Recreational Aviation Constitution Amendment - URGENT!

[Airsports]

 

Recreational Aviation Australia

Proposed amendment to the RAAus Constitution

 

 

Under the RAAus constitution Board members must retire after 9 years of service. Unfortunately workarounds have been found to the current rule. As it stands now an individual Board member, with Board support, could remain in office indefinitely despite the 9 year service rule. Certainly this was not the intent of the current constitution of RAAus.

 

Our proposed RAAus constitution amendment will resolve this problem, it will ensure current Board members must retire after serving a 9 year term. This will enable new Board Members to be appointed, the Board refreshed and the problems facing RAAus resolved.

 

There is need for change. A police force type structure has been created within RAAus. RAAus employees now have the power to prosecute, penalise and punish RAAus members. In our view these actions have proven to be both excessive and without just cause.

 

Our amendment has been put forward by two retired RAAus Board members and two RAAus reform group members.

 

We are asking for current financial members of RAAus  to support this proposed amendment see the details below.:

 

36.6 On retirement or resignation a Director may be appointed, elected or re-elected, subject to Clause 36.7.

36.7 A Director who has held office with the Australian Ultralight Federation Inc and/or Recreational Aviation Australia Ltd for a cumulative period of nine (9) years or more, can not be appointed, elected or re-elected for a period of 3 years from the date of the most recent retirement or resignation.

 

Original : 36.7 A Director who has held office for a continuous period of nine (9) years or more may only be re-appointed or re-elected by a special resolution.

 

The proposed constitution amendment will protect RAAus members rights and preserves the intent of RAAus’s constitution. We recommend it strongly for member consideration and adoption.

 

There is limited time…..Our amendment is to be voted on at the RAAus AGM on the 25th of November. If you are a financial RAAus member and wish to support this amendment please download the proxy form, fill out your details, sign, scan or take a photo and send to the [email protected] today and for the record send a copy to [email protected].

 

Further information available from:

 

Rodney Birrell

0422-446622

[email protected]

Alan Middleton

[email protected]

Rogin Taylor

0417 646 075

Stuart Erskine

[email protected]

RAAus member RAAus member

 

 

 

 

 

PROXY - PDF DOCUMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROXY - WORD DOCUMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAGE 2 - Instructions

 

[Flying_higher]

But, hang on, wasn’t Rod Birrell on the board for like 30 or more years? But now he’s off the board he doesn’t want anyone else to do this. Smells fishy to me…

Ive read both proposals, the board proposal and this one by Birrell. 
The board proposal simply tidies up the existing rules and keeps the ability of members (not the board or directors) to extend beyond 9 years if 75% or members at a general meeting vote in favour. And I note this is enduring so even if the members vote in favour of that resolution, the director would have to be voted in by special resolution every three years -unlikely to happen and unlikely to ever be needed. Birrell’s proposal doesn’t allow this, however it enables a complete reset of the 9 years after a 3 year break. So this would allow Birrell to have a three year holiday then come back again for another 9 years over and over again. 
sorry, I won’t be voting for the Birrell proposal. 

[turboplanner]

Agree; there's no way you want to lock out the ability to retain an outstanding Official on the dubious grounds of refreshment.

 

[Airsports]

Thanks Flying Higher for your comments, the constitution sets the rules, not me.

The intent is that the maximum time is 9 years for a Board member, then retire from the Board and have another go later. Retiring or resigning early and then taking up a position weeks later by filling a casual vacancy to enable the clock to be reset does not pass the fish shop or the pub test. The constitutions intent is clear, workarounds should not be supported.  

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Airsports

[facthunter]

People like Putin got around the  stipulated rule to  limit the time the president could stay in Power. So too the Premier of China  who has just done  the same. Councils rotate the Mayoral position.  Nev

[Flying_higher]

 It’s very unclear why you would put up an amendment when the board is already addressing that very issue with their amendment. 
Like I said in my earlier post, you were a director continuously for many many years but now you’re not it would seem like there is a bit of sour grapes going on. 
im happy with the 9 years and the ability, as a member, to seek a director stay on if we need it. Your proposal doesn’t give me or other members that option. Thumbs down. 

[Airsports]

 

It's not what is best for any particular Board member, it is what is best for all RAAus members. Benevolent dictators are the best form of government until they stop being benevolent. The RAAus reform group do not believe RAAus is a benevolent organisation any more. That is why the getting some new faces on the Board is so important. Retirement after 9 years for a short period of time is a safe and fair way of ensuring incumbency does not become the norm. There is no shortage of good, young, qualified candidates able to do the job.

[Airsports]

For those that might be interested in supporting the proposed amendment please see the enclosed proxy form. 

 

RAA - PROXY FORM - PDF 2 - Final 2.pdf

 

RAA PROXY - Instructions.pdf

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

I couldn't watch the AGM as we were otherwise engaged.  Does anyone know which resolution got up?

[coljones]

7 hours ago, FlyingVizsla said:

I couldn't watch the AGM as we were otherwise engaged.  Does anyone know which resolution got up?

Motion 4 was withdrawn by the board

Motion 5 failed to get the numbers in a poll and was roundly defeated in the ballot.

 

I appreciate the sentiment but maybe an entrenched board member should be re-voted every year after having served 9 years unless there is a gap of 1 year after which the clock starts clocking again.

[FlyingVizsla]

16 hours ago, coljones said:

Motion 4 was withdrawn by the board

It's a pity that they didn't split the reforms into separate Motions, because there were less controversial issues, such as better defining email as a means of communication, that are now not dealt with.

 

The AUF had some very long serving men, and some who either didn't contribute or had their own agenda, but were elected unopposed or simply because their name was known.  I used to be in favour of finite terms, but now with decades of volunteering, I think it should be left to the members to decide.  But also think we need some information on the various Board members' performance and participation on which to base our vote.

 

I've seen good clubs fail because they lost long-term office bearers and the new faces had no background.  Then you run out of volunteers - last few elections were sparce - current members unopposed, needing to nominate people onto the Board unelected.  And only 9% of members interested enough to vote.

[facthunter]

All it needs is APATHY. "I JUST want to fly. Don't bother me with any of that political stuff" is how the average member handles it.   Nev

[facthunter]

In the end, you are letting what a monopoly gives you, be enough. What you walk past , you accept.   IF you leave the same group in power  for long enough. they will arrange things to more  suit themselves than suit you.  Nev

[Flying_higher]

16 minutes ago, facthunter said:

In the end, you are letting what a monopoly gives you, be enough. What you walk past , you accept.   IF you leave the same group in power  for long enough. they will arrange things to more  suit themselves than suit you.  Nev

Totally agree. Which is what I believe the board was trying to clarify in the constitution. That is 9 years and no more (for ever) unless 75% of the membership see fit to extend them. 
the Birrell motion sought that a 3 year break would be required before restarting a 9 year tenure again. And if we look at who put that forward, was someone that was in power for more than 30 years, including as president, and who would benefit from this very motion because he could be reelected and start a 9 year tenure once again. 

[coljones]

Not a monopoly - one has many choices on how to burn ones cash. owning a power boat is a very good way to destroy a fortune if you don't like the way the board and staff of RAAus is running the show

[facthunter]

That defies logic Col if giving up flying is a suggested fix. CASA (VH) is an alternative but it's not  serving an identical purpose.  Nev

[facthunter]

The OLD AUF was a very different creature to what you have now.. IF someone flys a C-172 now and again it's not really that relevant to what we  fly. The activity level of all of the older committee types  in our game was for more extensive than the current lot. You could have a good talk to most of them about "finer Points" of it all.   Nev

[spacesailor]

COL .

I agree !.

If it gets too much paperwork & cost , to just keep your ' licence ' or the  '  Certificate ' to do our ' low ' annual hours.  Then were will all those ' Bureaucrats ' go for for their new job .

I can fly as a passenger,  & get my high's that way , No paperwork . And No ASIC card to worry me .

Any were , Any country , Any aircraft .

Last flight : Turkey in a ' paraglider ' .Absolutely breathtaking. 

One flight. No ' training , licence , ASIC ' , Then probably  cheaper than paying for all those mentioned .

spacesailor

 

[FlyingVizsla]

The AGM was reconvened for 15 minutes today 15/12/23, I signed up for the MS Teams meeting.  I clicked the link about 10 mins before the meeting, but just got the screen telling me to Wait, someone will allow you to join.  By the time I was admitted they were saying there were no further business, goodbye.  All over in about 4 mins?

 

Our Club got an Urgent notice from Rod Birrell et al, saying there was a No Confidence vote against Michael Monk.  What happened with that?  What did I miss?

[coljones]

Same here, at least you got admitted.

[facthunter]

I got notified of the weight increase possibility."awfully close' it said. Strange term? we got sold out on that one. Must be LAME serviced.  Cheap and affordable?.  Nev

[facthunter]

 IF access is provided, the system should be up to it.  Nev

[Thruster88]

22 minutes ago, FlyingVizsla said:

The AGM was reconvened for 15 minutes today 15/12/23, I signed up for the MS Teams meeting.  I clicked the link about 10 mins before the meeting, but just got the screen telling me to Wait, someone will allow you to join.  By the time I was admitted they were saying there were no further business, goodbye.  All over in about 4 mins?

 

Our Club got an Urgent notice from Rod Birrell et al, saying there was a No Confidence vote against Michael Monk.  What happened with that?  What did I miss?

I was admitted. Basically RAAus legal found there was no valid resolutions from the previous meeting and the meeting was closed. Today's meeting lasted less time than it took to type this.

[FlyingVizsla]

So I guess Rod's group were hoping to raise the No Confidence from the floor, and didn't get the opportunity. 

[rodgerc]

Well that little indulgence will account for at least $5 of the next levied fee increase for each and every member of RA-Aus.