Item 2.3

1. Call for nominations for vice-president (president-elect) and for members (3) of the ALIA Board of Education in June and July issues of inCite. Nominations close with executive director on 1 August 1998.
2. Call for nominations for members of branch to stand for elections as general councillor in July and August issues of inCite. Nominations close with the executive director on 1 September 1998.

General Council considered, out of session, the issue of eligibility to stand for election and voting rights: Under the ALIA Constitution candidates for vice-president and for the ALIA Board of Education: '...shall be personal financial members of the Association or that individual appointed under By-law 7 to act for a body corporate or unincorporated association which is a financial member of the Association at the time of nomination...' [Reg J5]

Procedures for nominations for general councillor are: '...a member of the branch may ... nominate a member of the branch for election as general councillor for the next year...." [Reg C2 (b)]

Branches are defined in Reg 25 as the members (where the number exceeds ten) resident within a state or territory of the Commonwealth of Australia.

The term Member includes a personal member, a body corporate or an unincorporated association (By-Law 2, Interpretation, ALIA Constitution p9).

Reg A13 confers voting rights 'Personal financial members and that individual appointed under By-Law 7 to act for a body corporate or unincorporated association which is a financial member shall be entitled to vote in any ballot or poll conducted by the Association or its divisions.'

In determining eligibility to stand for election and voting rights General Council also considered the Special Undertakings as set out in the MOU signed by ALIA and ACLIS, in particular the wind up of ACLIS by 30 June 1998 and the status of ACLIS members as financial members of ALIA to 31 December 1998. Subsequent to the signing of the MOU, ACLIS had advised that it was not seeking approval to wind up by 30 June 1998. However, at its March meeting General Council resolved to ask the Leadership Committee to return to the full intention of the MOU including the provision that ACLIS members be deemed financial members of ALIA to 31 December 1998, but this was not supported at the Leadership Committee. General Council considered courses of action available which could admit ACLIS members (i.e. financial members of ACLIS as at 30 June 1998) formally as ALIA members thereby conferring eligibility to nominate members for ALIA office, to stand for ALIA office and to vote in ALIA elections and which would ensure that all conditions for the membership record were met including the need for ACLIS members admitted as ALIA members to nominate an individual as their representative.

Following General Council's deliberations two motions were put to a postal ballot of general councillors.

1. That those financial members of ACLIS at 30 June 1998 who are not also financial members of ALIA at that date be deemed to be members of ALIA for the period 1 July 1998 to 31 December 1998 inclusive for the purpose of enabling the authorised representative of each such member to:
   • nominate members for ALIA office;
   • stand for ALIA office; and
   • vote in ALIA elections.
2. That from 1 July 1998 to 31 December 1998 ALIA National Office keeps a membership record for all financial members of ACLIS who are not also financial members of ALIA at 30 June 1998 which complies with the requirements set out in the ALIA Constitution.

As a result of the resolutions made by General Council, advertisements will be placed in inCite to inform ALIA and ACLIS members of this course of action.