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COUNTRY GREENS NETWORK TERMS OF REFERENCE

**Endorsed by State Executive – December 2012 Modified by State Council – March 2013 Modified by State Council – December 2018 Modified by State Executive – January 2019 Modified by State Executive – May 2019 Modified by State Executive – August 2019 Modified by Membership Engagement Committee

  • June 2020**

PURPOSE​

To establish and build a network of Greens partyone of the member bodies of the Australian Greens members of the Northern, Western and Eastern Victoria Upper House regions.

AIMS​

  • To facilitate and properly resource party building in each of the country Upper House regions;

  • To foster a supportive environment for the pre-selection of candidates in all country seats in Victoria;

  • To establish a forum for policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do discussion and development with regard to interests, perspectives and issues relevant to people living in country Victoria;

  • To seek representation of those interests, perspectives and issues in the Greens partyone of the member bodies of the Australian Greens platform;

  • To establish a public presence in rural areas and regional centres that will allow country Victorians to engage with the Greens;

  • To establish a coordinated media and public presence in country Victoria consistent with A.G.V. media guidelines;

  • To set up I.T. infrastructure and support (website portal, bulletin boards, e lists etc) that facilitates networking across the rural Upper House regions, recognizing the connectivity constraints of country Victoria;

  • To resource continuous campaigning in each of the rural Upper House regions;

  • To provide a conduit between country Victorians and Green MPs.

VALUES​

The Network will be underpinned by the values evident in the Victorian Greens constitution, and meeting protocol.

DURATION​

Ongoing network

GROUP STRUCTURE​

The Country Greens Network is a loose network of all AGVAustralian Greens Victoria members residing in the rural Upper House regions with an Executive Committee comprising:

  • A representative from each branch in the rural Upper House regions elected by that branch, if the branch chooses to elect a representative;

  • The representative to the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 Country Greens Working Group elected by the Committee from amongst all AGVAustralian Greens Victoria members residing in the rural Upper House regions; and

  • A convenor, an IT officer, and a Secretary elected by the Committee from its membership, or external. Executive group meets a minimum of quarterly (e.g. by email, teleconferencing or other means open to remote communities).

OFFICE BEARERS​

The office bearers are:

  1. Convenor, whose duties include:

    • Convening meetings

    • Ensuring the network sticks to these terms of reference

    • Presenting an annual report to the network conference

    • Providing a written annual report to State Conference, received by the State Secretary no less than 7 days prior to the Annual State Conference meeting on:

      • current membership;

      • meeting activity;

      • progress on areas that are within the aims; and

      • any reports from the representative to the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 Country Greens Working Group.

    • Providing a written report to State Council immediately following a general election on any campaigning undertaken.

  2. I.T. Officer, whose duties include

    • Compiling a contact list for the network

    • Creating and maintaining the network portal website

    • Keeping a current email list

  3. Secretary, whose duties will include:

    • Arranging for minutes to be taken and the copy passed to State Secretary

    • Work with IT officer to update website content

    • Develop the use of social media for CGNCountry Greens Network

    • Membership development with emphasis on connecting with CGNCountry Greens Network members where there are no branches.

MEETINGS​

  • Dates of all meetings will be determined by the current convenor in conjunction with ExecState Executive committee;

  • The State Secretary will be advised of ALL meetings to be held;

  • The minimum required number of meetings annually shall be 4;

  • Notice of any meeting shall be advertised on the network email site;

  • Attendance is open to all financial members of the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626, Victoria and attendees have speaking rights;

  • The minimum reporting requirements are (a) Name of Network (b) Date of meeting (c) Persons in attendance (d) Decisions made

  • Decision making – see Decision Making at Working Group Meetings

MEMBERSHIP OF COUNTRY GREENS NETWORK​

  • Open to interested financial party members residing within the Northern, Western or Eastern Victoria Upper House region boundaries;

  • The State Convenor is an ex-officio member of this network, and the State Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do coordinator is an ex-officio member for all policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do discussions;

  • The means of communication for the network shall be email and website;

  • It is incumbent upon membership to inform themselves of meetings and keep abreast of developments;

  • The email list/site shall contain all those financial members who wish to be on the list;

  • The content of all emails will be non-confrontational, but constructive

EXPENDITURE​

To be approved by the Country Greens Network executive group responsible to the branches that form the network. No ability to incur debt or unfunded liabilities.

PUBLIC COMMENT​

Public comment will be made through elected representatives, or members nominated by the Country Greens Network executive and subsequently appointed by State Council.

ACCOUNTABILITY​

A minimum of one annual review will be made by State office bearers to consider the overall functioning and effectiveness of the network. A copy of the current terms of reference must be displayed on the internal AGVAustralian Greens Victoria website. In the event that the it fails to meet its minimum meeting and reporting requirements, or in any

instance where it is seen to be breaching party rules, the State Council may choose to dissolve the group.

DECISION MAKING AT MEETINGS​

Decisions shall be made in accordance with Section 48 of the party’s State Constitution, ‘Decision Making in Meetings’ as summarized below:

  • Decisions will be made primarily 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 and a serious attempt at all times will be made towards achieving 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. However, if disagreement persists, and a decision cannot be deferred, the question will be resolved by vote. A procedural question to this effect will be deemed to have been carried if it is supported by at least a 75% majority.

  • Delegates’ abstentions may be recorded but will not count as a vote, either for or against.

  • Voting by proxy is not allowed.

  • When voting occurs it will be conducted by a show of hands.

  • Voting of all members will be recorded.