(1) Any person who supports the objects or purposes of the Association is eligible to apply to become a member.
(2) An individual who has not reached the age of 15 years is not eligible to apply for a class of membership that confers full voting rights.
Applying for membership
(1) A person who wants to become a member must apply in writing to the Association.
(2) The application must include a member’s nomination of the applicant for membership.
(3) The application must be signed by the applicant and the member nominating the applicant.
(4) The applicant must specify in the application the class of membership, if there is more than one, to which the application relates.
Dealing with membership applications
(1) The committee must consider each application for membership of the Association and decide whether to accept or reject the application.
(2) Subject to subrule (3), the committee must consider applications in the order in which they are received by the Association.
(3) The committee may delay its consideration of an application if the committee considers that any matter relating to the application needs to be clarified by the applicant or that the applicant needs to provide further information in support of the application.
(4) The committee must not accept an application unless the applicant —
(a) is eligible under rule 4; and
(b) has applied under rule 5.
(5) The committee may reject an application even if the applicant —
(a) is eligible under rule 4; and
(b) has applied under rule 5.
(6) The committee must notify the applicant of the committee’s decision to accept or reject the application as soon as practicable after making the decision.
(7) If the committee rejects the application, the committee is not required to give the applicant its reasons for doing so.
Becoming a member
An applicant for membership of the Association becomes a member when —
(a) the committee accepts the application; and
(b) the applicant pays any membership fees payable to the Association under rule 12.
Classes of membership
(1) The Association consists of ordinary members and any associate members provided for under subrule (2).
(2) The Association may have any class of associate membership approved by resolution at a general meeting, including junior membership, senior membership, honorary membership and life membership.
Part Part 3 - Associations Incorporation Regulations 2016 - Members | Zoe
(3) An individual who has not reached the age of 15 years is only eligible to be an associate member.
(4) A person can only be an ordinary member or belong to one class of associate membership.
(5) An ordinary member has full voting rights and any other rights conferred on members by these rules or approved by resolution at a general meeting or determined by the committee.
(6) An associate member has the rights referred to in subrule (5) other than full voting rights.
(7) The number of members of any class is not limited unless otherwise approved by resolution at a general meeting.
When membership ceases
(1) A person ceases to be a member when any of the following takes place —
(a) for a member who is an individual, the individual dies;
(b) for a member that is a body corporate, the body corporate is wound up;
(c) the person resigns from the Association under rule 10;
(d) the person is expelled from the Association under rule 15;
(e) the person ceases to be a member under rule 12(4).
(2) The secretary must keep a record, for at least one year after a person ceases to be a member, of —
(a) the date on which the person ceased to be a member; and
(b) the reason why the person ceased to be a member.
Resignation
(1) A member may resign from membership of the Association by giving written notice of the resignation to the secretary.
(2) The resignation takes effect —
(a) when the secretary receives the notice; or
(b) if a later time is stated in the notice, at that later time.
(3) A person who has resigned from membership of the Association remains liable for any fees that are owed to the Association (the owed amount) at the time of resignation.
(4) The owed amount may be recovered by the Association in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due to the Association.
Rights not transferable
The rights of a member are not transferable and end when membership ceases.
Division 2 — Membership fees
Membership fees
(1) The committee must determine the entrance fee (if any) and the annual membership fee (if any) to be paid for membership of the Association.
(2) The fees determined under subrule (1) may be different for different classes of membership.
(3) A member must pay the annual membership fee to the treasurer, or another person authorised by the committee to accept payments, by the date (the due date) determined by the committee.
(4) If a member has not paid the annual membership fee within the period of 3 months after the due date, the member ceases to be a member on the expiry of that period.
(5) If a person who has ceased to be a member under subrule (4) offers to pay the annual membership fee after the period referred to in that subrule has expired —
(a) the committee may, at its discretion, accept that payment; and
(b) if the payment is accepted, the person’s membership is reinstated from the date the payment is accepted.
Division 3 — Register of members
Register of members
(1) The secretary, or another person authorised by the committee, is responsible for the requirements imposed on the Association under section 53 of the Act to maintain the register of members and record in that register any change in the membership of the Association.
(2) In addition to the matters referred to in section 53(2) of the Act, the register of members must include the class of membership (if applicable) to which each member belongs and the date on which each member becomes a member.
(3) The register of members must be kept at the secretary’s place of residence, or at another place determined by the committee.
(4) A member who wishes to inspect the register of members must contact the secretary to make the necessary arrangements.
(5) If —
(a) a member inspecting the register of members wishes to make a copy of, or take an extract from, the register under section 54(2) of the Act; or
(b) a member makes a written request under section 56(1) of the Act to be provided with a copy of the register of members,
the committee may require the member to provide a statutory declaration setting out the purpose for which the copy or extract is required and declaring that the purpose is connected with the affairs of the Association.