THE CONSTITUTION OF COMMON SENSE FOR AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED
AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
1. The purpose of the Association is to encourage the development and advocacy of common sense political policy.
2. The aspiration of the Association is to be identified as synonymous with: Vision, Equity and Courage.
3. The Association is founded with eight (8) core beliefs which we hold to be common sense for Australia:
I) Policy makers should lead, not follow public opinion. They should listen but not be beholden to sectoral interests. They should engage in thoughtful, respectful debate that elevates public discourse.
II) Government policies work best when guided by utilitarianism principles (applied pragmatically not dogmatically).
III) Government solutions are best implemented via principals of proportionality (to corresponding problems).
IV) Smaller government (regulatory and financial) is best (whilst ensuring we help those in need).
V) Government services are best delivered via principles of subsidiarity (localised decision making).
VI) Each level of government must be accountable to voters for raising the money which it spends.
VII) The greatest economic problem facing Australians is the cost of shelter (a roof overhead) for millions of us.
VIII) Families (intact or otherwise) and friendships are the building blocks of our communities – not government.
4. Aims of the Association shall include standing candidates for Senate and/or House of Representatives elections.
5. This Association shall not stand candidates for State and/or Territory Government elections.
6. This Association shall not stand candidates for Local Government elections.
NAME OF THE ASSOCIATION
7. The name of the incorporated association shall be ‘Common Sense for Australia Incorporated’ (‘the Association’).
8. The nick name of the Association shall be ‘Common Sense’.
OBTAINING AND RETAINING MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION
9. Membership shall be open to all Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents over 18 years of age.
10. Membership applications shall be in such form, as is prescribed from time to time, by the Governing Board.
11. Persons lodging membership applications shall be promptly advised of (a) confirmation of Association membership or (b) the reason for the Association’s declining (at that time) the application for membership.
12. Until the Association is registered by the Australian Electoral Commission as a Political Party, memberships shall be renewable annually (in the absence of any alternative renewal date approved by the Governing Board) on the anniversary of the registration of the Association as an Incorporated Association.
Once the Association is registered by the Australian Electoral Commission as a Political Party, membership shall be renewable annually on the anniversary of that registration.
13. Membership and continuity of membership shall be at the discretion of the Board. Where the Board terminates (or declines to renew) a person’s membership, the Board shall advise the person of the reason(s) for its decision.
STRUCTURE AND OFFICE BEARERS
14. The Association shall be comprised of a single Australian structure (plus such subsidiary structures as it approves).
15. The Association shall appoint a Governing Board of not fewer than three and not more than ten members.
16. The Association shall appoint a Chairman who shall be responsible for the leadership and public standing of the Association (including, in consultation with the Governing Board, content and manner of public communications).
17. The Association shall appoint a Secretary who shall be responsible for the carrying out of administration of the Association including the conduct of correspondence.
18. The Association shall appoint a Treasurer who shall be responsible for the Association’s finances.
19. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be members of the Governing Board.
ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS, GENERAL MEETINGS, CONSTITUTION
20. The Governing Board, the Chairman of the Board, the Secretary and the Treasurer (with the sole exception of the Association’s founding office bearers) shall be elected annually at a General Meeting of the Association.
21. General Meetings can be authorised by the Board or by the request of 5% or more of members of the Association.
22. General Meetings are meetings that are convened with at least 4 weeks’ notice to members of the Association.
23. Attendance at General Meetings may be by electronic means.
24. Voting at General Meetings may be by proxy.
25. Change to this Constitution shall only be made by special resolution (4 weeks’ notice of both the general meeting and special resolution; plus 75% of members who vote at the meeting, voting in favour of the special resolution).
HANDLING OF THE ASSOCIATION’S ASSETS INCLUDING MONEY
26. The Governing Board shall retain ultimate responsibility for the guardianship of the Association’s assets.
27. Day-to-day guardianship of the Association’s non-financial assets including intellectual property and goodwill shall be delegated to the Secretary (including oversight of development of related proposals for Codes of Conduct).
28. Day-to-day guardianship of the Association’s financial assets shall be delegated to the Treasurer (including oversight of development of procedures for receipt and expenditure of funds and preparation of annual budgets).
29. No Association funds shall be expended in the absence of the prior approval in writing of the Governing Board.
SUNSET CLAUSES
30. Office bearers appointed by 30 June 2021 shall be founding office bearers. Founding office bearers shall hold office for a term expiring on the third anniversary of the registration of the Association as a Political Party.
31. Nothing in the preceding clause precludes (a) a founding office bearer from resigning his or her office; or (b) a General Meeting of members removing any founding office bearer/s (from his/her office) by special resolution.
WINDING UP OFF THE ASSOCIATION
32. Upon any winding up of the Association, any surplus of funds shall be donated to such non-profit association or charity (or in such proportions to such associations and/or charities) as are approved by the Governing Board.
POLICY EVOLVEMENT AND CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENT
33. The Governing Board shall be responsible for developing and documenting procedures which facilitate and promote opportunity for all members to contribute to ongoing evolvement of common sense political policy; being procedures identifiable as, and synonymous with, the ‘best practice’ among Australian political parties.
34. The Governing Board shall be responsible for developing and documenting procedures which facilitate and promote opportunity for all members to stand for endorsement as the Association’s parliamentary candidates; being procedures identifiable as, and synonymous with, the ‘best practice’ among Australian political parties.
ADOPTION OF MODEL CONSTITUTION
35. The Association adopts (in addition to the Core Articles above) the Articles of the Model Constitution for Incorporated Associations (as recommended from time to time on the New South Wales Fair Trading website).
36. To the extent of any inconsistency, the Core Articles take precedence over the Articles of the Model Constitution.