How the committee works

This guide is for anyone who has just joined the committee of a Queensland incorporated croquet club and wants to know how it runs.

How clubs do it

1. The committee meets and decides together by majority vote.
2. The secretary sends the notice and agenda, agreed with the president.
3. The president chairs, and the secretary takes the minutes.
4. The chair signs the minutes once they are confirmed.
5. The treasurer keeps the books through the year, ready for the AGM.
6. Within 1 month of the AGM, an officer lodges the annual return with the Office of Fair Trading.

This is the usual cycle, drawn from the Act and the Model Rules.

Where the rules come from

The Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (Qld) sets the minimum every club meets, whatever its own rules say. Most clubs use the Model Rules; a club's own registered rules can add to them but cannot override the Act. More in The Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (Qld) and The Model Rules: what they say.

Who is on the committee

Under s.61, the committee has at least 3 members, all adults, including a president and a treasurer. Under s.66, the club has a secretary. A secretary elected by the members, or a committee member appointed as secretary, sits on the committee. A person from outside appointed as secretary does not.

Vice presidents and general members are the "any other members" in Model Rule 18(1). The four duties every committee member shares are in Committee: shared legal duties.

What the named offices do

• President. Chairs committee meetings (r.23(8)) and general meetings (r.37(3)(a)), and signs the minutes as chair.
• Secretary. Calls meetings with the president, keeps the minutes, keeps correspondence and other documents, and maintains the register of members (s.69A). Tells the Office of Fair Trading of a change of president, secretary or treasurer within 1 month (s.68). More in Secretary: records and meetings.
• Treasurer. Leads the financial records and the statements presented at the AGM. More in New treasurer? Start here.

Committee meetings

• The committee decides how its meetings are called and how notice is given (r.23(3), (4)).
• Quorum is more than half the members elected to the committee (r.24).
• If the president is absent, the members present choose a chair (r.23(9)).
• Decisions are by majority. A tie is decided in the negative, so the motion fails (r.23(7)).
• The chair signs the minutes (r.26(2)).

General meetings

A general meeting is a meeting of all members. The AGM is one.

• The secretary gives at least 14 days notice, stating the business (r.35).
• Quorum is the number of committee members plus 1 (r.36).
• If the president is absent, the members elect a chair (r.37(3)(b)).
• On a tie, the chair has a casting vote as well as their own vote, and may use it or not (r.38(2)).
• The chair signs the minutes (r.41(2)).

Some decisions, such as changing the rules, need a special resolution: three-quarters of the members present and entitled to vote, after written notice. See Secretary: records and meetings.

The AGM

The committee presents:

• the financial statements, for members to adopt (s.59B);
• the verification statement (s.59AB) or the audit report (s.59AA), depending on the club's size;
• the disclosure of payments to committee members, senior staff and their relatives (s.70D, since 1 July 2024).

Within 1 month of the AGM, the secretary, president or treasurer lodges the statements, the report and the annual return (Form 12) with the Office of Fair Trading (s.59BA).

Where this comes from

1. Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (Qld), s.61 and s.66: the committee and the secretary
2. Act, s.68 and s.69A: the secretary's functions and notices
3. Act, s.59AA, s.59AB, s.59B, s.59BA, s.70D: the AGM and the annual return
4. Model Rules r.18(1) (Associations Incorporation Regulation 1999, sch. 4): committee members
5. Model Rules r.23, r.24, r.26(2): committee meetings
6. Model Rules r.35, r.36, r.37(3), r.38(2), r.41(2): general meetings