NUS National Conference 2015 POLICY BOOK Contents 1. Constitution, Regulations, Bylaws 1 2. Administration 16 3. Unionism 45 4. Education 89 5. Welfare 157 6. Womens 216 7. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy 259 8. Queer Policy 274 9. Disabilities 304 Contents 10. Ethno-Cultural 324 11. International 340 12. Small and Regional 344 13. Environment 364 14. Misc. 374 1 The following resolutions numbered CRBL 1 – 10 are proposed as 1. Constitution, Regulations and Bylaws Special Resolutions of National Conference: Amendments This notice fulfills Notice of Special Resolution requirements contained within C16.2(a) of the NUS Constitution. Copy of Notice: These resolutions are presented in the order in which they were National Union of Students Incorporated received. A.C.T. Reg. No. A 01837 Kind Regards, NOTICE OF AMENDMENTS TO Tom Nock NUS REGULATIONS AND BY-LAWS National General Secretary National Union of Students 16th November 2015 Dear Campus Presidents, Delegates to National Conference, and NUS National Executive, Notice is given that at the annual meeting of National Conference to be held on 7 to 11 December 2015 it is intended that the following amendments be proposed to the constitution, regulations and by-laws: Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws 2 1.1 Amendments to the NUS Regulations and Bylaws – State (b) an officer of a state branch, or Branch Amendments 5. In R51.3, delete “.” and insert “or otherwise cease to hold office REGULATIONS in accordance with the regulations or by-laws.” 1. Delete R17.7(a) and replace with: 6. Delete R52.2 and renumber accordingly. (a) the election at that meeting of any national officers, 7. In R54.1, delete “B61.1” and “B61.2” and replace with “B60.1” General Executive Members and state officers is void and “B60.2” respectively. and of no effect; and 8. Insert R54.2 as follows: 2. Delete R17.9(a)(ii) and replace with: 54.2 General Executive Members and state officers cease to hold (ii) the state officers; and office if they cease to be eligible to be elected. 3. Delete R49.2 and delete R49.1 and replace R49.1 with: 9. Delete the “Schedule – State Branches”, replace with the following Schedule and amend table of contents and any 49.1 The following officers must be elected at the annual references in regulations and by-laws accordingly. meeting of National Conference in the following order: (a) national officers in the order listed in R31.1, SCHEDULE – STATE BRANCHES (b) the state officers in the order of State President followed by State Education Vice-President followed by Division 1 – Name, Object and Membership Campus Representatives, and (c) the General Executive Members. S1. Name Under R45.1 and R45.2 the name of each state branch is 4. Delete R50(b) and replace with: “National Union of Students, [insert name of state]” (in this Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws 3 schedule, “the state branch”). (i) co-ordinating the activities of NUS in that state, S2. Object (ii) organising state-based campaigns and activities, The object of the state branch is to carry out the objects of NUS in (iii) authorising the publication of materials for its state. the state branch on behalf of NUS, subject to National Executive, and S3 Membership (b) to implement the policy of NUS and state policy in Under R45.5, the members of the state branch are the member that state. organisations in the state. S6. Meetings Division 2– State Executive 6.1 The State Executive must meet at least 3 times each year. S4. Membership 6.2 The State President may convene a meeting of State The members of the State Executive are: Executive. (a) The State President (voting chair), 6.3 The State President must convene a meeting of State (b) The State Education Vice-President (voting), and Executive: (c) The Campus Representatives of the member (a) if the State Executive so resolves, or organisations (voting). (b) if requested in writing by a majority of the voting S5. Responsibilities members of the State Executive at the time. The responsibilities of the State Executive are: 6.4 The procedure at meetings of State Executive is the same as that for National Executive, with any necessary modifications. (a) to manage the state branch, including: Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws 4 6.5 There shall be a standing invitation to all meetings of the 9.2 A person who has been a state officer for 3 years in total is state executive accorded to: not eligible to nominate again as a state officer. (a) Campus Presidents or their nominee of Member Organisations in the state 9.3 A person who has been a State President or national (b) The representative of all state-wide autonomous officer or State President and national officer for 2 networks as recognised by a majority of the State Executive years in total is not eligible to nominate as State President. 9.4 Candidates may nominate for more than state officer S7. Standing Resolutions position, but, if declared elected to 1 position, are taken to have withdrawn from the other positions. The State Executive may by an absolute majority pass standing resolutions to give effect to this schedule. S10. State President 10.1 There shall be a State President for each state branch, who Division 3– State Officers must be a student represented by a member organisation which is a member of that state branch. S8. State Officers 10.2 The State President: The officers of the state branch are: (a) is the official spokesperson of the state branch, (a) the State President, (b) is responsible for the overall supervision of the activities of the state branch, (b) the State Education Vice-President, and (c) is responsible for liaising with NUS national officers (c) the Campus Representatives. on behalf of the state branch and reporting to the National Executive regarding the state branch’s S9. Eligibility activities, 9.1 A person who has held a state officer position for 2 years (d) is responsible for engaging with NUS’ stakeholders in in total is not eligible to nominate again for that position. the state, and (e) is responsible for calling and chairing meetings of the Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws 5 State Executive. 12.1 There shall be a Campus Representative (named “Campus 10.3 If there is a vacancy in the position of State President, or Representative, [insert name of member organisation]”) the State President is overseas or otherwise unable to act, the for each of the member organisations which are members of the state branch. If there is only one member organisation in a state, State Education Vice-President will act as State President. or only one member organisation in a state with delegates accredited to National Conference, there will be two Campus 10.4 A State President ceases to hold office if they cease to be Representatives for that member organisation. eligible to be elected, or otherwise in accordance with the regulations and by-laws. 12.2 The Campus Representative must be an enrolled student represented by the member organisation for which they are S11. State Education Vice-President Campus Representative. 11.1 There shall be a State Education Vice-President for each 12.3 The Campus Representative of a member organisation is state branch, who must be a student represented by a member organisation which is a member of that state branch. responsible for: 11.2 The State Education Vice-President is responsible for: (a) liaising between their member organisation and the state branch, (b) assisting with the state branch’s activities relating to (a) co-ordinating NUS campaigns in the state, including their member organisation, co-ordinating volunteers and activists, (c) acting as a point of contact in relation to their (b) supervision of the activities of the state branch member organisation, and relating to education, and (d) advocating and promoting NUS’ activities to that (c) assisting the State President in their performance of member organisation. their duties. 12.4 A Campus Representative ceases to hold office if they cease 11.3 A State Education Vice-President ceases to hold office if to be eligible to be elected, or otherwise in accordance with the they cease to be eligible to be elected, or otherwise in regulations and by-laws. accordance with the regulations and by-laws. S13. Accountability and Direction S12. Campus Representatives Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws 6 State officers are responsible to, and may be directed by (increasing 47.2 B46 and B54 apply to the election of the Conference order of priority): Business Committee. (a) the State President, 12. At B53, insert B53.3 and B53.4 as follows: (b) State Executive, (c) the National President, 53.3 In the case of a ballot for the office of State President or (d) National Executive, and State Education Vice- President of a state branch, only the (e) National Conference. delegates to National Conference of member organisations which are members of that state branch are entitled to vote. BY-LAWS 53.4 In the case of a ballot for the office of Campus 10. Delete B2.2(a) and (b), so that B2.2 reads: Representative, only the delegates to National Conference of the member organisation represented by 2.2 The Accreditation Committee may only accredit delegates that Campus Representative are entitled to vote. If there are no whose election complies with R18 and B3-B6, except as such delegates, then the office of Campus provided in B7. Representative will remain vacant. 11. Delete B47 and replace with: 13. In B73(c) delete the words “and state” and “the department’s”, and insert the words “, state education vice-presidents” after the 47.1 This Division applies to the election of: words “education officers”.