BLIND CITIZENS AUSTRALIA

Board of Directors By-Laws

National Convention By-Laws

Adopted January 2002

Revised February 2005

1. Preamble

These by-laws are made pursuant to Article 7.3 of the Articles of Association of Blind Citizens Australia Ltd. They are made for the purpose of providing for the convening and conduct of the National Convention of Blind Citizens Australia and provide for the matters referred to in Article 7.3 and for other matters necessary and convenient to the convening and conduct of the National Convention.

2. Definitions

In these by-laws, these words have these meanings:

"Articles" means the Articles of Association of Blind Citizens

Australia as amended October 2002.

"Accessible Format" includes audio, braille, electronic and

large print formats.

"Board" means the Board of Directors of Blind Citizens

Australia.

"Company Secretary" means the person or persons appointed by the Board to perform the duties of the Company Secretary.

"Convention Organising Committee" means the Committee appointed by the Board as the Convention Organising Committee pursuant to these by-laws.

"Council" means the National Policy and Development Council of Blind Citizens Australia.

"Council Member" means a member of the Policy and Development Council of Blind Citizens Australia.

"delegate" means a person who is appointed by a Branch or an Organisational Member as their delegate to a National Convention and who is accredited as their delegate in accordance with Clause 9 or Clause 10 of these By-laws, whichever so applies.

"Executive Officer" means the Executive Officer of Blind Citizens Australia.

"Members" means the members of Blind Citizens Australia, of whatever category, unless otherwise stated.

"Organisation" - Blind Citizens Australia ACN 006985 226, ABN 90 006985 226.

"voting delegate" means a Full Member of Blind Citizens Australia who is registered for a Convention as a voting delegate either as an individual or as a delegate of a Branch or an Organisational Member.

3. Principles:

In accordance with Article 3..1 of the Articles, the National Convention is an open forum for the Members of Blind Citizens Australia to come together to receive presentations, exchange information and opinion, and to make recommendations on policy and development for approval and implementation by the Council. The National Convention has an important informative and advisory role within Blind Citizens Australia, rather than having an authoritative and legislative role.

4. Frequency, Time and Location of Convention

4.1 In accordance with Article 7.2, the Board shall convene the National Convention at least every two years, at times and places it shall determine to coincide if possible with the Annual General Meeting for that year.

4.2 In considering the time and location of a Convention, the Board may call for Branches to submit expressions of interest for the conduct of Conventions and may have regard to such expressions of interest in determining the date and location of the Convention.

5. Convention Organising Committee

5.1 The Board may appoint a Convention Organising Committee to facilitate the Organisation and conduct of the Convention.

5.2 The Convention Organising Committee shall consist of such persons as the Board shall determine. In addition to Members of the Board, the Committee should include Members of Blind Citizens Australia who are resident in the city in which the Convention is to be held and such other persons as the Board may consider appropriate, having regard to the Committee's role in facilitating the organising and conduct of the Convention.

5.3 The Convention Organising Committee shall perform such functions and undertake such tasks as it is directed to do by the Board. The Convention Organising Committee shall in all matters be subject to the direction and supervision of the Board and decisions of the Convention Organising Committee shall be subject to adoption by the Board.

5.4 Subject to paragraph 5.3 above, for the purposes of the Articles, the Convention Organising Committee shall function as a Sub-Committee of the Board and those provisions of the Articles applicable to Board Sub-Committees shall apply to the Convention Organising Committee.

6. Timing, Form and Content of Notice of Convention

6.1 Sixty days notice of every National Convention shall be given in the manner set out in Article 34 of the Articles to every Full Member of Blind Citizens Australia. No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of National Conventions.

6.2 The Notice of the National Convention shall contain the following information:-

6.2.1 the date of the National Convention;

6.2.2 the venue for the National Convention;

6.2.3 a draft program for the National Convention;

6.2.4 the registration fees for persons attending the National Convention;

6.2.5 the registration charges payable in relation to any function or event associated with the National Convention;

6.2.6 the Convention registration Form;

6.2.7 The procedure for submitting resolutions for consideration by the National Convention; and

6.2.8 Such other information as the Board considers appropriate.

6.3 The notice of the National Convention may be sent to a Member at the same time and in the same post as a notice of an Annual General Meeting of the Organisation.

7. Registration Fee

7.1 The Board shall determine a registration fee for each National Convention and shall include the details of this fee in the Convention Notice.

7.2 The Board may determine separate registration fees for persons attending a whole Convention and persons attending on a daily basis.

7.3 The Board may determine registration charges for functions and events associated with the National Convention.

8. Registration of Convention Attendees

8.1 A person wishing to register for a National Convention shall do so by completing the registration form and returning it, together with payment of the Convention registration fee and registration charges for functions and events associated with the Convention to the Company Secretary.

8.2 On receipt of a person's completed registration form accompanied by payment of the Convention registration fee, the Company Secretary shall register the person as a registered voting delegate for the National Convention.

8.3 The Company Secretary shall also register the person for any event or function associated with the National Convention for which the person has registered and paid the relevant registration charge.

9. Accreditation of Delegates from Branches to Convention

9.1 A Branch may appoint a Member of the Branch, who has registered for the National Convention, as its delegate to that National Convention and may also appoint a Member of the Branch, who has registered for a National Convention, as an alternative Delegate to the Convention.

9.2 The Branch Secretary shall advise the Company Secretary in writing of the name of the persons appointed as delegate and or alternative delegate of a Branch at least 48 hours prior to the commencement of the National Convention.

10. Accreditation of Delegates of Organisational Members

10.1 A Class A Organisational Member may appoint a person as its delegate to a National Convention who is a Full Member of the Organisation and who has registered for the Convention.

10.2 An Organisational Member may also appoint a person who is a full Member of the Organisation and who is registered for the National Convention as an alternative delegate to that Convention.

10.3 An Organisational Member shall advise the Company Secretary of the name of the person appointed as its delegate to the National Convention and the name of the alternative delegate.

10.4 A Class A Organisational Member is not entitled to appoint a voting delegate to the Convention if it is not a financial member of the Organisation at the time of making the appointment.

11. Convention Program

11.1 The Program for a National Convention shall be developed by the Board. In developing the program, the Board shall have regard to the role and function of the Convention within the organisation, the activities of Blind Citizens Australia, its Board, Council and Working Groups and the advice of the Convention Organising Committee.

12 Procedures for the Receipt of resolutions for National Conventions

12.1 Resolutions for consideration by a National Convention may be submitted by:-

12.1.1 The Board;

12.1.2 The Council;

12.1.3 A Branch or an Organisational Member;

12.1.4 A Full Member or Full Members;

12.2 Resolutions for a National Convention must be submitted to the Company Secretary, in print, braille or electronic formats, not less than forty-five days prior to the date of the National Convention.

12.3 Resolutions received in accordance with clause 12.2 shall be circulated to all Full Members who have registered for the Convention, in an accessible format, at least 7 days before the Comvention begins. Resolutions should be circulated to Branches at least 14 days before the Convention begins.

12.4 The adoption of a resolution at Convention has the effect of a recommendation to the Council. The council shall promptly consider all resolutions of a Convention and its actions on Convention resolutions will be reported to Members through the Organisation's various communications channels.

13. Consideration of Resolutions by Board

13.1 The Board may appoint a Resolutions Committee to consider resolutions submitted for Convention and to confer with the proposers on any changes to the content and language of the items to make them suitable for presentation to the Convention.

13.2 At least one Board Member should be a member of the Resolutions Committee.

13.3 In the event that the Resolutions Committee is unable to agree with the proponent on a matter relating to the presentation of a resolution for the National Convention, either the Resolutions Committee or the proposer may refer the matter to the Board who shall make the final decision on the matter.

14. Speaking and Voting Rights

14.1 All Full Members of Blind Citizens Australia and all blind persons in attendance have speaking rights at a National Convention.

14.2 Persons other than Full Members of Blind Citizens Australia and blind persons in attendance have speaking rights at a National Convention for the purpose of giving reports or making presentations for the purposes of the Convention program.

15. Voting Rights

15.1 Full Members have the right to move and second motions and to vote at a National Convention and shall have one vote each.

15.2 Associate and Junior Members shall not have the right to move and second motions and to vote at a National Convention.

15.3 Class A Organisational Members and Branches shall have the right to vote at the National Convention and they shall have one vote each. Class A Organisational Members shall exercise their vote through their delegate to the Convention as nominated in accordance with clause 10 of these By-laws.

15.4 Class B Organisational Members shall not have the right to vote at the National Convention.

16. National Convention Procedures – Quorum, Minutes, Chairing, Adjournment and Voting,

Articles 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 and 13 of the Organisations Articles shall apply to a National Convention as if it was a General Meeting of the Organisation.

17.Review and Amendment

The Board may, by a simple majority vote, amend these by-laws from time to time, as it considers necessary and in the best interests of Blind Citizens Australia.