NEW ZEALAND NURSES ORGANISATION (INC.)
Ref: WH Section Rules November 2009
Rules for the Women's Health Section, NZNO
1. NAME
Women’s Health Section, NZNO
2. OBJECTIVES
(a) To be the recognised professional organisation of all Women's Health nurses in New Zealand.
(b) To recruit nurses practising, identifying with, and/or interested in Women's Health care to belong to the Women's Health Section, NZNO.
(c) To practice within the protection, partnership and participation principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
(d) To develop and disseminate Standards of Practice for Women's Health Nurses.
(e) To provide a communications network for all members including regular newsletters, conferences and disseminating information on issues pertaining to Women's Health nursing.
(f) To liaise with appropriate authorities on social and health issues relevant to Women's Health nursing and community health giving a nursing voice to women's health issues.
(g) To encourage, promote and provide the development of educational programmes/seminars for Women's Health nurses and those interested in women's health care.
(h) To encourage, support and promote research into Women's Health nursing issues.
(i) To actively facilitate the ongoing strategic and professional development of Women's Health nurses in conjunction with NZNO and appropriate health authorities.
(j) To promote Women's Health nursing and increase the profile of Women's Health nurses.
(k) To communicate and liaise with other Women's Health organisations at a national and international level.
(l) To support the objectives, policy and activities of NZNO.
3. MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
(a) Full Member
(i) Any nurse who is a qualified nurse, practising or has an education role in women's health, gynaecology/women's, sexual and reproductive health who is a financial member of NZNO.
(b) Associate Member
(i) Qualified nurses, and health care assistants interested in Women's Health nursing, but not necessarily in practice.
(ii) Qualified nurses must be financial members of NZNO unless they meet the criteria for retired nurse member.
(iii) Allied health professionals interested in Women's Health care.
(iv) Allied health professionals are not required to be a financial member of NZNO, but may belong to Health Professionals NZ.
(v) Members of consumer groups interested in Women's Health care who are not eligible for NZNO membership
(vi) Associate members shall pay the full levy to Women's Health Section
(vii) Associate members may not hold office, propose nominations or motions or have voting rights.
(viii) The name and address of associate members shall appear in the register of members.
(c) Honorary Member
Honorary membership may be conferred from time to time and shall be proposed by the National Committee and ratified at a Biennial General Meeting.
(i) The Women's Health Section may grant honorary membership to any NZNO member or ex-member in recognition of their contribution to the Section or to Women's Health nursing.
(ii) Honorary members are not required to pay the Section fee.
(iii) The name and addresses of honorary members shall appear in the register of members and have all the rights and responsibilities of a full member.
(d) Retired Nurse Member
(i) The National Committee may allow, on individual application, retired nurse membership to a Section member who has retired permanently from nursing and any other employment position.
(ii) The retired members shall pay the full subscription to the Women's Health Section.
(iii) Retired members may not hold office, propose nominations or motions or have voting rights.
(iv) The name and address of retired members shall appear in the register of members.
4. ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP
(a) Any person described in Rule 3 shall be deemed to be a member, when an application for membership is received by the Secretary or Treasurer or a member of the National Committee, or the NZNO membership office.
(b) Such persons shall pay all subscription from the date of joining.
(c) All members will be required to pay an annual fee as set at the Biennial General Meeting by a majority of members present.
5. RESIGNATION
A member shall cease to be a member in the event of:
(a) Resignation in writing.
(b) Annual subscription being unpaid for three (3) months in which event she/he shall automatically cease to be a member.
(c) Ceasing to be a member of NZNO.
6. LEVIES
The College/Section will not charge a membership subscription, however annual or intermittent fees to support particular activities may be levied on members.
(a) Any levy for particular activities will be reviewed annually by the National Committee and shall not be raised with respect of core activities.
(b) Proposed changes will be circulated to all members at least thirty (30) days prior to the Biennial General Meeting.
(c) Any proposed changes to the fees will be discussed and voted on at the Biennial General Meeting by a majority of members present.
(d) The date for any agreed changes will take effect from the beginning of the next financial year.
7. FINANCE
a) The financial year shall be from 1 April to 31 March.
b) The College’s/Section’s finances will be centralised in the NZNO National Office and are included in the annual financial statements of NZNO and audited with the National Office accounts. Annual College/Section financial reports shall be forwarded to the NZNO Business Services Manager by May and incorporate a record of the financial position of any regional section(s). No separate audited account shall be produced for the College/Section.
c) College/Section accounts shall be subject to random and detailed audit by NZNO’s external auditors.
d) The College/Section treasurer shall keep accounting records in accordance with current accounting practice and NZNO requirements.
e) Financial statements and accounts for payment shall be presented at all committee meetings and recorded in the minutes.
f) The national committee shall appoint persons to sign authorities for payment of invoices, expenses etc, being no less than two signatories from the National Committee, one of whom will be the Treasurer.
g) The annual financial reports will be presented at the Biennial General Meeting.
h) Any regional divisions/sections of the national college/section shall have their financial accounts recorded within the national college/section accounting records. This information shall be forwarded to NZNO for recording in the NZNO annual financial statements.
i) Any surplus funding from College/National Section conferences (after returning any seeding monies) shall be administered by the National Committee. The College/Section may develop standing orders regarding the distribution of profits between the organising group and any other body and the College/Section and this distribution is predetermined by the members at an AGM. Such monies should be noted as an extra source of income on the income side of the balance sheet, and be banked in the College’s/Section’s account.
j) The Committee shall draw up an annual budget to be presented and approved at the Biennial General Meeting. A copy shall be sent to the Business Manager of the NZNO (Inc).
8. NATIONAL COMMITTEE
(a) Membership
(i) The National Committee shall consist of no more than eight (8) elected people with a wide geographical representation.
(ii) At the first meeting following the Biennial General Meeting the Committee shall, from amongst its members, appoint the following officers.
Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and other roles as designated by the committee, i.e. Conference Liaison Officer.
(iii) The term of office shall be two (2) years with right of re-election for a further two (2) years. Members shall be re-eligible for re-election after a break of two (2) years.
(iv) The newly elected members of the National Committee shall hold office from the conclusion of business of the Biennial General Meeting of the Women's Health Section, NZNO until the conclusion of business at the end of their term of office, at which time their successors assume office.
(v) Any honoraria or like payment to members of the National Committee shall be decided at the Biennial General Meeting.
(vi) The retiring National Committee Chairperson may remain on the committee ex-officio, in a supportive role, for a period of up to twelve (12) months, as required by the incoming chairperson.
(b) Meetings
(i) There shall be a minimum of three meetings per year plus the Biennial General Meeting. This does not exclude the possibility of teleconferencing if required.
(ii) The quorum shall be fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the elected committee.
(iii) Committee members are expected to attend committee and Biennial General Meetings and if unable to attend the Chairperson must be notified.
(c) Powers
The committee shall have the power to:
(i) Govern the Section in accordance with Biennial General Meeting and conduct the business between Biennial General Meetings.
(ii) Through its office holders, to manage the business of the section in accordance with its objectives.
(iii) Fill any vacancies occurring in the committee by appointing a specific person to hold office until the next elections.
(iv) Co-opt or form sub-committees as necessary for any special project or activity. Where a person who is co-opted is not a full member of the Section, they shall not have voting rights in the National Committee or any of its sub-committees.
(v) The National Committee has the power to call a Special General Meeting in extraordinary circumstances as may be required.
The committee shall not have the power to:
(i) Employ staff on a permanent part-time, contractual or temporary basis
(ii) Enter into contracts
(iii) “Endorse” on behalf of NZNO or authorise use of the NZNO logo without permission of the Board of Directors
(d) Register of Members
i) NZNO membership staff shall maintain the register of the Women’s Health Section NZNO. This register is to include name, address, status, including financial NZNO membership number and the date of joining.
ii) The Committee shall notify NZNO membership staff of any new members making application directly to the Section, and NZNO membership staff shall notify the Section of registration for membership made directly to NZNO at least bi-monthly.
iii) The Committee shall inform NZNO membership staff of members who have resigned or are no longer eligible for section membership at least bi-monthly.
iv) The Committee shall review the currency of the register biennially and notify the NZNO membership of changes.
v) Membership information is kept confidential to the College/Section and NZNO.
9. ELECTIONS OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE
(a) Nominations
(i) Nominations will be called for by the Secretary, from its members, in sufficient time for all members to be notified with information about the candidates circulated with the official voting paper. All full and honorary members are entitled to vote.
(ii) The official form shall be used for all nominations.
(iii) Voting for committee members shall be by postal vote.
(iv) If number of nominations does not exceed the number of vacancies, then those nominated will be considered duly elected. Members shall receive information about those elected.
(v) The announcement of the newly elected officers shall be made before the closing of the Biennial Conference.
Closing date and time for the return of postal ballots will be one (1) week prior to the Biennial General Meeting.
The candidate with the highest number of valid votes shall be declared elected. Provided that, in the event of more than one (1) vacancy, candidates shall fill vacancies in descending order of the number of votes received per candidate until all vacancies are filled.
(b) Returning Officer
(i) The National Committee shall appoint a returning officer who shall be responsible for the conduct of the ballot, provided that the returning officer shall not stand to gain or lose personally from the outcome.
10. BIENNIAL GENERAL MEETING
(a) There shall be an Biennial General Meeting, chaired by the Chairperson of the Section. If the Chairperson is unable to attend then the National Committee shall appoint a chairperson from amongst its own members.
(b) Powers of the Biennial General Meeting
The powers of the Biennial General Meeting shall be
(i) The Biennial General Meeting is the highest decision making authority of the Section, subject only to the outcome of a ballot of full members of the Section.
(ii) Only full and honorary members are entitled to vote at the Biennial General Meeting
(iii) Establish the Policy of the Women's Health Section, NZNO.
(iv) Consider and decide upon all remits forwarded for its consideration in accordance with these rules.
(v) Receive and consider:
– The Annual Report as presented by the Chairperson.
– Audited statement of Income and Expenditure and Annual Balance Sheet.
– Proposed budget for the next financial year.
(vi) Set membership fees.
(vii) Report the results of the Elections.
(viii) Determine any honoraria to be paid.
(ix) The Biennial General Meeting may delegate to the National Committee any matter, and may direct the National Committee, as it sees fit.
(x) The effect of every decision made at the Biennial General Meeting is to bind every member of the National Committee and financial members of the Section to that decision.
(xi) Receive, discuss and decide upon any other matter which the Biennial General Meeting agrees to put on the Agenda.
(xii) Decide the location and timetable for the next Biennial General Meeting, provided that consideration is given to location, with preference to alternating between the North and South Islands.
(c) Special Annual General Meeting
(i) The National Committee shall call a Special General Meeting at a time and place of its choosing.
(ii) All members shall receive notification of date, time and place not less than one (1) month before the date of the Special General Meeting.
(iii) Any notice given under this rule shall state the business to be transacted at the Special General Meeting and no business other than that specified in the notice shall be transacted at the meeting.
(d) Meeting procedures
(i) Meetings will be conducted according to accepted meeting procedure.
(ii) Members are entitled to attend National Committee meetings but have speaking rights only.
(iii) With the exception of the postal election ballot, all matters will be voted on by a show of hands, unless any member requests a secret ballot.
(iv) All resolutions will be decided by a majority of votes.
(v) The Chairperson is entitled to a casting vote.
(vi) No proxy is permitted at meetings
(vii) The Secretary is to forward copies of all National Committee minutes and Newsletters to NZNO.
11. VOTING
(a) The quorum for the Biennial General Meeting shall be five per cent (5%) of members.
(b) All full and honorary members in attendance have voting rights.
(c) Voting shall be by a show of hands unless a ballot is requested. All resolutions shall be decided by a majority of votes.
(d) The Chairperson is entitled to a casting vote.
(e) No proxy voting is permitted.
(f) A representative of New Zealand Nurses Organisation (Inc.) shall be invited to the Biennial General Meeting.
NB: Postal Ballots – If the Section uses a postal ballot system rules are to be developed in conjunction with the Co-ordinator Professional groups and are to be based on NZNO Rules, Section 47.
12. RULE CHANGES
(a) Proposed changes to rules shall be forwarded to the Secretary thirty (30) days prior to the Biennial General Meeting. The proposed changes shall be circulated to all members in a reasonable time before the Biennial General Meeting.
(b) Voting on these proposed changes shall take place at the Biennial General Meeting.
(c) Any changes to the rules are to be approved by the Board of Directors of the New Zealand Nurses' Organisation (Inc).
13. REGIONAL SECTIONS/COLLEGE DIVISIONS
(a) Establishment of a Regional Section Division
A region/division consists of the members working or living within a geographical area defined by the National Committee.
(b) Functions and Powers
The regions/divisions are established in order to achieve the objectives of the National Committee. Their purposes are:
(i) To unite members within the region and to provide opportunities for them to discuss, educate, consult and co-operate with each other.
(ii) To ensure free communication with individual members and sections within each region and with national Committee by establishing an effective communication system.
(c) Governance
Regional Sections Divisions shall have rules in link with the College/National Section rules and the rules of the NZ Nurses Organisation Section 40.2.
14. NZNO ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The delegates to the NZNO Annual Conference shall be the Chairperson or a deputy and one other Committee member.
15. ETHICS
(a) Only the National Chairperson or his/her delegated representative shall speak on behalf of the Section.
(b) The Chief Executive Office of the NZ Nurses Organisation will be informed prior to communication with external organisations or the media.
(c) Communication with National or International Organisations or government departments shall initially be through the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Chief Executive Officer.
(d) The NZ Nurses Organisation will be promoted through the Section.
(e) The College/ Section will be identified as a part of NZNO clearly in the college/ section logo, communications and publications.
16. INTERPRETATION
(a) The rules of the Section are subject to confirmation by NZNO, whose Board of Directors may from time to time request changes in the interests of good governance of NZNO.
(b) Where any matter is not provided for in these Rules, the Rules of NZNO shall apply to the extent of the powers of section outlined in Rule 40 outlined in the NZNO Rules.
17. WINDING UP
In the event of the National Section's dissolution, the administration of all the assets, liabilities and properties etc shall be transferred to Board of Directors of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (Inc.).
Rules Endorsed and Ratification at Section AGM, 5 November 2004
Approved by NZNO Board of Directors December 2004
Rules Endorsed and Ratification at Section AGM , November 2005
Approved by NZNO Board of Directors December 2005
Rule update endorsed and ratified at Section AGM, February 2009.
Approved by NZNO Board of Directors June 2009.