ASSOCIATIONS INCORPORATION REFORM ACT 2012 (NO. 20 OF 2012)

Table of Provisions

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

• 1 Purposes  
• 2 Commencement  
• 3 Definitions  
• 4 Securing pecuniary profit for members  

PART 2--FORMATION OF INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION

Division 1--Incorporation of association

• 5 Authority to apply for incorporation  
• 6 Application for incorporation  
• 7 Registration of proposed incorporated association  
• 8 Incorporation and certificate of registration  
• 9 Vesting of property  

Division 2--Registration of existing bodies

• 10 Meaning of registrable body  
• 11 Eligibility to apply to be registered under this Act  
• 12 Application for incorporation under this Act  
• 13 Registration of registrable body  
• 14 Incorporation and certificate of registration  
• 15 Effect of incorporation of registrable body  

Division 3--Amalgamation of incorporated associations

• 16 Definitions  
• 17 Approval to apply for amalgamation  
• 18 Application for amalgamation  
• 19 Amalgamation of incorporated associations  
• 20 Amalgamation and certificate of registration  
• 21 Effect of amalgamation  

PART 3--NAME AND REGISTERED ADDRESS

• 22 Name of incorporated association  
• 23 Name must appear on business documents etc.  
• 24 Application to change name of incorporated association  
• 25 Registration of new name  
• 26 Change of name does not create new legal entity etc.  
• 27 Direction to change name  
• 28 Registered address of incorporated association  

PART 4--LEGAL CAPACITY AND POWERS OF INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION

Division 1--General

• 29 Incorporated association is a body corporate  
• 30 General powers of incorporated association  
• 31 Trust property  
• 32 Disposal of trust property  
• 33 Incorporated association not to secure pecuniary profit for members  

Division 2--Prohibited transactions, unauthorised acts etc.

• 34 Restriction of exercise of powers  
• 35 Prohibited transactions  
• 36 Unauthorised act, conveyance or transfer performed pursuant to contract  

Division 3--Authentication and execution of documents and confirmation of contracts

• 37 Authentication of document or proceeding  
• 38 Execution of contract or other document by signature  
• 39 Incorporated association may authorise person to execute deed  
• 40 Execution under seal  
• 41 Contractual formalities  
• 42 Other requirements as to consent or sanction not affected  

Division 4--Pre-registration contracts

• 43 Contracts before registration  
• 44 Person may be released from liability but is not entitled to indemnity  
• 45 This Division replaces other rights and liabilities  

PART 5--RULES, MEMBERSHIP AND GENERAL MEETINGS

Division 1--Rules of incorporated association

• 46 Rules constitute terms of contract  
• 47 Requirements  
• 48 Rules of an incorporated association  
• 49 Model rules  
• 50 Alteration of rules  

Division 2--Membership

• 51 Membership of an incorporated association  
• 52 Limitation of rights and liabilities of members  
• 53 Inspection of rules and minutes  
• 54 Disciplinary action  
• 55 Grievance procedure  

Division 3--Register of members

• 56 Register of members  
• 57 Inspection of register of members  
• 58 Improper use of information recorded on register of members  
• 59 Restriction of access to personal information  

Division 4--General Meetings

• 60 Requirement to give notice of general meeting  
• 61 Right of member to attend and vote at general meeting  
• 62 Use of technology at general meetings  
• 63 Annual general meeting  
• 64 Special resolutions  
• 65 Declaration by chairperson of passing of resolution  
• 66 Approval to pass special resolution in other manner  

Division 5--Court orders enforcing rules or rights of members

• 67 Enforcement of rules  
• 68 Oppressive conduct  
• 69 Oppressive conduct—transfer of proceeding to Supreme Court  
• 70 Order altering rules  
• 71 Lodgement of order with Registrar  

PART 6--MANAGEMENT

Division 1--Appointment of secretary and committee

• 72 First secretary  
• 73 Filling vacancy  
• 74 Notice of appointment  
• 75 Acts of secretary not invalid  
• 76 Secretary may hold other offices in association  
• 77 First committee  
• 78 Removal from and vacation of office  

Division 2--Meetings of the committee

• 79 Use of technology at committee meetings  
• 80 Disclosure of material personal interest  
• 81 Matter on which committee member has material personal interest  

Division 3--Duties of office holders

• 82 Definition  
• 83 Improper use of information or position  
• 84 Duty of care and diligence  
• 85 Duty of good faith and proper purpose  
• 86 Reliance on information or advice  
• 87 Indemnity of office holders  

Division 4--Miscellaneous

• 88 Return of documents belonging to incorporated association  

PART 7--FINANCIAL REPORTING

Division 1--General requirements

• 89 Obligation to keep financial records  
• 90 Tier one, tier two and tier three associations  
• 91 Registrar may declare an incorporated association to be tier one or tier two association  

Division 2--Tier one associations

• 92 Obligation to prepare financial statements  
• 93 Review of financial statements  
• 94 Submission of financial statement to annual general meeting  

Division 3--Tier two associations

• 95 Obligation to prepare financial statements  
• 96 Review of financial statements  
• 97 Submission of financial statements to annual general meeting  

Division 4--Tier three associations

• 98 Obligation to prepare financial statements  
• 99 Audit of financial statements  
• 100 Submission of financial statements to annual general meeting  

Division 5--General requirements relating to financial statements

• 101 Content of financial statements  
• 102 Lodgement of financial statements with Registrar  
• 103 Exemption from requirement to lodge financial statements  
• 104 Extension of time to hold annual general meeting or to lodge financial statements  
• 105 Retention of financial statements and other documents  

Division 6--Removal of auditor

• 106 Removal of auditor by resolution  
• 107 Auditor may make representation  
• 108 Exemption from requirements  

PART 8--TRANSFER OF INCORPORATION

• 109 Definitions  
• 110 Application for transfer of incorporation  
• 111 Direction to transfer incorporation  
• 112 Notice of transfer to Registrar  
• 113 Validity of contracts  
• 114 New body ceases to be incorporated under this Act  
• 115 Effect of transfer of incorporation  

PART 9--STATUTORY MANAGEMENT OF INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION

• 116 Appointment of statutory manager  
• 117 Effect of appointment of statutory manager  
• 118 Powers of statutory manager  
• 119 Revocation of appointment  
• 120 Expenses of statutory management  
• 121 Liabilities arising from statutory management  
• 122 Statutory manager to report to Registrar  
• 123 Additional powers of Registrar  
• 124 Stay of proceedings  

PART 10--WINDING UP AND CANCELLATION

Division 1--Winding up

• 125 Voluntary winding up  
• 126 Winding up by the court  
• 127 Winding up on certificate of Registrar  
• 128 Procedure before certification  
• 129 Review of certificate  
• 130 Procedure for winding up on certificate  

Division 2--Distribution of surplus assets on winding up

• 131 Definition  
• 132 Distribution of surplus assets  
• 133 Court order relating to distribution of surplus assets  

Division 3--Cancellation of incorporation

• 134 Cancellation on winding up  
• 135 Cancellation on ceasing to operate  
• 136 Application for cancellation of incorporation  
• 137 Consideration of application by Registrar  
• 138 Cancellation of incorporation on application  
• 139 Liability continues  
• 140 Vesting of property after cancellation  
• 141 Proceeds from sale or disposal of property  
• 142 Reinstatement of cancelled association by Registrar  
• 143 Reinstatement of cancelled association by Supreme Court  

PART 11--CORPORATIONS LEGISLATION

Division 1--Exclusion from Corporations legislation

• 144 Incorporated association excluded from Corporations legislation  

Division 2--Declaration of applied Corporations Legislation

• 145 Common modifications  
• 146 Civil penalties applying to office holders  
• 147 Receivers and other controllers of property of incorporated association  
• 148 Voluntary administration  
• 149 Voluntary winding up  
• 150 Winding up by the court  
• 151 Winding up generally  
• 152 Insolvency  
• 153 General  
• 154 Offences under applied provisions  
• 155 Commonwealth Criminal Code does not apply  

PART 12--POWERS OF ENTRY AND INSPECTION

Division 1--General

• 156 Definitions  
• 157 Production of identification  

Division 2--Requirements to produce information

• 158 Inspector may seek court order  
• 159 Inspection of documents under court order  
• 160 Notification of execution of court order  
• 161 Publisher required to produce information  

Division 3--Entry and search of premises with consent

• 162 Entry and search with consent  
• 163 Notice before entry and search  
• 164 Acknowledgement of consent to entry and search  

Division 4--Entry and search of premises without consent

• 165 Entry of premises open to the public  
• 166 Entry without consent or warrant  
• 167 Use or seizure of electronic equipment at premises  

Division 5--Entry and search of premises with warrant

• 168 Search warrants  
• 169 Form and content of search warrants  
• 170 Announcement before entry  
• 171 Details of warrant to be given to occupier  
• 172 Seizure of things not mentioned in the warrant  

Division 6--Documents

• 173 Copies of seized documents  
• 174 Retention and return of seized documents or things  
• 175 Magistrates' Court may extend 3 month period  

Division 7--Offences

• 176 Refusal or failure to comply with requirement  
• 177 Protection against self-incrimination  
• 178 Offence to give false or misleading information  
• 179 Offence to hinder or obstruct inspector  
• 180 Offence to impersonate inspector  

Division 8--Miscellaneous

• 181 Entry to be reported to the Registrar  
• 182 Requirement to assist inspector during entry  
• 183 Register of exercise of powers of entry  
• 184 Complaints  
• 185 Service of documents  
• 186 Confidentiality  

PART 13--ADMINISTRATION

Division 1--Registrar

• 187 Registrar of Incorporated Associations  
• 188 Official seal  
• 189 Registrar may delegate  
• 190 Agents of the Registrar  

Division 2--Register and documents held by Registrar

• 191 Register  
• 192 Corrections of register  
• 193 Restriction on personal information  
• 194 Release of restricted information  
• 195 Rights of review  
• 196 Inspection of register and obtaining copies of documents  
• 197 Duplicate certificate of registration  

Division 3--Lodgement of documents

• 198 Payment of fee  
• 199 Method of lodgement  
• 200 Special arrangements for the lodgement of documents  
• 201 Retention of original documents  
• 202 Requirement to produce and lodge documents  
• 203 Signatures  
• 204 Refusal to register or receive document  
• 205 Refusal to register or receive invalid document  
• 206 Records and documents in language other than English  

Division 4--Fees

• 207 Waiver or refund of fees  

PART 14--OFFENCES AND PROCEEDINGS

Division 1--General enforcement provisions

• 208 False and misleading statements  
• 209 Use of the word "Incorporated"  
• 210 Limitation on proceedings for offence  
• 211 Continuing offences  

Division 2--Infringement notices

• 212 Infringement notices  
• 213 Additional step for ongoing offence  

PART 15--GENERAL

• 214 Notice of register or document held by Registrar  
• 215 Assumptions  
• 216 Evidentiary provisions  
• 217 Service of documents  
• 218 Exemption from duty  
• 219 Application of Fair Trading Act 1999  
• 220 Transfer of proceeding to Supreme Court  
• 221 Qualified privilege  
• 222 Regulations  

PART 16--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS, CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS AND REPEALS

Division 1--Transitional provisions

• 223 Transitional provisions  

Division 2--Consequential amendments

• 224 Amendment of Associations Incorporation Amendment Act 2009  
• 225 Amendment of Associations Incorporation Amendment Act 2010  
• 226 Consequential amendments of other Acts  

Division 3--Repeals

• 227 Repeal of Associations Incorporation Act 1981  
• 228 Repeal of other Acts  
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