3.1 Who is eligible?

A member must be:

3.1.1 - CATEGORY 1: Be at least 18 years old, and an Aboriginal person who belongs to a particular Aboriginal group or family group which, at the discretion of the Directors, is descendant from Duduroa ancestors. A statutory declaration will not be accepted as proof of lineage. An Aboriginality form will only be accepted with a Common Seal from a known registered Traditional Custodian Corporation.

3.1.2 - CATEGORY 2: Be at least 18 years old, and an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who must reside in the boundary of Duduroa Country and have lived there for at least 12 months. They will be associate members and will not have voting rights at AGM’s. An Aboriginality form will only be accepted from a known registered Traditional Custodian Corporation.

3.1.3 - CATEGORY 3: Be at least 18 years old, and a respected non-Indigenous or non- Traditional Custodian who is an honorary member of the community or a Knowledge Holder. This will be granted at the discretion of the Director’s committee. They will be associate members and have no voting rights at AGM’s.

3.2 How to become a member

A person applies in writing.

A person needs to be eligible under rule 3.1.

The Directors accept the application by resolution at a Director’s meeting.

The Directors must consider all application for membership within a reasonable period after they are received, which is 3 months.

The person’s name, address and date they became a member is put on the register of members.

The Directors may refuse to accept a membership application. If they do so, they must write to the applicant about the decision and the reasons for it.

A person does not become a member until their name is entered on the Corporation’s register of members. This must be done within 14 days after the Directors accept the membership application. However, the Corporation must not enter the person on the register of members until after the relevant General Meeting or Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been held if:

• a person applies for membership after a notice has been given for a general meeting or AGM, and

• the General Meeting or AGM has not been held when the Directors consider the person’s application

Note: An application for membership form is at Schedule 1 - Application for Membership form in the rule book, or as per below.

3.3 Member’s rights

A member under 3.1.1 can:

• attend, speak and vote at General Meetings.

• be made a Director (if the member is eligible to be a Director, see rule 5.3 on eligibility of Directors).

• put forward resolutions at General Meetings, including under rule 4.6.

• ask the Directors to call a meeting under rule 4.3.

• look at the members register free of charge.

• look at the minutes of General Meetings and AGM’s (free of charge).

• look at the rule book or get a copy (free of charge).

• raise a dispute and have a dispute dealt with using rule 10.

• look at the books of the Corporation if the Directors have authorised it or the members pass a resolution at a members meeting which approves it.

A member under 3.1.2 and 3.1.3 can:

• attend and speak, but not vote at General Meetings.

• be made a Director (if the member is eligible to be a Director, see rule 5.3 on eligibility of Directors).

• put forward resolutions at General Meetings, including under rule 4.6.

• ask the Directors to call a meeting under rule 4.3.

• look at the members register free of charge.

• look at the minutes of General Meetings and AGM’s (free of charge).

• look at the rule book or get a copy (free of charge).

• raise a dispute and have a dispute dealt with using rule 10.

• look at the books of the Corporation if the Directors have authorised it or the members pass a resolution at a members meeting which approves it.

3.4 Member’s responsibilities

A member must:

• follow the Corporation’s rules.

• let the Corporation know if they change their address.

• treat other members with respect.

• follow confidentiality requirements when required, and not post anything in regards to the Corporation on social media, unless approved from the Directors.

Members should also attend General Meetings (including AGM’s) or give their apologies.

3.5 No membership fee

The members of the Corporation are not required to pay fees to join or for ongoing membership of the Corporation.

3.6 Liability of members

The members do not have to pay the Corporation’s debts if the Corporation is wound up.

3.7 How to stop being a member

A person stops being a member if:

• they resign in writing.

• they pass away.

• the membership is cancelled in accordance with 3.8 or 3.9.

When a person stops being a member, the Corporation must put their name, address and date they stopped being a member on the register of former members.

3.8 Cancelling membership

A person’s membership can be cancelled by member’s passing a special resolution at a General Meeting if the member:

• can’t be contacted for two years.

• misbehaves.

• is not an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person (if this is a requirement for membership).

The Directors must give the person notice of the cancellation at the person’s last known address (residential or email) as soon as possible after the special resolution is passed.

When a person’s membership is cancelled, the Corporation must put their name, address and date they stopped being a member on the register of former members.

3.9 Directors limited right to cancel membership

For grounds not covered by rule 3.8, a person’s membership can be cancelled by the Director’s passing a special resolution at a Directors Meeting, if the person is not, or stops being eligible for membership as set out in rule 3.1.

To do this the Directors must:

• write to the member to tell them:

  • the Directors are going to cancel their membership.

  • the member has 14 days to object to the planned cancellation.

  • if the member objects, they must write to the Corporation to say so.

• allow the member 14 days to object in writing to the intended cancellation.

If the member does not object: the Directors must cancel the membership by passing a resolution at a Directors Meeting. Then give the former member a copy of the resolution.

If the member objects: the Directors cannot cancel the membership. The membership can only be cancelled by members passing a resolution at a General Meeting.

3.10 The register/s of members and former members

The register/s must contain:

• the names and addresses of members and former members.

• the date when each person’s name was added to the register.

• if a person is not an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person (if rule 3.1 allows non-Aboriginal or non-Torres Strait Islander members).

• for former members, the date they stopped being a member.

The register of members and former members must be kept at the Corporation’s document access address or, if it’s a large Corporation, it’s Registered Office.

The register of members must be made available at the AGM (Annual General Meeting).