. control of the Association is vested in the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall not, however, act contrary to a resolution of the Association in general meeting and the Association in general meeting may override a decision of the Executive Committee.

 

(8) Providing reasonable notice of the meeting has been given to the other office bearers, three office bearers constitute a quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee.

 

(9) The President shall be primarily responsible for arranging the activities of the Association.

 

(10) The Vice President shall:

 

(a) assist the President;

 

(b) assume the responsibilities of the President in the absence of the President; and

 

(c) act as President for the period until the next general meeting, if a casual vacancy arises in the position of President, and while acting as President shall have the powers and responsibilities of the President.

 

(11) The Secretary shall:

 

(a) assist the President;

 

(b) assume the responsibilities of the President in the absence of the President;

 

(c) maintain the register of members referred to in clause 3(4) of these rules;

 

(d) keep the common seal, documents and securities of the Association; and

 

(e) keep copies of these rules and records of the business of the Association including minutes of all general meetings and meetings of the executive committee and a file of correspondence.

 

(12) The Treasurer shall:

 

(a) receive and pay into one of the accounts referred to in clause 9(l) of these rules all moneys belonging to the Association;

 

(b) make all payments for the Association;

 

(c) keep sufficient financial records as to allow easy assessment of the Association's financial position:

 

(d) keep the other office bearers apprised of the financial position of the Association; and

 

(e) present to that annual general meeting a statement which gives a true and fair account of the Association's income and expenditure during its last financial year and its assets and liabilities and any mortgages, charges or other securities over the property of the Association at the end of its last financial year and similar details in respect of any trust of which the Association was a trustee during any part of its last financial year.

 

7. Public Officer

 

(1) The Executive Committee shall appoint a member who is a resident of the State of New South Wales and eighteen years of age or older the Public Officer of the Association.

 

(2) If the Secretary is not disqualified and the Executive Committee has not appointed another person to be the Public Officer within fourteen days of the date of the most recent annual general meeting, the Secretary shall be deemed to have been appointed the Public Officer from the date of the most recent annual general meeting.

 

(3) The person who completed the application for incorporation of the Association shall be deemed to have been appointed the Public Officer for the period of three months from the date of incorporation.

 

(4) The Public Officer shall be deemed to have vacated the position if he or she:

 

(a) ceases to be a member;

 

(b) resigns in writing to the Secretary;

 

(c) is removed or replaced by the Executive Committee;

 

(d) becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, compounds with his or her creditors or makes an assignment of his or her remuneration for their benefit;

 

(e) becomes a temporary patient, a continued treatment patient, a protected person or an incapable person within the meaning of the Mental Health Act, 1958, or a person under detention under Part VII of that Act; or;

 

(f) ceases to be a resident of the State New South Wales.

 

(5) if a vacancy occurs in the position of Public Officer, the Executive committee shall within 14 days:

 

(a) notify the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs in the prescribed form of the vacancy; and

 

(b) appoint a new Public Officer.

 

(6) The Public Officer shall notify the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs in the prescribed forms of:

 

(a) his or her own appointment, within 14 days;

 

(b) a change in his or her residential address, within 14 days;

 

(c) a change in the name, rules or objects of the Association, within 1 month;

 

(d) a change in the membership of the Executive Committee, within 14 days; and

 

(e) the Association's income and expenditure during its last financial year and its assets and liabilities, any mortgages, charges or other securities over the property of the Association at the end of its last financial year and similar details in respect of any trust of which the Association was a trustee during any part of its last financial year, within 1 month of the date of the annual general meeting.

 

A. Technical Committee

 

(1) The Association shall have a Technical Committee.

 

(2) The Technical Committee shall consist of five members chosen from among the members of the Association who have been awarded kendo grades of third dan (san-dan) or higher.

 

(3) The members of the Technical Committee shall be elected of every second annual general meeting with casual vacancies being filled by election at the first general meeting after the casual vacancy arises.

 

(4) The members of the Technical Committee at the date this rule was inserted into these rules shall continue as if they had been elected to the Technical Committee at the annual general meeting held in 1990.

 

(5) A person elected to the Technical Committee shall cease to be a member of

that committee upon:

 

(a) removal by a special resolution;

 

(b) cessation of membership of the Association; or

 

(c) resignation in writing to the Secretary.

 

(6) The Technical Committee shall have a chairman chosen by the members of that committee from among the members of that committee.

 

(7) Provided reasonable notice of the meeting has been given to the other members of the committee, three members constitute a quorum for a meeting of the Technical Committee.

 

(8) The Technical Committee shall be generally responsible for kendo technical matters and shall:

 

(a) control the conduct all kendo gradings organised by the Association;

 

(b) determine the recognition to be given to kendo, grades awarded by bodies other than the Association and the Australian Kendo Renmei;

 

(c) control the conduct of all kendo seminars and training sessions organised directly by the Association;

 

(d) set the rules to be used at all kendo competitions and championships arranged by the Association;

 

(e) prepare guidelines on training methods or other technical matters, if it is considered desirable to do so; and

 

(f) advise on all technical questions referred to it by the Executive Committee or an affiliated kendo club.

 

8. General Meetings

 

(1) General meetings shall be called and presided over by the President.

 

(2) If at least 21 days prior to the date set for a general meeting notice of that general meeting is sent by ordinary prepaid post to the secretaries of all affiliated clubs, sufficient notice of that general meeting shall be deemed to have been given to the members of the Association.

 

(2A) If a secretary of an affiliated club receives a notice of a general meeting that secretary shall ensure that announcements giving the date, time, place and general subject matter of the general meeting are made at the earliest opportunity at training session organised by that affiliated club. So long as the requirements of clause (2) of this rule are satisfied, failure by any secretary of an affiliated club to ensure that suitable announcements are made is not a reason for regarding a general meeting as having been called incorrectly or improperly.

 

(3) Eight members of the Association shall constitute a quorum for a general meeting.

 

(4) Member may only vote at a general meeting in person or by proxy appointed in accordance with clause (4A) of this rule. Subject to clause (4b) of this rule, each member may cast one vote for himself or herself and one vote for each member who is not present for whom he or she is acting as proxy.

 

(a) Subject to clause (4b) of this rule, a member may appoint any other member to act as his or her proxy at a general meeting. An appointment of a proxy is not effective unless it is in writing in a form approved by the Executive Committee and is delivered to the President or the person who will be presiding at the meeting prior to the commencement of the meeting.

 

(b) At a general meeting, a member may not act as proxy for more than four other members. If a member is appointed to act as proxy for more than four other members, the member may only exercise one vote for himself or herself and four other votes.

 

(c) Apart from motions proposed for special resolutions, all questions shall be resolved by a simply majority of votes cast by members in accordance with clauses (4) and (4b) of this rule. The person presiding at a general meeting shall only vote in the event of a vote being tied.

 

(5) The annual general meeting shall be held during the months of June, July or August of each year.

 

9. Miscellaneous

 

(1) Accounts in the name of the Association shall be maintained with banks and/or other financial institutions and all moneys received by the office bearers on behalf of the Association shall be paid into one of these accounts.

 

(2) All banks and financial institutions with which the Association maintains accounts shall be instructed that no cheque drawn against one of these accounts may be honoured unless it is signed by at least two of the office bearers and no moneys may be withdrawn unless the withdrawal form is signed by at least two of the office bearers.

 

(3) The funds of the Association shall be derived from membership fees, donations, grants, the sale of goods and such other sources as are approved by the Association in general meeting.

 

(4) The Association shall acquire and maintain insurance cover as is required by the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 together with any other insurance cover which is required by law or regarded as necessary by the Association in general meeting.

 

(5) The common seal of the Association shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary and shall only be affixed to a document with the approval of the Executive Committee and in the presence of at least two office bearers who shall sign their names and print their names and positions underneath the seal.

 

(6) The Association in general meeting may by special resolution at any time determine in accordance with section 53 of the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 how any surplus property is to be distributed in the event that the Association is wound up.

 

(7) Upon a request from a member, the Executive Committee shall make the books and records of the Association available for inspection free of charge at a reasonably convenient time and place.

 

(8) The name, objects or rules of the Association may be amended by special resolution.

 

(9) In these rules a "special resolution" means a resolution of the Association in general meeting passed by a majority which comprises not less than three quarters of the members voting where at least twenty one days' written notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution was given to the Secretary.

 

(10) The financial year of the Association shall commence on 1st May and finish on 30th April of the following year.