1.  Meeting Time and Place

(1) Unless otherwise provided by these rules or specifically authorised by the Board, meetings shall:

     (a) Commence after 5pm on a weekday or 9am on a weekend;

     (b) Consider no new business after 10:00 pm;

     (c) Adjourn before 10:30 pm; and

     (d) Be held at a location that is open and accessible to all members of the Association.

(2) The meeting should begin as soon as a quorum is present at the designated venue, at or after the advertised starting time.

2. Quorum

(1) No item of business is to be transacted at a General Meeting unless a quorum of members entitled under these rules to vote is present during the time the Meeting is considering that item.

(2) Ten (10) members present in person (being members entitled under these rules to vote at a Meeting) constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of a General Meeting or Annual General Meeting.

(3) If within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement of a General Meeting a quorum is not present, the Meeting:

     (a) if convened on the requisition of members, is to be dissolved, and

     (b) in any other case, is to stand adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time and (unless another place is specified at the time of the adjournment by the person presiding at the Meeting or communicated by written notice to members given before the day to which the Meeting is adjourned) at the same place.

(4) If at the adjourned Meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour after the time appointed for the commencement of the Meeting, the members present (being at least 10) is to constitute a quorum.

3.  Presiding Member

(1) The Chairman of the Board is to preside as chairperson at each General Meeting and Board Meeting of the Association.

(2) If the Chairman is absent or unwilling to chair the meeting, then the Director, Marketing and Member Services is to assume the Chair.

(3) If both the Chairman and Director, Marketing and Member Services are either absent or unwilling to assume the Chair, the members present shall elect one other who is present to preside as chair at the meeting.

(4) The duly elected member shall commence the meeting without further delay.

4. Order of Business

(1) The usual Order of Business for a General Meeting shall be:

     (a) Guest Speakers, if any;

     (b) Minutes Silence / Motions of Condolence;

     (c) Apologies;

     (d) Confirmation of Minutes for previous meeting;

     (e) Items arising from Minutes of previous meeting;

     (f) Confirmation of Board meeting minutes;

     (g) Items arising from Minutes of previous Board meeting;

     (h) Correspondence;

     (i) Election of new Members

     (j) Reports;

          (i) Chairman;

          (ii) Executive Officer;

          (iii) Financial Report;

          (iv) Director of Referees;

          (v) Deputy Director of Referees;

          (vi) Director, Marketing and Member Services;

          (vii) Delegate NSWRLRA;

          (viii) Member, CRJRL Committee;

          (ix) Director, Recruitment and Retention;

          (x) Any other Reports.

     (k) Items arising from reports;

     (l) Special Resolutions;

     (m) Elections;

     (n) Motions on Notice;

     (o) General Business.

(2) The usual Order of Business for an Annual General Meeting shall be:
      (a) Apologies;

     (b) Confirmation of Minutes for previous Annual General Meeting;

     (c) Correspondence;

     (d) Financial Statements and Auditors Report;

     (e) Annual Report;

     (f) Honoraria

     (g) Election of Board members;

     (h) Special Resolutions;

     (i) Board Recommendations;

     (j) General Business.

(3) The order of business of an Association meeting may be altered by resolution of that meeting.

5. Motion On Notice

(1) A member may give notice of a motion to place business on the agenda paper for the next Association meeting.

(2) A member may give notice of motion for the purpose of rescinding and/or amending any motion carried at a meeting of the Association and this is called a recision motion.

(3) A recision motion placed on notice does not nullify the decision of the motion it seeks to rescind until the recision motion itself is carried at the subsequent meeting.

(4) A motion on notice must be read to the meeting and handed to the Chair. The Chair may not allow discussion of the motion at the meeting at which the motion is placed on notice.

(5) Motions on notice take precedence in next meeting over other motions and must be dealt with in the order they were placed on notice, unless otherwise ordered by the meeting.

(6) If the mover in whose name the motion on notice stands is not present, then the motion shall lapse.

6. The Rules Of Debate

The rules of debate are as follows:
(1) A motion must be moved and seconded

(2) A motion must be clear in its meaning, and not be a recision of a previously passed motion, unless notice has been given as per Clause 6.2

(3) The mover speaks to the motion;

(4) The seconder may speak or choose to "reserve their right" and speak later in debate;

(5) Once a motion has been proposed and seconded, it may be amended by leaving out, substituting or adding words. An amendment must be clear in its meaning. Any amendment which is a direct negative to a motion, or which does not preserve the substance of the original motion must be ruled out of order by the Chair and may not proceed.

(6) If the amendment is acceptable to the mover of the original motion, then the amendment is incorporated onto the motion and debate continues on the motion as amended

(7) If the amendment is not acceptable to the mover of the original motion, then debate on the original motion ceases, and debate takes place on the amendment

(8) Only one amendment may be considered at any time. Debate on the amendment continues until it is won or lost. If the amendment is won, it becomes the motion and debate continues on the motion as amended. If the amendment is lost, debate continues on the original motion, unless a further amendment is moved.

(9) Speakers speak in succession for and against the motion or the amendment;

(10) Right of reply by the mover of the original motion;

(11) Vote on motion (or motion as amended as the case may be).

7. Speaking to Motion

(1) Any member desiring to propose a motion or an amendment, or to discuss the matter under consideration, must notify the Chair of their intention to speak. The Chair calls upon the speakers in succession and as far as possible in the order that they notify the Chair.

(2) No member may speak more than once to any motion or amendment before the Chair unless by way of personal explanation or with the consent of the meeting.

(3) Any member wishing to speak to a motion shall rise to their feet when called upon by the Chair to speak.

8. Conflict of Interest

(1) Any member wishing to speak to a motion, in which they have a personal or professional conflict of interest, shall declare such interest before they speak.

(2) Conflicts of interest shall include, but are not limited to, issues of employment (either full or part time), shareholdings and memberships.

(3) Any member having a conflict of interest in any matter before a Board or general meeting must also declare their interest prior to any vote being made on the matter in question.

9. Right of Reply

The mover of the original motion has the right of reply. No further discussion shall be allowed after the mover has replied.

10. Speaker's Time

In debate, the mover is allowed five minutes for speaking in support of their motion, subsequent speakers three minutes, and the mover three minutes in reply. The time of discussion is limited to twenty minutes for each motion, unless extended by motion.

11. Speakers in Succession

(1) No more than two members may speak in succession on one side, either for or against any motion before the meeting. If, at the conclusion of the second speaker's remarks, no member rises to speak on the other side, the motion or amendments shall be put to the meeting after the mover has replied.

(2) The Chair may test whether there is opposition to a motion prior to any speeches and, if and only if there is no objection from any member, may put the motion without debate.

(3) If, after the mover and seconder have spoken for a motion and there is no speaker in opposition, the mover shall have no right to reply and the motion shall be put without further discussion.

12. Lapsed Motion

Any motion or amendment not seconded may not be further debated, but lapses.

13. Right To Be Put

(1) A member shall have the right at any time during the debate to move "That the motion now be put" provided that at least two speakers have spoken for and two against, and this motion shall be submitted by the Chair to the vote without further discussion.

(2) If passed, the Chair shall put the motion under discussion to the meeting without further debate except that the mover has the right of reply.

14. Putting Motion

(1) Immediately the debate on a motion shall be concluded, the Chair shall put the motion to the meeting in a distinct and audible manner. The motion being put shall be resolved in the affirmative or negative by the voices, unless a show of hands or a secret ballot is requested by any Member.

(2) No member shall speak on any motion after the Chair has put the motion to the vote.

15. Call to Order

When the Chair calls the meeting to order during a debate, all members, whether speaking or proposing to speak, must sit down, and the Chair must be heard without interruption.

16. Point of Order

(1) No member, when speaking, may be interrupted unless a member calls a point of order, when the speaker must sit down and the member calling the point of order must be heard.

(2) A point of order may only be made on a matter of procedure and may not debate the motion. The member calling a point of order must state immediately and succinctly which part of these Standing Orders is not being complied with.

(3) The Chair may either hear further discussion or decide at that stage, but the Chair must rule on the point of order before debate is resumed.

17. Dissent from Chair's ruling

(1) Any member dissatisfied with the Chair's ruling may move a motion of dissent in the following terms: "That the Chair's ruling be dissented from".

(2) In such a case the Chair shall step aside and the Deputy Chair shall assume the Chair for the dissent vote.

(3) If the Deputy Chair is unable or unwilling to assume the Chair, the members present shall elect another Board member to chair the dissent vote.

(4) The mover may speak for one minute and then the Chair may speak for one minute, stating their reasons for the ruling given.

(5) The motion must then immediately be put to the meeting, without further discussion in the following form: "The motion is that the Chair's ruling be upheld".

(6) At the conclusion of the vote the original Chair shall resume the chair and the meeting shall proceed as resolved by the meeting.

18. Voting

(1) On any question arising at a general meeting of the Association a member has one vote only.

(2) Proxy voting is permitted only when voting on a Special Resolution. Such a proxy vote must be on a form approved and made available by the Board, signed by the member voting by proxy and tendered at the meeting at which the Special Resolution is being put and which has been delivered to the Executive Officer prior to the commencement of that meeting. To be valid the proxy vote must clearly indicate the intention of the member lodging the proxy vote.

(3) In the case of an equality of votes on a question at a general meeting, the Chair is entitled to exercise a second or casting vote.

(4) If the Chair has a Conflict of Interest relating to the resolution of a vote at a meeting, the Chair shall vacate the chair whilst the vote is conducted and the Deputy Chair shall act as Chair for the vote in question.

(5) If the Chair is contesting a ballot at an Annual General Meeting, the Chair shall vacate the Chair whilst the ballot is conducted and the Returning Officer shall act as Chair for the ballot in question.

(6) If the Chair is contesting a ballot (other than at an Annual General Meeting), the Chair shall vacate the Chair whilst the ballot is conducted. A presiding member will be elected as per section 3 for the ballot in question.

(7) A question arising at a general meeting of the Association is to be determined on a show of hands unless, before or on the declaration of the show of hands a secret ballot is demanded by any Member.

(8) A declaration by the Chair that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried or carried unanimously or carried by a particular majority or lost, or an entry to that effect in the minute book of the Association is evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against that resolution.

(9) At a general meeting of the Association, a secret ballot may be demanded by the Chair or by any member present at the meeting.

(10) If a secret ballot is demanded at a general meeting, the secret ballot must be taken;

     (a) Immediately in the case of a secret ballot which relates to the election of the Chair of the meeting or to the question of an adjournment, OR

     (b) In any other case, in such manner and at such time before the close of the meeting as the chair directs,

(11) The resolution of the secret ballot on the matter is taken to be the resolution of the meeting on that matter.

(12) During the conduct of a ballot, no member, delegate or visitor shall enter or leave the meeting room.

19. Conduct of a Secret Ballot

(1) If a secret ballot is to be taken, the Chair shall request nominations for two Scrutineers, who shall count all ballots cast. Scrutineers must meet the following criteria:

     (a) They shall, where possible, be Life Members of the Association;

     (b) They shall be ineligible to stand for any ballot on which they are acting as a Scrutineer;

     (c) Their appointment is to be confirmed by the meeting prior to acting a Scrutineer.

(2) The Scrutineers shall be responsible for the distribution and collection of ballot papers to all eligible voters and the counting of votes cast, once all ballot papers have been collected.

(3) The Chair shall also appoint a Returning Officer, who shall supervise the ballot counting. The Returning Officer must meet the following criteria:

     (a) They shall be a Life Member of the Association;

     (b) They shall be ineligible to stand for any ballot on which they are acting as a Returning Officer;

     (c) Their appointment is to be confirmed by the meeting prior to acting as a Returning Officer.

(4) The Returning Officer shall confirm the result of any ballot and nominate the winner to the Chair prior to the result being declared by the Chair. The Returning Officer shall also be responsible for declaring the validity of any and all ballots cast.

20. Special Resolution

A resolution of the Association is a Special Resolution if it is passed by a majority which comprises at least two-thirds of eligible members of the Association who vote in person at a General Meeting of which at least 21 days’ written notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution was given.

21. Suspension Of Standing Orders

A majority of the members present for the meeting may move to suspend any standing order/s for the purpose of re-opening any motion previously dealt with at that meeting or for the consideration of urgent business.

22. Presence at a Meeting

(1) Any member or applicant for membership shall be deemed to have been present at a meeting of the Association if they have signed the official attendance sheet during the meeting.

(2) Members noted as present in the Attendance record shall remain in attendance until the commencement of General Business to have their attendance acknowledged.

(3) Any member wishing to leave a meeting prior to the commencement of General Business shall “seek leave” from the Chairperson prior to leaving. If such leave is granted, that member’s attendance shall be noted for the duration of the meeting.

(4) Any member who has omitted to sign may be held to have attended such meeting on production of satisfactory evidence of attendance.

(5) Any member who signs the Attendance Record but leaves a meeting prior to the commencement of General Business shall be deemed to have been absent from the meeting, unless a satisfactory explanation is provided to the Board.

(6) Any member who is absent from an Association meeting due to a requirement to undertake business for either the Association, or the governing Leagues shall be noted in the Attendance records as being absent on official league business.

(7) Such absence is to be considered as attendance at the particular meeting, for Attendance Record purposes.

23. Suspension by Chair

Any member, delegate or visitor guilty of unruly or disorderly conduct or attending a meeting in an intoxicated state may be excluded either by the Chair or by resolution of the meeting.

24. Adjournment

(1) The chair of a general meeting at which a quorum is present may, with the consent of the majority of members present at the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and place to place, but no business is to be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting at which the adjournment took place.

(2) If a general meeting is adjourned for 14 days or more, the Executive Officer must give written or oral notice of the adjourned meeting to each member of the Association stating the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting.

(3) Except as provided in 25(1) and 25(2), notice of an adjournment of a general meeting or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting is not required to be given.

25. Meeting Conduct

Unless otherwise agreed to by a majority of members present, no one in attendance shall consume food or alcohol during a meeting.

26. Notice

(1) If the nature of the business proposed to be dealt with at a general meeting requires a special resolution of the Association, the Executive Officer must, at least 21 days before the date fixed for the holding of the general meeting, give notice to each member specifying, in addition to the matter required under paragraph 27.2, the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution. No business other than that specified in the notice convening a general meeting is to be transacted at the meeting except, in the case of an annual general meeting. Except if the nature of the business proposed to be dealt with at a general meeting requires a special resolution of the Association, the Executive Officer must, at least 14 days before the date fixed for the holding of the general meeting, give a notice to each member specifying the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business proposed to be transacted at the meeting.

(2) A member desiring to bring any business before a general meeting may give notice in writing of that business to the Secretary who must include that business in the next notice calling a general meeting given after receipt of the notice from the member.

27. Honoraria

(1) The Board shall make a recommendation to the meeting as to which members should be paid an honorarium.

(2) The Director, Finance shall advise the members of the honoraria paid the previous year.

(3) The Director, Finance shall make a recommendation to the meeting as to the amount of honoraria to be paid to each nominated member.

(4) The presiding member as per rule 3 shall preside over the debate to determine the amount to be paid as Honoraria at the Annual General Meeting.

28. Changes to the Standing Orders

(1) Alterations to these Standing Orders may be made by the Association Board, subject to any changes being endorsed by a simple majority of members present at the next available Association meeting.

(2) The Standing Orders may also be changed by way of a motion from the floor at any Association general meeting or by motion received via written correspondence received by the Executive Officer at least 7 days prior to the next available general meeting. Any such motion requires a 2/3 majority of eligible voting members present at that meeting to be passed.