FAQ

The New Melbourne Browncoats are named in reference to the planet of New Melbourne (as mentioned in Firefly’s “Objects in Space”).

The second planet orbiting the Red Sun, New Melbourne is an oceanic world known for its teeming sealife and extensive fisheries. It has a thriving seafood market, and is a well known layover point for ships traveling from the periphery of the ‘Verse to the core.

INARA
I’ve put out a few waves to some old acquaintances — I may even be able to find something in New Melbourne, if you need the shuttle free.

MAL
Only thing you’re gonna find in New Melbourne is fish and fish related activities. Unless you got an overwhelming urge to gut sturgeon — and who hasn’t, occasionally —

INARA
But it’s a layover point for almost every planet this side of the system…

It is understood that New Melbourne is probably named after our fine city of Melbourne, which is on the sea, though pronounced significantly differently.

The group was renamed New Melbourne Browncoats (from Melbourne Browncoats) in 2011 when we were incorporated as a formal not-for-profit association.

You can find our Articles of Incorporation and Annual Financial Statements here.

The role of the President is complex and covers:

• Ceremonial Duties
• Being the Committee Chairperson
• Acting as a Mediator and Arbitrator
• Representing the Club to outside parties
• Take a lead role in planning
• Undertaking administrative duties

Many of the tasks listed here occur only occasionally but they are important. Giving media interviews or dealing with disciplinary matters are examples of such tasks.

This list should not be construed as being complete.

Ceremonial Duties

• Giving awards at events or at awards functions
• Making speeches at club events and functions
• Meeting and greeting sponsors and dignitaries at club events and functions

Committee Chairperson

• Managing committee meetings
• Follow up action in between committee meetings
• Mediation and Arbitration
• Solving disputes and dealing with dissention
• Invoking disciplinary processes if required

Representation

• Representing the club in meetings with government, sponsors, banks and community organisations.
• Giving media interviews occasionally

Planning

• Facilitating and leading the planning process that determines the club’s future
• Promoting the planning process and ensuring there are opportunities to patrticipate for all club members

Administration

• Dealing with telephone calls, emails, social media and correspondence
• Approving payments and signing cheques

Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 2):

Article 45. General Duties
(1) As soon as practicable after being elected or appointed to the Committee, each committee member must become familiar with these Rules and the Act.
(2) The Committee is collectively responsible for ensuring that the Association complies with the Act and that individual members of the Committee comply with these Rules.
(3) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties with reasonable care and diligence.
(4) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties—
(a) in good faith in the best interests of the Association; and
(b) for a proper purpose.
(5) Committee members and former committee members must not make improper use of—
(a) their position; or
(b) information acquired by virtue of holding their position—
so as to gain an advantage for themselves or any other person or to cause detriment to the Association.
Note: See also Division 3 of Part 6 of the Act which sets out the general duties of the office holders of an incorporated association.
(6) In addition to any duties imposed by these Rules, a committee member must perform any other duties imposed from time to time by resolution at a general meeting.

Article 46. President and Vice-President
(1) Subject to subrule (2), the President or, in the President’s absence, the Vice-President is the Chairperson for any general meetings and for any committee meetings.
(2) If the President and the Vice-President are both absent, or are unable to preside, the Chairperson of the meeting must be—
(a) in the case of a general meeting—a member elected by the other members present; or
(b) in the case of a committee meeting—a committee member elected by the other committee members present.

Term of Office:
Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 3):

Article 55. Term of office
(1) Subject to subrule (3) and rule 56, a committee member holds office until the positions of the Committee are declared vacant at the next annual general meeting.
(2) A committee member may be re-elected.

A member is eligible to be elected or appointed as a committee member if the member—
(a) is 18 years or over; and
(b) is entitled to vote at a general meeting.

Refer to our Articles of Incorporation for more information on the Committee.

Term of Office:
Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 3):

Article 55. Term of office
(1) Subject to subrule (3) and rule 56, a committee member holds office until the positions of the Committee are declared vacant at the next annual general meeting.
(2) A committee member may be re-elected.

The role of the Vice President is to function as a back-up for the President. Therefore, they must be capable of handling all the duties of the President, should the president be unable or unavailable to fulfil them.

Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 2):

Article 45. General Duties
(1) As soon as practicable after being elected or appointed to the Committee, each committee member must become familiar with these Rules and the Act.
(2) The Committee is collectively responsible for ensuring that the Association complies with the Act and that individual members of the Committee comply with these Rules.
(3) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties with reasonable care and diligence.
(4) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties—
(a) in good faith in the best interests of the Association; and
(b) for a proper purpose.
(5) Committee members and former committee members must not make improper use of—
(a) their position; or
(b) information acquired by virtue of holding their position—
so as to gain an advantage for themselves or any other person or to cause detriment to the Association.
Note: See also Division 3 of Part 6 of the Act which sets out the general duties of the office holders of an incorporated association.
(6) In addition to any duties imposed by these Rules, a committee member must perform any other duties imposed from time to time by resolution at a general meeting.

Article 46. President and Vice-President
(1) Subject to subrule (2), the President or, in the President’s absence, the Vice-President is the Chairperson for any general meetings and for any committee meetings.
(2) If the President and the Vice-President are both absent, or are unable to preside, the Chairperson of the meeting must be—
(a) in the case of a general meeting—a member elected by the other members present; or
(b) in the case of a committee meeting—a committee member elected by the other committee members present.

Term of Office:
Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 3):

Article 55. Term of office
(1) Subject to subrule (3) and rule 56, a committee member holds office until the positions of the Committee are declared vacant at the next annual general meeting.
(2) A committee member may be re-elected.

The role of the Secretary is to be the administrative backbone of the association.

The specific duties normally carried out by the Secretary include:

• Keeping a registry of association members
• Lodging financial reports with the relevant government agency (in conjunction with the Treasurer)
• Notification of any changes in office bearers to the appropriate government agency that administers laws and regulations governing the incorporation of associations, and to financial institutions
• Compile and send out the agenda for board/committee meetings
• Record, publish, circulate and maintain the minutes of board/committee meetings
• Maintain a calendar of association events and notify association personnel of forthcoming events in a timely manner
• Act as a focal point for the receiving and sending of correspondence on behalf of the association
• Keep a copy of all inwards and outwards correspondence
• Maintain records of the association
• Sending out notices of general meetings to the association membership

Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 2):

Article 45. General Duties
(1) As soon as practicable after being elected or appointed to the Committee, each committee member must become familiar with these Rules and the Act.
(2) The Committee is collectively responsible for ensuring that the Association complies with the Act and that individual members of the Committee comply with these Rules.
(3) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties with reasonable care and diligence.
(4) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties—
(a) in good faith in the best interests of the Association; and
(b) for a proper purpose.
(5) Committee members and former committee members must not make improper use of—
(a) their position; or
(b) information acquired by virtue of holding their position—
so as to gain an advantage for themselves or any other person or to cause detriment to the Association.
Note: See also Division 3 of Part 6 of the Act which sets out the general duties of the office holders of an incorporated association.
(6) In addition to any duties imposed by these Rules, a committee member must perform any other duties imposed from time to time by resolution at a general meeting.

Article 47. Secretary
(1) The Secretary must perform any duty or function required under the Act to be performed by the secretary of an incorporated association.
Example: Under the Act, the secretary of an incorporated association is responsible for lodging documents of the association with the Registrar.
(2) The Secretary must—
(a) maintain the register of members in accordance with rule 18; and
(b) keep custody of the common seal (if any) of the Association and, except for the financial records referred to in rule 70(3), all books, documents and securities of the Association in accordance with rules 72 and 75; and
(c) subject to the Act and these Rules, provide members with access to the register of members, the minutes of general meetings and other books and documents; and
(d) perform any other duty or function imposed on the Secretary by these Rules.
(3) The Secretary must give to the Registrar notice of his or her appointment within 14 days after the appointment.

Term of Office:
Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 3):

Article 55. Term of office
(1) Subject to subrule (3) and rule 56, a committee member holds office until the positions of the Committee are declared vacant at the next annual general meeting.
(2) A committee member may be re-elected.

The role of the Treasure is to manage the finances of the association, in accordance with our Articles of Incorporation (Part 6 – Financial Matters).

The specific duties normally carried out by the Treasurer include:

• Management of funds
• Maintenance of financial records
• Preparation of the Annual Financial Statement
• Lodging financial reports with the relevant government agency (in conjunction with the Secretary)

Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 2):

Article 45. General Duties
(1) As soon as practicable after being elected or appointed to the Committee, each committee member must become familiar with these Rules and the Act.
(2) The Committee is collectively responsible for ensuring that the Association complies with the Act and that individual members of the Committee comply with these Rules.
(3) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties with reasonable care and diligence.
(4) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties—
(a) in good faith in the best interests of the Association; and
(b) for a proper purpose.
(5) Committee members and former committee members must not make improper use of—
(a) their position; or
(b) information acquired by virtue of holding their position—
so as to gain an advantage for themselves or any other person or to cause detriment to the Association.
Note: See also Division 3 of Part 6 of the Act which sets out the general duties of the office holders of an incorporated association.
(6) In addition to any duties imposed by these Rules, a committee member must perform any other duties imposed from time to time by resolution at a general meeting.

Article 48. Treasurer
(1) The Treasurer must—
(a) receive all moneys paid to or received by the Association and issue receipts for those moneys in the name of the Association; and
(b) ensure that all moneys received are paid into the account of the Association within 5 working days after receipt; and
(c) make any payments authorised by the Committee or by a general meeting of the Association from the Association’s funds; and
(d) ensure cheques are signed by at least 2 committee members.
(2) The Treasurer must—
(a) ensure that the financial records of the Association are kept in accordance with the Act; and
(b) coordinate the preparation of the financial statements of the Association and their certification by the Committee prior to their submission to the annual general meeting of the Association.
(3) The Treasurer must ensure that at least one other committee member has access to the accounts and financial records of the Association.

Term of Office:
Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 3):

Article 55. Term of office
(1) Subject to subrule (3) and rule 56, a committee member holds office until the positions of the Committee are declared vacant at the next annual general meeting.
(2) A committee member may be re-elected.

Ordinary committee members may be given special portfolios such as coaching, or fundraising, but this is not mandatory. It is often the case that ordinary committee are people who have no specific role but are still important to the functioning of the board and the decision making process. Ordinary members of the board committee support the work of the executive.

Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 2):

Article 45. General Duties
(1) As soon as practicable after being elected or appointed to the Committee, each committee member must become familiar with these Rules and the Act.
(2) The Committee is collectively responsible for ensuring that the Association complies with the Act and that individual members of the Committee comply with these Rules.
(3) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties with reasonable care and diligence.
(4) Committee members must exercise their powers and discharge their duties—
(a) in good faith in the best interests of the Association; and
(b) for a proper purpose.
(5) Committee members and former committee members must not make improper use of—
(a) their position; or
(b) information acquired by virtue of holding their position—
so as to gain an advantage for themselves or any other person or to cause detriment to the Association.
Note: See also Division 3 of Part 6 of the Act which sets out the general duties of the office holders of an incorporated association.
(6) In addition to any duties imposed by these Rules, a committee member must perform any other duties imposed from time to time by resolution at a general meeting.

Term of Office:
Per our Articles of Incorporation (Part 5, Division 3):

Article 55. Term of office
(1) Subject to subrule (3) and rule 56, a committee member holds office until the positions of the Committee are declared vacant at the next annual general meeting.
(2) A committee member may be re-elected.