CONSTITUTION OF
THE POLISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
and New Zealand Inc.
Amended on 8.06.2002, 7.06.2003, 12.06.2004 and 11.06.2005
Part I - Definitions of terms used in this Constitution:
The Congress of Delegates is the annual general meeting of the Council, as defined in Part VII.
The Special Congress of Delegates is the extraordinary general meeting of the Council, as defined in Part VIII.
The Executive is the Executive Committee of The Polish Community Council of Australia and New Zealand Inc. as defined in Part IX.
The Internal Audit Committee is as defined in Part XI.
The Arbitration Committee is as defined in Part XII.
Financial Year means the financial year as defined in Part XIV.
In this Constitution, words importing the singular include the plural and the masculine shall include the feminine and vice versa.
Part II - Name and Character.
§ 1 The name of the organisation shall be The Polish Community Council of Australia and New Zealand Inc., hereinafter referred to as "The Council". The Polish name shall be “Rada Naczelna Polonii Australijskiej i Nowozelandzkiej”.
§ 2 The Council shall be a voluntary association of Polish community organisations in Australia, which uphold the values and principles of democracy, freedom, justice, and respect for human rights.
§ 3 The Council shall not in any way support or actively assist any political party.
Part III - Activities and Headquarters
§ 4 The activities of the Council shall extend throughout Australia.
§ 5 The headquarters of the Council shall be determined by the Congress of Delegates at the commencement of each Executive Committee's term of office.
Part IV - Aims and Objects of the Council
§ 6 The aims and objects of the Council shall be:
(a) To represent the Polish community in Australia, defend its rights, promote its interests and provide support to Polish organisational activities within Australia.
(b) To liaise and co-operate with people, institutions and organisations in Poland.
(c) To promote Polish language, traditions and culture in Australia.
(d) To raise awareness of Poland, its culture, history and current position in Australian society by promoting Polish literature, music and all forms of the arts.
(e) To co-operate with organisations from outside the Polish community in Australia and abroad, whose character is consistent with the ideological principles of the Council.
(f) To promote loyalty to Australia within the Polish community.
(g) To encourage and assist Australians of Polish origin to actively participate in all spheres of Australian political and social life.
(h) To uphold Christian ethics and values in the Polish Australian community.
(i) To support Polish youth developmental and educational activities
(j) To act as a forum for the development of Polish community activities in Australia.
(k) To raise funds and establish permanent funds and foundations, and to make gifts, donations and loans for any purpose that is consistent with the aims of the Council.
(l) To invest any income not immediately required for fulfilling any of its objects.
(m) To do all such other acts and things as may appear incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects.
Part V - Membership
§ 7 Qualification
(a) Membership shall be open to all Polish and Polish Australian organisations from all States and Territories of Australia, whose aims and objects are consistent with the ideological principles of the Council.
(b) To qualify for membership, an organisation must satisfy one of the following criteria:
(i) be a State or Territory Polish-Australian umbrella body comprising more than one organisation, representing a joint organisation constituency of no fewer than 50 individual members.
(ii) be an individual organisation of no fewer than 50 members, or
(iii) be a financial member of the Council as at the date of adoption of this Constitution.
(c) The Executive Committee may approve for membership an organisation not satisfying paragraph § 7(b) on the grounds that:
(i) the organisation is from a community in a remote and sparsely populated area, or
(ii) the organisation has a specific purpose and makes a significant contribution to the Polish Community
§ 8 Application
(a) Applications for membership shall be made in writing to the Executive Committee, which has the power to accept or reject the application. Any decision of the Executive Committee must be presented for approval by the next Congress of Delegates of the Council.
(b) An organisation applying for membership shall include with the application its Constitution, a copy of minutes from the meeting at which the motion for application was carried and a statement of the number of financial members, together with the prescribed membership fee. Should the applicant not be admitted to the Council the fee shall be refunded.
(c) The Executive Committee shall notify the applicant organisation of its decision in relation to its membership application within 3 months from the date on which the application was received.
(d) In the case of refusal of membership, the applicant organisation shall have the right of appeal at the next Congress of Delegates whose decision shall be final.
§ 9 Rights
(a) Every newly admitted member organisation shall acquire full rights in the Council from the moment its application for membership is confirmed by the Congress of Delegates.
(b) A member organisation retains the right to self-government in accordance with its Constitution, rules and regulations.
(c) Member organisations shall have the right to:
(i) Send delegates to the Congress of Delegates, pursuant to Part VII, Part VIII and Part XII
(ii) Propose motions for consideration by the Congress of Delegates
§ 10 Obligations
Member organisations shall:
(a) Co-operate in achieving the aims of the Council.
(b) &n