CONSTITUTION of the AUSTRALASIAN FIRE BRIGADES GOLF CLUB
1 | NAME
The club shall be called the “Australasian Fire Brigades Golf Club” hereinafter called “the club”.
2 | OBJECTS
The objects of the club to be:
a| Foster the game of golf and to encourage good fellowship among the members:
b| Conduct an annual competition throughout Australia and New Zealand.
3 | REPRESENTATION OF STATES etc
Each State, Territory and New Zealand shall be represented by one contingent only who will be administered by the following golf clubs, hereinafter called “the recognised clubs'”:
VICTORIA | Melbourne Fire & Emergency Services Golf Club Inc
NEW SOUTH WALES | New South Wales Fire Brigade Golf Club
QUEENSLAND | Queensland Fire Service Golf Club
SOUTH AUSTRALIA | South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service Golf Club
TASMANIA | Tasmanian Fire Service Golf Club
ACT | A.C.T. Fire Brigade Golf Club
WESTERN AUSTRALIA | W.A. Fire Brigade Golf Club
NEW ZEALAND | New Zealand National Fire Service Golf Executive
NORTHERN TERRITORY | Northern Territory Firefighters Golf Club Inc
4 | MEMBERSHIP
a| Membership shall consist of the following:
– Ordinary members
– Social members
– Life members
5 | CLASSIFICATION
a| SOCIAL MEMBERS
Social members shall be members of any recognised Fire Brigade Golf Club who do not satisfy the requirements as applies to ordinary members.
b| ORDINARY MEMBERS
Ordinary members shall be members of any recognised Fire Brigade Golf Club and who are serving or retired members of any Commonwealth or State Fire Service, permanent or volunteer, who hold a current Australian Golf Union or New Zealand Golf Association National Handicap Index.
Retirement, resignation or redundancy shall not preclude a person being an Ordinary member of the club, provided that person be a member of the representative golf club of the State that are competing for, as names in Section three [3] of the Constitution and they have a minimum of fifteen [15] years service with a Fire Service.
c| LIFE MEMBERS
Members shall be eligible for Life membership when:
– They have been a continuous member of their home club for a minimum ten [10] years and a re a Life member of that club.
– They have been proposed and seconded in writing to the current Secretary, all States, Territories and New Zealand at least two [2] months prior to the Annual General Meeting by their recognised club and who will forward with their proposal their recommendations supporting the nomination.
– A clear two thirds [2/3] majority shall be necessary for Life membership to be approved.
– Life members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
6 | SUBSCRIPTIONS
There shall be no subscriptions.
7 | ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a| The Annual General Meeting of the club shall be held each year prior to the Championships at a date and venue to be selected by the host State.
b| The members present at the Annual General Meeting shall consist of two [2] members only from each State, Territory and New Zealand, with the exception of the host State who may provide one additional member for the purpose of recording the proceedings but who shall have no voting powers.
c| All members present shall have one vote each with the exception of the third host State member.
d| The Chairman shall be the host State President or in his absence the Vice President or any member elected by the majority.
e| The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to thier original vote.
f| Copies of the minutes of the meeting shall be distributed by the host State to all States, Territories and New Zealand within three [3] months of such meeting.
8 | ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION AND POLICIES
a| The Constitution and policies of the club shall not be altered, added to or rescinded except by resolution passed at an Annual General Meeting.
b| No such resolution regarding the Constitution shall be submitted to the meeting unless ninety [90] days previous notice of such proposed alteration has been duly given in writing to the Secretary and copies posted to all States, Territories and New Zealand.
c| Resolutions regarding the Constitution must be accepted by two thirds [2/3] majority of the members present and entitled to vote at such meetings.
d| The W.A. Fire Brigade Golf Club be entrusted with the custodianship of the Constitution and Policy Documents of the Australasian Fire Brigades Golf Club and be responsible for the proper maintenance and updating as required. It shall also be responsible for the distribution of current documents to each State, Territory and New Zealand six months prior to the next Australasian Fire Brigade Golf Club Championship following any alterations confirmed at the previous AGM.
9 | OFFICE BEARERS
a| Office bearers of the club shall be the office bearers of the State responsible for hosting the Championships in any one year.
b| The term of office shall commence at the conclusion of the preceding Championships and shall terminate at the conclusion of the current Championship in any one year.
10 | SUB COMMITTEES
a| Sub Committees shall be as designated by the Officers of the club, with the exception of the Match Committee.
b| The Match Committee shall be chaired by the host State’s Captain and consist of all nine State, Territory and New Zealand Captain’s.
c| In the event of any absences of the above, proxies shall be nominated by their individual States.
d| The Match Committee shall be sole adjudicators over all matters aspiring from the competition requiring a quorum of five [5] State Captain’s or their representatives.
11 | COMPLAINTS
All complaints will be submitted tot he Secretary in writing who will lay them before the Annual General Meeting.
12 | PAYING RULES
All play shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of golf as approved from time to time by the rules of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of At. Andrews subject to such local playing rules are are in force from time to time.
13 | RULES AND POLICIES
Every member of the club is bound and shall submit to the Rules and Policies of the club.
14 | CHAMPIONSHIP DATES
a| The Championships shall be played annually between the months of September and November inclusive.
b| Northern Territory shall have the option of hosting the Championships in August.
15 | CHAMPIONSHIP VENUES
a| The Championship venues shall be in the following order:
– Victoria
– New South Wales
– Queensland
– South Australia
– Tasmania
– Australian Capital Territory
– Western Australia
– New Zealand
– Northern Territory
b| The host State for 1986 shall be Victoria and the order shall continue without change for the ensuing years. After 2012, Northern Territory will exchange positions with Victoria. Victoria will next host in 2020 and Northern Territory in 2021, if all States, Territories and New Zealand host their right to the Championships.
c| In the event of any State. Territory or New Zealand being unable to host the Championships, a notification period of two [2] years is required. That State, Territory or New Zealand shall forfeit its right to host the Championships until its turn appears again in the order.
16 | HANDICAPS
a| Members with an Australian Golf Union handicap or New Zealand equivalent shall supply written verification of handicap. All players will play on their AGU or NZGU National Handicap Index at any event of the club.
b| Members with a Social handicap shall supply written verification of handicap from their home club secretary.
17 | DONATIONS
a| Each State, Territory and New Zealand pay to the next host State, Territory or New Zealand the sum of two hundred [$200.00 ] Australian dollars as a non refundable donation to help fund the Championship for that year.
b| This sum is to be paid by the 31st March of each year.
18 | USE OF MOTORISED EQUIPMENT
Any player, including State team members, who are incapable of walking the course, where supported by medical documentation, may use motorised equipment if so approved by the Match Committee and the Venue Course Committee.