This page provides general information on annual general meetings and annual statements of incorporated associations.

An incorporated association must hold an annual general meeting (AGM) at least once in each calendar year and within 6 months after the end of the association’s financial year.

However, the first annual general meeting of a new association must be held within 18 months of the date of incorporation and within 6 months after the expiration of the first financial year of the association.

It is possible to obtain an extension of time to hold the AGM from the Commissioner for Fair Trading. Such application should be made before the expiration of the period or of the calendar year in which the annual general meeting would otherwise be required to be held. An Application for Extension of Time for holding Annual General Meeting or Lodging Statement (Form 11) should be sent to the Registry of Co-operatives & Associations.

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The rules of the association are required to specify the manner of calling the AGM and the manner in which notice of the AGM is to be given. The notice convening the meeting should specify that the meeting is the annual general meeting.

If the model rules apply, the secretary must give a notice to each member specifying the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business, including the fact that it is the AGM. The notice must be given not less than 14 days before the date fixed for the holding of the meeting. However, notice of any special resolution must be given to members not less than 21 days before the AGM. For convenience, the notice of meeting can be sent to members at the same time and on the same document as any notice of special resolutions provided it is sent not less than 21 days before the AGM.

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The business of an AGM is normally to:

• confirm the minutes of the last AGM and of any special general meeting held since that meeting,
• receive from the committee reports on the activities of the association during the last preceding financial year,
• elect office-bearers of the association and ordinary members of the committee,
• receive and consider the financial statement to members, and
• conduct other business of which notice has been given to the members.

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At the AGM the committee must submit to members a financial statement which is not misleading and which gives a true and fair view of the following:

• the income and expenditure of the association during its last financial year,
• the assets and liabilities of the association at the end of its last financial year,
• the mortgages, charges and other securities affecting any of the property of the association at the end of its last financial year, and
• in respect of each trust for which the association was trustee during any part of the association’s last financial year:
  • the income and expenditure of the trust during that period,
  • the assets and liabilities of the trust during that period, and
  • the mortgages, charges and other securities affecting any of the property of the trust at the end of its last financial year.

If an incorporated association fails to hold an annual general meeting or to submit a financial statement to members, each member of the committee of the association is guilty of an offence and liable to a penalty of up to 2 penalty units ($220).

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Within one month of the annual general meeting, the public officer is required to lodge an annual statement (Form 12) certified by two members of the committee (who are authorised to do so by a resolution of the committee) with the Registry of Co-operatives & Associations.

The annual statement form is to be accompanied by the following documents:

• a copy of the financial statement submitted to members,
• a copy of the terms of any resolution passed at the annual general meeting concerning the financial statement, and
• the prescribed fee.

Failure to properly lodge the annual statement means the public officer is guilty of an offence and liable to a penalty of up to 2 penalty units ($220).

For further information see ‘Statutory and Reporting Obligations of an Incorporated Association'.

In addition, any change in the person holding the position of public officer or the address of the public officer must be notified to the Registry within 14 days of the change occurring on the Registry’s Form 9. The Act imposes penalties for failure to notify the Commissioner of a change of public officer or the address of the public officer. Further information regarding the role, functions and appointment of a public officer is available on the information page titled ‘Public Officer'.