General Operations of Standing Committees

1. This by-law elaborates the functions, powers and composition of the Victorian Campaign Committee (which shall be known as the Campaign Committee) and the Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do Steering Committee (which shall be known as the Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do Committee), the National Conference Committee, the Finance, Administration and Infrastructure Committee and the Membership Engagement Committee.

Delegation of Powers in specific matter

1. In addition to any specific power granted to any Standing Committee by the Constitution and this by-law, State Council or State Executive can, subject to such conditions as it thinks fit, delegate the making of any decision on a specifically defined matter within its power, to any Standing Committee or to two or more committees in which case the decision will require the agreement of each committee concerned. Such a decision is not considered merely procedural (i.e. it cannot be done merely be simple majority).

2. State Council or State Executive, and specifically the facilitator at the time such delegation is made, must ensure that the delegation is clearly defined and that the limits of the delegation are clear.

3. The terms of reference of each Standing Committee are deemed to include the delegation described in this section, but to avoid doubt, no delegation can be taken as including any power to change any By-law, and any such specific delegation (i.e. not included in the terms of reference) only operates for a specific period which must be defined in the delegation. Such a delegation may be made subject to such direction or condition as is specified.

State Executive not to direct Committees but may stay decisions

1. State Executive cannot direct any Standing Committee to make any particular decision and cannot direct its work (AGVAustralian Greens Victoria Constitution Clause 46.8). However, State Executive may request a Standing Committee to review a decision, and may determine to put a stay on any decision of any Standing Committee, or part of a decision, pending the next State Council, or for such shorter time as it determines.

2. In addition, wherever it appears to an Office Bearer or to the Convenor of a Standing Committee that two or more Standing Committees have made inconsistent decisions, or that a Standing Committee has acted outside its power the Executive may resolve the matter by making its own decision (except where this would involve the Executive making Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do), or otherwise acting beyond its powers (AGVAustralian Greens Victoria Constitution Clause 46.5).

When a Standing Committee is to make a decision and when it is to make a recommendation

1. It is the intention of State Council that wherever the State Council has delegated to a Standing Committee under this by-law or otherwise, the power to make a decision (as opposed to State Council merely delegating a power to make a recommendation), then in the normal course of events it is expected that the Standing Committee will make decisions about these matters and will not merely make recommendations.

2. Therefore, there should be unusual circumstances why a Standing Committee only makes a recommendation where it could make a decision. Such circumstances might include the importance of the matter in the particular context, or the level of controversy about the matter in the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1).

3. It is the intention of State Council that wherever the State Council has delegated to a Standing Committee under its terms of reference, the power to make a recommendation, then in the normal course of events it is expected that the Standing Committee will make recommendations which do not require a further decision of the State Council, other than mere approval of the recommendation

4. If Standing Committee is of the view that an issue should be an item for discussion at State Council, this does not of itself mean it should fail to make a substantive recommendation, but the Committee may request the Secretary that the item be listed for discussion.

Quorum and QDMGQuick Decision Making Group

1. The provisions regarding quorum, QDMGQuick Decision Making Group and election of general members do not apply to the National Conference Committee.

2. The quorum for a meeting of a Standing Committee shall be at least half of its members. However quorum for the Finance Administration Infrastructure and Staffing Committee must also include any of the State Secretary or in their absence, the Assistant State Secretary, or the State Treasurer.

3. Each Standing Committee shall appoint a Quick Decision Making Group, which must have four members and must include at least one of the office bearers (or if no office bearer is a member of the Committee, at least one member of the State Executive). A decision by a QDMGQuick Decision Making Group must be supported by at least 3 members and must not be opposed by any member of the QDMGQuick Decision Making Group, and must be ratified in the minutes and Record of Decisions at the next meeting.

Election of General members of Standing Committees

1. General members of Standing Committees shall be elected by a postal or electronic ballota secret ballot that uses a single transferable vote quota-preferential voting system, allows the option of not allocating further preferences, uses Robson Rotation, and provides an option of voting to ‘Seek Further Candidates’ of all members prior to State Conference.

2. Any casual vacancyincludes a vacancy caused by an office not being filled at an election of a standing committee shall be filled by State council at the next meeting which allows for sufficient notice of the vacancy to be given to members, and the state Returning Officers may establish procedures to enable nominations to be lodged prior to that State Council meeting, and for voting to continue after that State Council meeting. State Council may delegate the filling of such vacancy to the Executive if insufficient nominations are received.

Removal of General members of Standing Committees

1. A member of a Standing Committee (other than a person who holds that position by virtue of holding another office, but including any Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do Sub-Committee) may resign in writing to the Convenor of the Standing Committee or to the State Secretary.

2. Wherever a member of a Standing Committee (other than a person who holds that position by virtue of holding another office):

   1. fails to attend two consecutive meetings without apology; or

   2. fails to attend three meetings with apologies (excluding exceptional circumstances where leave of absence is granted from the Committee for not more than three months); or

   3. is found to have committed misconduct; or

   4. appears to be unable or unwilling to contribute to the work of the Committee;

   The Convenor of the Committee will contact that member to discuss their continued membership of the Committee. Should the member not resign and should the Convenor after that discussion not be satisfied about the continued involvement of that member, the Convenor of the Committee will, as they consider appropriate, recommend to the State Executive in writing (with a copy to the member) that the member’s position be declared vacant, and the State Executive may upon this recommendation remove the member from the Standing Committee, provided the member has been afforded an opportunity to be heard. This is subject to review by State Council should the member challenge the decision.

3. Under no other circumstances and for no other reason shall the State Executive have the power to remove a member of a Standing Committee, but State Council may do so at its discretion provided an opportunity has been afforded to the Standing Committee member to be heard prior to any such decision being made.

Office Bearers

1. A Standing Committee Convenor will be responsible for:

   1. facilitating meetings of the Committee, or delegating this responsibility to another member for any meeting;

   2. in conjunction with the Secretary, ensuring that the appropriate notice of meeting, agenda and motions on notice are provided in good time;

   3. ensuring that the business of each Committee meeting is properly addressed;

   4. presenting Committee reports to the State Council;

   5. acting as the Committee’s primary point of contact with State Office Bearers and State Councillors, except where decided otherwise by the Committee;

   6. in consultation with the State Secretary, corresponding with the National Office Bearers on behalf of the Committee.

2. All Standing Committees shall be required to appoint a Secretary at their first meeting after each AGVAustralian Greens Victoria Annual State Conference or as vacancies arise.

3. A Standing Committee Secretary shall be charged with:

   1. in conjunction with the Convenor, ensuring that the appropriate notice of meeting, agenda and motions on notice are provided in good time;

   2. in combination with the Convenor, the creation of meeting agendas;

   3. the taking of meeting minutes;

   4. the uploading of these minutes to the internal AGVAustralian Greens Victoria website within one week of each meeting;

   5. liaising with the Returning Officers to ensure that any Committee vacancies are addressed; and

   6. maintaining any e-lists of the Committee.

Meetings

1. Standing Committees are required to establish and publish on the internal AGVAustralian Greens Victoria website a meeting schedule early in their terms. Any changes to the schedule are to be advised to State Council.

2. A Standing Committee will meet as needed, but not less than four times a year, to carry out its duties.

3. Wherever possible, at least one week’s notice will be given of all meetings of the Standing Committee.

4. Urgent meetings may be called if required but not with less than 24 hours’ notice.

5. A Standing Committee will not make decisions except at meetings or by Quick Decision.

6. Standing Committee attendance records must be kept and displayed on the internal AGVAustralian Greens Victoria website, and reported to each Annual State Conference.

Modification History

Action	Body	Date
Approved	State Council	2012-06-23
Amended	State Council	2015-03-28
Amended	State Council	2019-02-02
Amended	State Executive	2019-04-18
Amended	State Council	2019-06-01
Amended	State Executive	2019-08-15
Amended	State Executive	2020-03-19
Amended	State Council	2020-03-28
Amended	State Council	2020-06-20