The Constitution

Under Australian Law, Associations must have and be bound by a set of rules that is often referred to as "the constitution" which impose a minimum standard of control on an Association activities.

These rules may also be known by the term "Memorandum and Articles of Association".

These rules generally cover:

I.	Name, objects and powers
II.	Classes of Membership
III.	Acceptance, Rejection and Termination of Membership
IV.	Composition of The Management Committee
V.	Duties of Office Bearers
VI.	Meetings of the Management Committee
VII.	Powers of the Management Committee
VIII.	General Meetings
IX.	Annual General Meetings
X.	Financial Management of the Association

An Association can write its own rules, if it so wishes, but the rules have to comply with legislative provision governing Associations. In Queensland, Australia, the legislation governing Associations is the Associations Incorporation Act 1981.

Instead of writing rules, most newly formed Associations adopt "The Model Rules", which are provided by the government agency which administers the legislation governing Associations. In Queensland, Australia, the government agency that administers the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 is the Office of Fair Trading.

Adopting the Model Rules is much easier than writing your own rules. Basically, all that is necessary is to insert the name of the Association and the Objects of the Association into the Model Rules (see the first page of Model Rules below).

As an example of how the "Constitution" controls an Association's, there are rules that force the association to have an Annual General Meeting once per year, and for the election of office bearers (President, Secretary, Tresurer) to take place.