Principal Recommended Rule Changes

Recommendation 1: Name Change ‘The Committee’ be renamed ‘The Governing Council” Rationale: To reflect its role as the governing body for the Society.

Recommendation 2: Structure of the Governing Council The Governing Council to comprise 6 regional representatives, 4 additional members (up to 2 could be drawn from the Associate Membership, 1 Lay person (from outside the profession) and the Chief Executive as ex officio. Rationale: To ensure a balanced decision-making team represents its members and an outsider perspective will bring different dimensions to the decision-making table.

Recommendation 3: The Governing Council’s Committee structure Members of The Governing Council be appointed to the Executive, Audit Committee, State Contract Committee, a National Nominations Committee, Membership Committee and any other Committee the Governing Council findings it needs from time to time. Rationale: The Governing Council can better deal with key issues with committees reporting on specialist matters

Recommendation 4: Rotation of Governing Council Appointments That up to half the members of the Governing Council complete his/her term or put forward their name for re-election each year and in doing so introduce a two-year rotation cycle. Rationale: To ensure a high degree intellectual capital and the Society’s intelligence is retained on the Governing Council each year.

Recommendation 5: Chief Executive The Chief Executive becomes ex-officio on The Governing Council and the Executive without voting power. Rationale: To assist the Chief Executive in his/her role and to bring information to the table – creating a ‘no-surprise’ culture.

Recommendation 5. Levies It is recommended that the call for a levy should be time-bound. Rationale: Members need to know ahead of time of any such financial commitment they may have to meet.

Recommendation 6. Special Resolution. The current Rules outline what a special resolution is. It is believed that this is unnecessary as such resolutions should fall under the Special Meeting requirements. Rationale: Simplification within the Rules

Recommendation 7. Notices. The option of sending notices by electronic mail be added. Rationale: To ensure today’s communications tools can be used as a way to communicate with members.

Recommendation 8: Subject Matter Experts The Governing Council to have the power to appoint and to remunerate members to carry specified time-bound assignments when the members of the Governing Council seek work to be carried out on its behalf relevant to a specific area. Outcome: Members of the Society with specialist skills or expertise can be remunerated for work carried out as set out in a terms of reference under contract to the Society.

Rationale Members of the Society are more likely to be able to provide expert advise sought by the Society relating to rural health matters as opposed to people outside of the membership. People with the sought after knowledge are more likely to carry out the work if remunerated. In drawing on the expertise the Governing Council needs the authority to engage and remunerate such people for time-bound work once completed.