Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF

THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEXUAL ABUSE (ANZATSA) INCORPORATED

I. NAME:  

The Name of the Society shall be ANZATSA (The Australia New Zealand Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abuse Incorporated).

II. INTERPRETATION

Definitions

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:

“Act” means the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 (New Zealand ).

"Executive Committee” means the committee elected to oversee the affairs of the Society.

“Office Holder” means President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

“Society” means ANZATSA (the Australia New Zealand Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abuse Incorporated).

Authority to Interpret Rules

The Executive Committee shall have the sole authority to interpret these rules, and the decision of the executive Committee, upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Society and not provided in these rules, shall be final and binding on the members.

III. OBJECTS

ANZATSA is dedicated to community protection and safety through the promotion of professional standards, practice and education in sexual offender management, treatment, assessment and research.

IV. REGISTERED OFFICE

The registered office of the Society shall be at 24 Burleigh Street , Grafton, Auckland, or such other place as shall be fixed from time to time by the Executive Committee.

V. MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to all who:

are professionally involved in the treatment, research,  or management of people who sexually abuse or of victims of sexual abuse;

are in support of the objects of the Society;

are committed to the rehabilitation of sexual abusers and sexual abuse victims;

fulfil the minimum requirements for membership as established by the Executive Committee under the following membership categories:

Clinical: In order to be entitled to this membership, basic qualifications from a relevant discipline, such as psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy, counselling or social work, is necessary, in addition to no less than two years, including a minimum of 2000 hours, of direct supervised clinical experience with sex offenders.

Associate: The requirements for this category of membership are those for the Clinical category, however, clinical experience directly with sex offenders entails fewer than 2000 hours.

General: This category is open to all persons, from fields such as probation, policy, research, police, custodial, victim-work and so on.

Student: This category is open to full time students at an accredited college or university.  Verifications of student status is required when submitting this application. Student members have no voting rights but are eligible for cheaper access to the Association.

Affiliate: This category is to enable members outside Australia and New Zealand to join at student rates.  

Application for membership is by completion of the application forms and payment of the application fee. The decision to accept is by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.  

Membership is maintained through the payment of an annual membership fee. A member will be deemed to no longer be a member if they default from payment of their annual membership fee.  

Any member deemed not to be in support of the objects of the Society shall, by a majority vote of members, be deemed to no longer be a member upon written vote.

Members may withdraw from the Association by giving written notice to the Association, being effective from the receipt of such notice.

A register of members shall be kept by the Association at its registered office.

VI. GOVERNANCE

Executive Committee

At the Annual General Meeting an Executive Committee of a minimum of seven people elected from the members shall be formed.

At the AGM, the offices of President, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected from the Executive Committee by the members.

In the event that no nominations for office holder positions are available at the AGM, the Executive Committee shall elect such people from its members as the soon as possible following the AGM.

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for:

overseeing the management of the association

accounting of all funds and their proper application

holding meetings monthly or as it shall decide, provided a minimum of six meetings are held each year, at which all decisions are properly recorded

contracting services as appropriate to further the aims and objectives of the associations

approval of all formal contracts

There shall be a quorum of four (4) at each meeting

Sub-Committees

The Executive may approve the establishment of sub-committees with representation from relevant interest groups, to advise the Association on such matters as is appropriate and necessary and/or to perform tasks for the purpose of furthering the aims and objectives of the association.  Sub-committees shall be convened by a member of the association who will report to the Executive Committee meetings.

VII. MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

The Annual general Meeting shall be held each year on or before 31 October.

The AGM is open to current members and persons active in the work of the society or persons interested in becoming active in the work of the society. Only current members of the society may vote at the AGM.

The business of the AGM shall include:          

the receiving of a report from the Executive Committee on activities of the society for the year.  

the presentation and adoption of the annual accounts;

the election of members of the Executive Committee.

Special/General Meeting of the Society

For the adoption of new rules or alteration of existing rules. Notice of these changes must be given with notice of the meeting. Any changes to the rules must not change the aims or character of the association.

The Executive Committee, or any five members, may call for meetings of the association at any time, subject to the purpose of the meeting being stated and appropriate notice being given.

There shall be a quorum of five members of the association for each Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting or General Meeting.

Notice of Meetings. All members of the Association shall be given 14 clear day’s notice of meetings.

In the event of decisions not being able to be reached by consensus, the President or nominated Chairperson shall call for a decision by majority vote.

VIII. FINANCE  

The financial year of the association shall commence 1 July and conclude 30 June of the following year.

The Treasurer shall ensure the proper keeping of accounts which shall be submitted to the AGM.

The amount of the annual subscription fees shall be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee.

All monies received shall be received and paid into the bank accounts of the association. All payments, except for petty cash payments, shall be paid by cheque  from a bank account of the Association. Cheques must be signed by two signatories, at least one of whom is an Office Holder of the Association. Signatories shall be approved by the executive Committee. The total of dockets and accounts cash in the associations petty cash account shall at no time exceed $200.00 (two hundred dollars) or such other amount fixed by the Executive Committee from time to time.

The unallocated accumulated funds of the Association shall be receipted and applied or distributed in such a manner as the Association may determine. Such distribution shall be of a nature permitted by the Act and pursuant to the objects of the Society.

IX. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE POWERS

The Executive Committee shall have the power:

To purchase, construct, lease, hire or otherwise acquire real or personal property to any description, or to sell, lease, exchange or hire out such property.

To receive money as donations, or on deposit, or otherwise to further the Society’s objects.

To invest surplus funds or funds not required for immediate use, in an authorized investment or term deposit. Such investments must be authorized by the Treasurer and endorsed by a meeting of the Executive Committee.

X. PECUNIARY PROFIT

Any income, benefit or advantage obtained by or through the Society (apart from remuneration paid in accordance with these rules) shall be applied to the charitable purposes of the Society.

No member or person associated with the a member of the Society shall derive any income, benefit or advantage from the organization, except where that income, benefit or advantage is derived from:

professional services to the organization rendered in the course of business charged at no greater rate than current market rates; or  

interest on money lent at no greater rate than current market rates. 

XI. ALTERATION TO RULES

These rules may be altered, added to or rescinded by special resolution at any general meeting of the Society, subject to the required procedure for that resolution and meeting having been followed, provided that no alteration, addition or rescissions shall be permitted that will affect the exclusively charitable nature of the Society.

No resolution to alter the Rules at any annual or general meeting shall be deemed to have been passed, unless it is carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote.

No addition to or alteration of the pecuniary profit clause or the winding up clause shall be approved without the Inland Revenue Department’s approval.

The Society may, from time to time, by resolution in general meeting, make, amend or rescind bylaws not inconsistent with these rules.

XII. COMMON SEAL

The common seal of the Society shall be in the device of a circle having the title “ANZATSA” in it and shall be in the custody of the Secretary, and shall be affixed only when so authorized by a resolution of the Executive Committee and witnessed by two members of the Executive Committee.

A record shall be kept with the Seal and shall include details of each occasion on which the seal has been used, along with signatures of the Executive Committee members who acted as witnesses.

XIII. WINDING UP

The Society may be voluntarily wound up in accordance with section 24 of the Act (namely by resolution of the members at a general meeting), provided that the resolution is confirmed at a subsequent general meeting called for the purpose and held not earlier than thirty days after the date on which the resolution to be confirmed was passed.

On dissolution of the Society the surplus assets, after all liabilities have been met, shall be distributed to such charitable purposes within any of the countries represented in the membership of the Society, having regard to the objects of the Society, as members shall decide