Constitution

POPULATION ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND (INCORPORATED)

Te Roopu Waihanga Iwi O Aotearoa

I. NAME

The Association shall be called the Population Association of New Zealand, Te Roopu Waihanga Iwi O Aotearoa, hereinafter referred to as the Association.

II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Association shall be:

  1. to promote the study of human populations;
  2. to provide a forum for the discussion, and promotion of understanding, of population matters;
  3. to encourage the dissemination of information on population research and policy;
  4. to maintain liaison with kindred organisations and to make appropriate recommendations on population matters such as population growth, human sustainability and demographic issues

III. MEMBERSHIP

A. The Association shall consist of Ordinary, Associate, and Life members.

  1. Ordinary membership shall be open to all persons interested in the objects of the Association. Ordinary members, subject to the provisions of Section B. hereof, shall have full rights to attend and vote at meetings, hold office in the Association, submit papers for reading and work for publications, and receive papers and documents of the Association. Ordinary members are current financial members of the Association i.e. they have paid a subscription and are not in arrears to the Association.
  2. Associate and student membership shall be open to: (a) all bonafide students at a recognised educational institution; (b) all persons not in the paid labour force who do not wish to become, or remain, ordinary members. At the termination of their studentship or on becoming members of the paid labour force, associate member shall be invited by Council to become ordinary members. Associate and student members are not required to pay a subscription and subject to the provisions of Section B. hereof, shall have full rights to attend and vote at meetings, hold office in the Association, submit papers for reading and work for publications, and receive papers and documents of the Association.
  3. Life membership shall be awarded to those members of the Association who have been formally elected to this status by an Annual General Meeting of the Association on the unanimous recommendation of Council in recognition of their outstanding services to population studies in New Zealand. There is no limitation on the number of Life members but normally no more than two candidates for Life Membership should be proposed to an Annual General Meeting in any one year. Life members, subject to the provisions of section B. hereof, shall have full rights to attend and vote at meetings, hold office in the Association, submit papers for reading and work for publications, and receive papers and documents of the Association

B. Ordinary and Associate members shall be admitted to membership by the Secretary or by the Council, following written application to the Secretary.

  1. Any member in arrears with their annual subscription shall not be entitled to participate in the activities of the Association.
  2. Membership shall be terminated for good and serious reasons by a decision of two-thirds of the members of the Council; by forfeiture on being one year in arrears with subscription; or by written voluntary resignation.
  3. Persons whose membership is terminated shall be eligible for re-election under Rule III B. (1). Any arrears of subscription must be paid before former members are eligible for re- election.
  4. Life membership will only be recommended by the Council after considering nominations from PANZ members. Such nominations can be made to the Council any time during the year and shall include supporting documentation. Life members will be exempted from annual subscription fees.

IV. MEETINGS

  1. There shall be an annual general meeting to consider business as soon as is practicable after the end of each financial year or as determined by the Council.
  2. Special meetings may from time to time be arranged by the Council or called on receiving a request in writing from at least ten financial members of the Association.
  3. The Honorary Secretary shall give notice in writing to each member of the Association of the next annual general meeting or special meeting at least three weeks before the meeting date.
  4. The quorum at an annual general meeting or special meeting shall be sixteen ordinary members.
  5. The Chair of each annual general meeting or special meeting shall be the President of the Association or, in their absence, the Vice-President. In the absence of these officers the meeting shall elect a Chair.
  6. Persons who are not members of the Association may be invited or, upon their request, permitted to participate in meetings on conditions laid down by the Council.
  7. No item of business may be conducted at an annual general meeting, or special meeting unless a quorum of members entitled under the constitution of the Population Association of New Zealand to vote is present at the time when the meeting is considering that item.
  8. If, within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement of the annual general meeting a quorum is not present:
    (a) the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and the same place, unless another time or place is specified by the Chair at the time of the adjournment, or by written notice to members given before the day to which the meeting is adjourned; or
    (b) at the Chair’s discretion, the business of the meeting can be circulated to members electronically (by email), and motions requiring approval by the annual general meeting, can be approved or rejected by a simple majority of ordinary member email responses received by the Secretary by a specified date, as determined by the Chair.
  9. If at the adjourned meeting the quorum is not present at the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting, the members personally present (being not less than 5) shall be a quorum.

V. VOTING

  1. All questions before a meeting, other than those pertaining to Rule XII, shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes of financial ordinary members, associate and student members present, the Chair having a deliberate, and in the case of equality of voting, a casting vote.
  2. Voting shall be by voice or by show of hands except where a ballot is requested by a member.

VI. FINANCE

  1. The financial affairs of the Association shall be administered by the Honorary Treasurer acting under the direction of the Council.
  2. The annual subscriptions for each category of membership shall be determined from year to year by the annual general meeting and shall thereupon be notified to all members.
  3. The financial year of the Association shall run from 1 April to 31 March the following year.
  4. The funds of the Association shall be deposited in such registered bank as may be determined by the Council. All payments or withdrawals drawn on the account shall be created by any one of the Treasurer, the Secretary, the Vice-President and the President, and must be approved by any one of those persons, other than the person creating the withdrawal.
  5. The Association shall not have the power to borrow money.
  6. On no account will the Association make any distribution, whether by way of money, property, or otherwise howsoever, to any member of the Association.
  7. The annual general meeting may appoint an auditor who shall examine the accounts of the Association. The auditor shall make a report to the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer who shall submit the audited accounts to the next annual general meeting.

VII. COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL

  1. The business of the Association shall be conducted by a Council consisting of a President, the Past President (subject to the provisions of Clause (2) hereof), a Vice-President, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and up to seven Councillors who are ordinary or associate members.
  2. On the election of a new President, the Past President shall automatically become an ex- officio member of the council for a term of one year.
  3. All members of the Council shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election.

VIII. ELECTION TO THE COUNCIL

  1. The Secretary shall seek written nominations for the positions of President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and up to seven Councillors from all members of the Association at least two months before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
  2. Each nomination form shall contain the signatures of the proposer, seconder and nominee, all of whom must be financial members of the Association.
  3. Details of nominations received for the Council will be sent to members at least six weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
  4. Voting for the Council members is exercised in person at the Annual General Meeting pursuant to the processes under Rule V.
  5. The Council will, if required, appoint two scrutineers to administer ballot voting if that has been requested by a member, and declare the results at the Annual General Meeting.
  6. In the event of insufficient nominations for the Council being received before the Annual General Meeting, the resultant vacancies may be filled by nominations and, where necessary, elections at this meeting, or by co-option by the Council as defined under Rule IX Clause 5.

IX. FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL

  1. The Council shall conduct the affairs of the Association, in accordance with this Constitution and subject to the directions of the annual general meeting.
  2. The Officers of the Association shall perform such duties as the Council may assign to them.
  3. The Honorary Secretary shall keep minutes of the annual general, special and council meetings and act as custodian of the Association’s historical records.
  4. The Council shall have the power to create sub-committees.
  5. The Council shall have the power to fill extra-ordinary vacancies by co-option. Such co-opted members shall hold office until the next annual general meeting.
  6. The business of the Council may be carried out using electronic communication.

X. MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL

  1. The Council shall meet at such times and places (including electronically) as are considered necessary by its members.
  2. A quorum of a meeting of the Council shall be five members of whom two must be the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary or Treasurer (refer Rule 8B).
  3. The chairperson of Council meetings shall be the President or, in their absence, the Vice- President. In the absence of these officers the meeting shall elect a chairman.
  4. Any officer or member of the PANZ Council, who is absent from three consecutive meetings without special leave or apology, shall at the discretion of the Council, cease to hold office or membership of the PANZ Council.

XI. COMMON SEAL

  1. The common seal of the Association shall be in the custody of the Honorary Secretary. It shall be used by the President in the presence of the Honorary Secretary either by authority of a general meeting or of the Council.

XII. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

  1. Any proposed alteration to the constitution shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary in writing by two members not less than six weeks before an annual general meeting or special general meeting, together with a statement giving reasons for the proposal provided that no amendment shall be permitted if it in any way affects the non-profit status of the Association. Such a proposal for alteration shall be circulated to all members not less than three weeks before the meeting.
  2. The proposed alteration shall be put before the annual general meeting or the special general meeting.
  3. The proposed alteration shall become operative if approved by two-thirds of the votes cast.

XIII. WINDING UP, DISSOLUTION AND DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

  1. The Association may be voluntarily wound up if at a general meeting a simple majority of ordinary and associate members pass a resolution to this effect and that resolution is confirmed at a subsequent general meeting held not earlier than 30 days after the date of the passing of the resolution.
  2. On the winding up or dissolution of the Association, the surplus assets after payment of all costs, debts and liabilities shall be distributed to such charitable organisation(s) having objectives the same as, or similar to, those of the Association, upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the meeting passing the resolution of winding up or, in the case of dissolution by the Registrar of Incorporated Societies, as the Registrar shall determine.