25 Annual general meetings - holding of (1) The association must hold its first annual general meeting within 18 months after its registration under the Act. (2) The association must hold its annual general meetings: (a) within 6 months after the close of the association’s financial year, or (b) within any later time that may be allowed or prescribed under section 37 (2) (b) of the Act. 26 Annual general meetings - calling of and business at (1) The annual general meeting of the association is, subject to the Act and to clause 25, to be convened on the date and at the place and time that the committee thinks fit. (2) In addition to any other business which may be transacted at an annual general meeting, the business of an annual general meeting is to include the following: (a) to confirm the minutes of the last preceding annual general meeting and of any special general meeting held since that meeting, (b) to receive from the committee reports on the activities of the association during the last preceding financial year, (c) to elect office-bearers of the association and ordinary committee members, (d) to receive and consider any financial statement or report required to be submitted to members under the Act. (3) An annual general meeting must be specified as that type of meeting in the notice convening it. 27 Special general meetings - calling of (1) The committee may, whenever it thinks fit, convene a special general meeting of the association. (2) The committee must, on the requisition of at least 5% of the total number of members, convene a special general meeting of the association. (3) A requisition of members for a special general meeting: (a) must be in writing, and (b) must state the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and (c) must be signed by the members making the requisition, and (d) must be lodged with the secretary, and (e) may consist of several documents in a similar form, each signed by one or more of the members making the requisition. (4) If the committee fails to convene a special general meeting to be held within 1 month after the date on which a requisition of members for the meeting is lodged with the secretary, any one or more of the members who made the requisition may convene a special general meeting to be held not later than 3 months after that date. (5) A special general meeting convened by a member or members as referred to in subclause (4) must be convened as nearly as is practicable in the same manner as general meetings are convened by the committee. (6) For the purposes of subclause (3): (a) a requisition may be in electronic form, and (b) a signature may be transmitted, and a requisition may be lodged, by electronic means. 28 Notice (1) Except if the nature of the business proposed to be dealt with at a general meeting requires a special resolution of the association, the secretary must, at least 14 days before the date fixed for the holding of the general meeting, give a notice to each member specifying the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business proposed to be transacted at the meeting. (2) If the nature of the business proposed to be dealt with at a general meeting requires a special resolution of the association, the secretary must, at least 21 days before the date fixed for the holding of the general meeting, cause notice to be given to each member specifying, in addition to the matter required under subclause (1), the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution. Note. A special resolution must be passed in accordance with section 39 of the Act. (3) No business other than that specified in the notice convening a general meeting is to be transacted at the meeting except, in the case of an annual general meeting, business which may be transacted under clause 26 (2). (4) A member desiring to bring any business before a general meeting may give notice in writing of that business to the secretary who must include that business in the next notice calling a general meeting given after receipt of the notice from the member. 29 Quorum for general meetings (1) No item of business is to be transacted at a general meeting unless a quorum of members entitled under this constitution to vote is present during the time the meeting is considering that item. (2) Five members present (being members entitled under this constitution to vote at a general meeting) constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of a general meeting. (3) If within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement of a general meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting: (a) if convened on the requisition of members—is to be dissolved, and (b) in any other case—is to stand adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time and (unless another place is specified at the time of the adjournment by the person presiding at the meeting or communicated by written notice to members given before the day to which the meeting is adjourned) at the same place. (4) If at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour after the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting, the members present (being at least 3) are to constitute a quorum. 30 Presiding member (1) The president or, in the president’s absence, the vice-president, is to preside as chairperson at each general meeting of the association. (2) If the president and the vice-president are absent or unwilling to act, the members present must elect one of their number to preside as chairperson at the meeting. 31 Adjournment (1) The chairperson of a general meeting at which a quorum is present may, with the consent of the majority of members present at the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and place to place, but no business is to be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting at which the adjournment took place. (2) If a general meeting is adjourned for 14 days or more, the secretary must give written or oral notice of the adjourned meeting to each member of the association stating the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting. (3) Except as provided in subclauses (1) and (2), notice of an adjournment of a general meeting or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting is not required to be given. 32 Making of decisions (1) A question arising at a general meeting of the association is to be determined by: (a) a show of hands or, if the meeting is one to which clause 37 applies, any appropriate corresponding method that the committee may determine, or (b) if on the motion of the chairperson or if 5 or more members present at the meeting decide that the question should be determined by a written ballot—a written ballot. (2) If the question is to be determined by a show of hands, a declaration by the chairperson that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried or carried unanimously or carried by a particular majority or lost, or an entry to that effect in the minute book of the association, is evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against that resolution. (3) Subclause (2) applies to a method determined by the committee under subclause (1) (a) in the same way as it applies to a show of hands. (4) If the question is to be determined by a written ballot, the ballot is to be conducted in accordance with the directions of the chairperson. 33 Special resolutions A special resolution may only be passed by the association in accordance with section 39 of the Act. 34 Voting (1) On any question arising at a general meeting of the association a member has one vote only. (2) In the case of an equality of votes on a question at a general meeting, the chairperson of the meeting is entitled to exercise a second or casting vote. (3) A member is not entitled to vote at any general meeting of the association unless all money due and payable by the member to the association has been paid. (4) A member is not entitled to vote at any general meeting of the association if the member is under 18 years of age. 35 Proxy votes not permitted Proxy voting must not be undertaken at or in respect of a general meeting. Note. Schedule 1 to the Act provides that an association’s constitution is to address whether members of the association are entitled to vote by proxy at general meetings. 36 Postal or electronic ballots (1) The association may hold a postal or electronic ballot (as the committee determines) to determine any issue or proposal (other than an appeal under clause 12). (2) A postal or electronic ballot is to be conducted in accordance with Schedule 3 to the Regulation. 37 Use of technology at general meetings (1) A general meeting may be held at 2 or more venues using any technology approved by the committee that gives each of the association’s members a reasonable opportunity to participate. (2) A member of an association who participates in a general meeting using that technology is taken to be present at the meeting and, if the member votes at the meeting, is taken to have voted in person.