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blak-greens

BLAKGREENS VICTORIA – TERMS OF REFERENCE (Final Version 01 OCT 2019)

ABBREVIATIONS​

AGVAustralian Greens Victoria Australian Greens Victoria

AGMAnnual General Meeting Annual General Meeting

BGV BlakGreens Victoria

QDMGQuick Decision Making Group Quick Decision Making Group

NAME and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT​

  1. The name of the working group is BlakGreens Victoria (BGV).

  2. These terms of reference for the working group are written with proud acknowledgment of the 38 living First Nations in the colonial state of Victoria. We pay respect to our ancestors and warriors of the frontier wars, our elders and descendants of all First Nations in Victoria. We stand in solidarity for justice and empowerment for our First People. The sovereignty of this land was never ceded. This was, is and always will be First Nations Land.

PURPOSES​

  1. BGV is a working group of the Australian Greens Victoria (AGVAustralian Greens Victoria) with the purposes of:

    1. Increasing membership in the Australian Greens Victoria of people from First People backgrounds;

    2. Supporting members with First People backgrounds to participate in Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 at all levels, from local, regional to national membership participation; and

    3. Serving as a forum for expert advice and consultation within the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria on First Nations affairs and policies.

OBJECTIVES​

  1. BGV will work to provide an authoritative voice within the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria for members with First People backgrounds including, but not limited to:

    1. Advocating for First Nations representations within the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria and in local councils or parliaments of Australia;

    2. Advocating for training of members with First People backgrounds to enable them to participate in AGVAustralian Greens Victoria party processes;

    3. Informing the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria party bodies of First Nations affairs, including on campaigning and policies.

  2. In congruence with the CharterThe Charter of The Greens which is appended to the National Constitution of the Greens, BGV shall work to communicate, liaise and advocate for First People communities in Victoria, when requested by these communities, elders or delegates, on issues significantly impacting or of significant importance to these communities.

MEMBERSHIP​

  1. BGV shall comprise AGVAustralian Greens Victoria members who identify themselves with First Nations heritage. 7. AGVAustralian Greens Victoria members of non-First People background are welcome to participate as supporters or co-opted members of BGV, when invited by a BGV member.
  2. Co-opted members are unable to exercise a vote or block a consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so.

OFFICE BEARERS AND ELECTIONS​

  1. BGV shall consist of a core group of office-bearers that include the following positions, with each role ideally shared by two people of different genders:

    1. Convenor / Co-Convenors; and

    2. Secretary / Co-Secretaries; with

    3. Treasurer / Co-Treasurers (if BGV holds funds).

  1. Members of BGV shall elect office-bearers from their number annually, as agreed by consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so by the working group at an annual general meeting (AGMAnnual General Meeting).
  2. In support of office-bearer roles as per clause 9, BGV may elect at the AGMAnnual General Meeting two sets of office-bearers for each role to rotate in 6 monthly rotations to share the duties of the roles.
  3. BGV members shall nominate their Victorian delegate to the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 First Nations Committee from their membership.
  4. Should any office-bearer position becomes vacant before an AGMAnnual General Meeting, it shall be filled if possible at the next BGV meeting.

ROLES OF THE OFFICE BEARERS​

  1. The Convenor(s) shall be responsible, among other things, to:

    1. convene meetings;

    2. ensure meetings are adequately facilitated; and

    3. be the main contact person for BGV.

  1. The Secretary(ies) shall be responsible, among other things, to:

    1. provide notice of meetings;

    2. prepare and distribute meeting minutes;

    3. prepare and distribute meeting agendas; and

    4. keep a record of all proceedings.

  2. The Treasurer(s) will be responsible for all records of financial decisions and transactions. If there is no Treasurer, the Secretary upkeeps the responsibility of the Treasurer.

MEETINGS​

  1. BGV shall meet at least once every 3 months.
  2. The quorum for general meetings is 3 members, one of which must be an office-bearer.
  3. Decisions will be made by consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so.
  4. So far as is practicable and possible, each meeting will set a date, time, and venue or electronic method for the next meeting. Where the date has not been set, or must be changed, the Secretary shall advertise the date, time and venue at least 3 days ahead. However, an urgent meeting may be called with no less than 12 hours notice if 3 members, one of which must be an office-bearer, agree that it is necessary.
  5. Notice of meetings shall be provided to all members in advance of each meeting, and members provided with an agenda for that meeting and unconfirmed minutes for the previous meeting.
  6. The confirmation of previous minutes will be considered at each meeting, and confirmed minutes are to be sent to the State Secretary.

QUICK DECISION MAKING GROUP​

  1. BGV may establish a Quick Decision Making Group (QDMGQuick Decision Making Group) for instances where urgent decisions need to be made before the next scheduled meeting of BGV.
  2. QDMGQuick Decision Making Group membership shall consist of any two of the office-bearers and two other members.
  3. QDMGQuick Decision Making Group decisions must be made by consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so by a quorum of 3 members.
  4. All QDMGQuick Decision Making Group decisions shall have immediate effect, but be put to the next BGV meeting for ratification.
  5. A written record shall be kept of all QDMGQuick Decision Making Group decisions.

ACCOUNTABILITY​

  1. All records of the working group proceedings shall be kept by the Secretary of BGV, and shared with the State Secretary as soon as practical (ideally within 14 days).
  2. If there is a change of Secretary, all records will be passed on within 14 days.