Part 5: Membership

⌛Timing

The provisions of this part of the Constitution come into force on the transition date (1 January 2023)

Drafting Panel commentary

At a glance

• Provides for starting and ending membership.

• Allows for membership fees.

• Provides for a grievance procedureState Council must make the procedure for dealing with any dispute under this Constitution between a member and another member or the Party (grievance procedure).

• Provides for a disciplinary procedureState Council must make the procedure under which disciplinary action may be taken (disciplinary procedure).

Summary and Explanation

Part 5 provides for a membership application process and membership fees (clauses 30 and 32). It also provides, as required by the relevant legislation, that State Council must establish a procedure to deal with grievances (clause 33) and for disciplinary action (clause 34).

It is important to note that the relevant legislation provides that any grievance against the State Council cannot be dealt with by the State Council itself.

30. Becoming a member

    1. The eligibility requirements for admission to membership are in Schedule 8.

    2. State Council must make the procedure for:

       1. applying for membership; and

       2. admitting an applicant as a member.

31. Ending membership

    A person ceases to be a member if:

    1. they resign by giving written notice to State Council;

    2. they fail to pay their membership fee by the end of the second month after it was due; or

    3. they are expelled.

32. Membership fees

    1. State Council must decide the amount of, and may decide any other matter about, the membership fee to be paid annually by each member.

    2. No membership fee may be set at or reduced to less than one dollar.

    3. A member must not pay, or cause to be paid, the membership fee of more than one other person in any calendar year.

    4. State Council may declare void the membership of any person whose membership fee was paid in breach of subclause (3).

33. Grievance procedureState Council must make the procedure for dealing with any dispute under this Constitution between a member and another member or the Party (grievance procedure)

    State Council must make the procedure for dealing with any dispute under this Constitution between a member and another member or the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) (grievance procedureState Council must make the procedure for dealing with any dispute under this Constitution between a member and another member or the Party (grievance procedure)).

34. Disciplinary action

    1. a member is suspended for a specified period; or
    2. a member is expelled.

    1. In this Constitution, disciplinary action

       1. a member is suspended for a specified period; or
       2. a member is expelled.
       means:

       1. a member is suspended for a specified period; or

       2. a member is expelled.

    2. State Council must make the procedure under which disciplinary action may be taken (disciplinary procedureState Council must make the procedure under which disciplinary action may be taken (disciplinary procedure)).

    3. A member found to have simultaneously been a member of a political partya political party registered under Commonwealth, state or territory law that is not a Greens partyone of the member bodies of the Australian Greens must be expelled.

    4. ❗This power must not be delegated.
       Only State Council may take disciplinary action
       1. a member is suspended for a specified period; or
       2. a member is expelled.
       against a State Councillor or member who holds public officeincludes a member elected or appointed to a public office where the term of that office is yet to begin.