SECULAR PARTY OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION

1 IDENTITY AND STANDING
2 DEFINITIONS
3 PARTY OBJECTIVES
4 MEMBERSHIP
5 DIVISION ORGANISATION
6 NATIONAL ORGANISATION
7 POLICY FORMULATION
8 FUNDING
9 PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION
10 USE OF PARTY FUNDS
11 DISSOLUTION

1 IDENTITY AND STANDING

1.1 The name of the Party is "Secular Party of Australia".

1.2 This constitution identifies the principles governing the conduct of the Party's affairs and the bodies responsible for implementing them.

1.3 All other Party documents are subordinate to this constitution.

1.4 This constitution can be changed only by a resolution which is supported by a three quarters majority of such members of the Party as, being entitled to do so, vote in a party ballot in accordance with this constitution.

2 DEFINITIONS

2.0 In this constitution, unless some other meaning is clearly intended:

'body' means a committee or officer of the Party at national, divisional or branch level;

'branch' means a group of members within a division who conduct meetings at a local level;

'division' means the organisation of the members of the Party within each state and territory of Australia;

'elected public office' means an elected position in a state, territorial or federal parliament;

'executive' means the national executive of the Party;

'majority' means more than half of the persons voting;

'member' means a person who is enrolled as a member of the Party;

'Party' means the national organisation;

'party ballot' means a ballot open to all members of the Party who are qualified under this constitution;

'policy' means a public statement by the Party for and on behalf of the members and endorsed candidates and the Parliamentary representatives of the Party on matters of general and/or specific concern to the people of Australia, which statement shall take the form of a declaration, opinion and/or pledge and shall be determined according to the provisions of this constitution;

'political party' means an organisation or group of people active in political affairs related to achieving the election of persons to any state, territory or Federal Parliament;

'preselection' means the endorsement by the Party, in accordance with the relevant constitutional provisions, of a person to stand as a candidate of the Party for elected public office;

'relevant governing body' in a national context means the National Executive, in a divisional context means the governing body of the division, and in a branch context the governing body of the branch;

'relevant members' in a national context means the members of the Party, in a divisional context the members of the division, and in a branch context the members of the branch;

'state' means a state or territory of the Commonwealth of Australia.

3 PARTY OBJECTIVES

3.1 To bring about a true separation of Church and State in Australia.

3.2 To promote secularism worldwide.

3.3 To stand for human rights and social justice, affirming the dignity of each human being.

3.4 To support the maximization of individual liberty and opportunity consistent with social and environmental responsibility.

3.5 To defend freedom of expression everywhere.

3.6 To espouse policies which support a rational approach to human problems.

3.7 To promote the fullest use of science for human welfare.

3.8 To gain and maintain for non-religious people the same rights that are enjoyed by members of religious bodies.

3.9 To promote the election to Parliament of Secular party endorsed candidates.

4 MEMBERSHIP

4.2 A Member may resign from the Party at any time by notice in writing.

4.3 The National Executive may expel from the Party any person who:

(a) while a member of the Party, retains or accepts membership in another political party;

(b) acts against the interests of the Party pursuant to 4.7 below.

4.4 Rights and responsibilities of a member
Members shall be entitled, subject to the Party's Constitution and Regulations, to:

• Be consulted in the determination of the Party's policies;
• Seek election to Party office and participate in the election of the Party's office bearers;

4.5 Each member shall be bound, except as otherwise specified by or determined under the Constitution or Regulations, to:

• Uphold and comply with the Party's Constitution and any Regulations which may be made by the National Executive of the Party or the relevant Divisional governing body.
• Uphold and comply with decisions made by ballot of the members of the Party, or the member's division or branch.

4.6 Legally, decisions can be made by electronic means.

4.7 Members must not act against the interests of the Party.

4.8 Responsibilities of office-bearers and candidates

(a) A member who holds Party office or the Party's endorsement as a candidate for public office must carry out the responsibilities of the position in the Party's interests.

5 DIVISION ORGANISATION

5.1 The general membership of the Party in each Division shall establish their own rules for the good governance of the Party within each Division, provided that such rules comply with the National Constitution.

5.2 Divisions are subject to establishment and dissolution by the National Executive.

6 NATIONAL ORGANISATION

6.1 National Executive
There shall be a National Executive of the Party which shall comprise the following voting members:

a) National President;

b) National Vice-President;

c) National Secretary;

d) National Treasurer;

e) National committee member;

6.2 The National President shall also be the Registered Officer;

6.3 National Executive Duties and Responsibilities:

(a) To direct, organise and co-ordinate as required by the membership, the policies, functions and administration of the Party, in accordance with the Constitution.

7 POLICY FORMULATION

7.1 Policies shall be formulated with the maximum practicable participation of members, which may be legally conducted by electronic means, but shall finally be determined by the National Executive.

7.2 Policies which concern one Division only may be decided by the Division concerned by the procedures outlined in the Regulations, if any.

8 FUNDING

8.1 The party shall abide by all relevant laws including electoral and association laws.

9 PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

9.1 Pre-selection
No member may stand as a candidate for election to a National Parliament without the approval of the National Executive.

9.1.1 Subject to clause 9.1, the National Executive may endorse candidates for an electorate after an election has been called;

9.1.2 The National Executive has the authority to decide whether the Party stands candidates in specific electorates. This includes by-elections;

9.1.3 The National Executive has the authority to determine the Senate teams for half and full-Senate (double-dissolution) elections. Withdrawal of endorsement:

9.1.4 The National Executive can withdraw endorsement at any time up to the election date.

10 USE OF PARTY FUNDS

The Party is a non-profit organisation and accordingly the following provisions shall apply:

10.1 The income and property of the Party howsoever and whencesoever derived or acquired shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects and policy objectives of the Party as set forth in this Constitution.

10.2 Party funds may legally be used to pay for secretariat services provided by voting members of the National Executive.

10.3 If upon the winding-up or dissolution of the Party there remains after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Party but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having objects and objectives similar to the policy objectives of the Party and whose memorandum of association or constitution shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Party under or by virtue of Clause 10.1 hereof such institution or institutions to be determined by ballot of members of the Party at or before the time of dissolution and in default thereof by application to the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory for determination.

11 DISSOLUTION

The Party may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a three quarters majority of members who cast their votes in a voluntary ballot.