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people-with-disabilities

**Established: 1 June 2019 Modified by State Executive: 15 August 2019 Modified by Membership Engagement Committee: 6 April 2020 Modified by Membership Engagement Committee: 8 June 2020 Name

  1. The name of the Working Group shall be the Victorian Greens (VGVictorian Greens) People with Disabilities Working Group (VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group).

Background​

  1. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group aims to:

    1. Build spaces and support networks to be a welcoming organisation for people with disabilities;

    2. Help the Greens continue to lead on disability issues; and

    3. Create a mechanism to work with VGVictorian Greens Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do Committee to enrich all policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do areas with the knowledge and expertise of members with disabilities about how it may impact people with disabilities.

Membership​

  1. Voting members of the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group shall be members of the Victorian Greens who identify as a person with a disability, have a disability or disabilities or are disabled.

  2. In the case of voting member with decision-making or communicative disability, they may be assisted by supporters or representatives as currently defined in “Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws.” Supporters or representatives shall be in attendance only when the voting member is present.

  3. A VGVictorian Greens Office Staff Member will be a nonvoting member of VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group.

  4. Two members of the VGVictorian Greens Office Bearers Group will be non-voting members of VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group.

  5. A member of the state Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) Room or their representative may be a non-voting member of VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group.

  6. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group recognises the strength in diversity and intersectionality and welcomes input and participation from people with disabilities who are in other marginalised groups, including but not limited to women, people who identify as LGBTIQ, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people from regional and rural areas.

  7. Experts, carers and allied health professionals may be invited to actively participate within VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group activities, but non-members of the Victorian Greens may not be a member of VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group or be afforded voting or blocking rights.

  8. Parents of children with a disability are encouraged to join but would not have voting or blocking rights unless the issue under discussion related specifically to children with disabilities such as education or early intervention.

Office Bearers​

  1. VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will elect office bearers on an annual basis or whenever a vacancy arises through accessible voting platforms such as email/online ballots.

  2. The office bearers include a Convenor, Secretary, Delegate to the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 People with Disabilities Working Group and Technical Assistant. These roles may be shared by up to two people.

  3. All office bearers shall be voting members, where a voting member has nominated for the position. If no voting members nominate for a specific role then it may be opened to non-voting members. Members of Parliament and state office bearers cannot be office bearers of VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group.

  4. The duties of the Convenor comprise:

    1. Ensuring that the appropriate notice of meeting, agenda and motions on notice are provided in good time;

    2. Ensuring that the business of each meeting is properly addressed;

    3. Presenting an Annual Report to the Annual State Conference;

    4. Contacting other available members to convene a quick response to urgent and pressing political matters;

    5. Acknowledging and acting on conflicts of interest as they arise, taking appropriate action, which may include determining where a member should abstain from an activity or decision; and

    6. Performing such other duties as may be required by the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group from time to time.

  5. The duties of the Secretary comprise:

    1. In conjunction with the Convenor, giving notification of all meetings;

    2. Preparing the agenda of meetings, table correspondence and record the attendance of all persons present;

    3. Ensuring that minutes are kept of all meetings of the WG and that an update of the minutes is distributed within 28 days;

    4. Maintaining and updating a draft agenda for the next meeting and ensure that all parties are kept informed of this agenda;

    5. Co-ordinating the correspondence of the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group; and

    6. Performing such other duties as the WG may from time to time determine.

  6. The duties of the Delegate to the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 People with Disabilities Working Group comprise:

    1. Report back to the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group about meetings of the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 People with Disabilities Working Group (AGAttorney-General-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group);

    2. Seek guidance from the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group about decisions being made at AGAttorney-General-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group meetings;

    3. Represent decisions relevant to the AGAttorney-General-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group made by the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group at meetings; and

    4. Compiling an Annual Report to the Annual State Conference.

  7. The duties of the Technical Assistant/Accessibility Liaison comprise:

    1. Organising the technological side of meetings; and

    2. Ensuring that meetings are accessible, including with interpreters.

Roles of the Group​

  1. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will:

    1. Work with Greens local, state and federal representatives to review, develop and recommend policies across disability and other portfolios to ensure they are accessible and equitable for people with disabilities;

    2. Support and advocate for people with disabilities to take up membership, leadership roles and candidacy for the party;

    3. Be an education resource and reference for people within the party on disability policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do and practice; and

    4. Engage with federal and other state Greens disability working groups.

  2. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will, in the first instance, collaborate with and take the advice of people with specific disabilities where activities or decisions of the group relate to that specific disability. This includes consultation about which experts are invited to participate in the group.

Budget​

  1. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group has no authority to incur debts or secure loans on behalf of the party.

  2. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will only expend funds provided by the party where this is an accordance with a budget that has been ratified by State Council.

  3. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group Convenor will be responsible for approving expenditure in the budget, although any member may request funding for activities.

  4. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group Convenor is responsible for acquittal in coordination with the State Treasurer.

  5. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group may be allocated a budget by State Council to cover the costs of hiring Auslan interpreters for meetings,

5.c.

Communication and Decision Making​

  1. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will meet not less than four times per year either in person, via video link up or by any other appropriate method available.

  2. Where possible, meetings will be facilitated by a trained and experienced facilitator.

  3. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will develop agreed procedures for the conduct of meetings, and actthe Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 in accordance with Victorian Greens meeting procedures.

  4. All members of the group must be given a previously agreed time to review draft documents submitted in the name of the group before they are submitted and be given the opportunity to recommend changes to them.

Anticipated Longevity​

  1. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group is an ongoing policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do and campaigning Working Group.

  2. In the event that the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group fails to meet its minimum meeting requirement for the twelve-month period between State Conferences or fails to present a report to State Conference, then a VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group dissolution item will be put on the Annual State Conference agenda.

Reporting and Accountability​

  1. The VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group will provide a brief written report to the State Council meeting immediately following a general election on any campaigning undertaken, with a more comprehensive report to be tabled at each Annual State conference.

  2. The report to Annual State Conference must detail as a minimum:

    1. Current membership;

    2. Report from the VGVictorian Greens-PDWGParticipatory Democracy Working Group delegate to the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 People with Disabilities Working Group;

    3. Details of meeting activity; and

    4. Progress on areas that are within the roles of the Working Group as defined in the terms of reference.