N Scale Conventions Australia
by Dennis Turner"N Scale Conventions Australia Limited"
On the twenty-sixth day of November 2013 the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) approved the registration of N Scale Conventions Australia Limited as a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001.
N Scale Conventions Australia Limited (NSCA) will be governed by a Constitution adopted unanimously by the founding members of the convention committee on October 19, 2013.The Constitution states that the Objects for which NSCA has been established are:
1. To provide for the holding of conventions, classes, lectures, workshops, seminars, meetings, competitions and other events calculated directly or indirectly to advance N scale modelling; 2. To provide an opportunity for enthusiasts of N scale modelling to meet, exchange experiences in the hobby and exchange information and ideas; 3. To offer and give any prize, medal, trophy or award as may be desirable for any article or effort connected with items 1 and 2 above; 4. To create and distribute such materials or things as may be necessary or desirable to advance or promote the Objects of the Company; 5. To create, compile and hold any record as may be necessary or desirable to advance the Objects of the Company; 6. To do all such acts and things that are necessary, incidental or conducive to the attainment of any or all of the Objects of the Company.
The Purpose of NSCA
The main purpose of NSCA is the holding of "conventions, classes, lectures, workshops, seminars, meetings, competitions and other events calculated directly or indirectly to advance N scale modelling" as defined by the above Objects.
N Scale Conventions will be held either annually or bi-annually in major Australian cities, by rotation, and will generally be organised by local N Scale modellers.
The make-up of the Board of Directors is designed to reflect this purpose as follows: 1. The number of Directors will be not less than 3 nor more than 8; 2. Up to 3 of the Directors will be known as "National Directors" and may reside outside of the State holding the next N Scale Convention; 3. Up to 5 Directors will be known as "State Directors" and will serve until one month after the next annual general meeting that is held at the same time as a Convention; 4. At the annual general meeting described above up to 5 new "State Directors," from the State or Territory to hold the next N Scale Convention will be nominated for appointment by the meeting; 6. Once appointed the new "State Directors" will serve from one month after the Convention until one month after the next annual general meeting that is held at the same time as a Convention;
Additional elements of the Constitution of note:
1. NSCA is a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001 and as such is a National body that can legally operate in any State or Territory in Australia. A Public Officer, as required by the NMRA incorporation, is not required in this structure. 2. By creating a National body it is no longer necessary for each State to incorporate their own convention organisation for every convention. This will save future convention committees both time and money. Furthermore the "seed money" from the previous convention will be available to the next convention immediately so that it can be used to secure venues and the like. 3. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of NSCA will be held at the same time as an N Scale convention, thereby providing all delegates the opportunity to provide input and feedback to the Directors and to receive the NSCA annual accounts; 4. Nominations for the appointment of new State Directors will also take place at the AGM held at the same time as an N Scale convention. 5. The budgeting for each Convention is expected to be self-sustaining and that the balance in the Bank Account at the time of a change over to a new Board of Directors, should be approximately the same as the balance received from the previous Convention's Board of Directors. 6. This Bank balance will be immediately available to the new Board of Directors for use as "seed money" but it is expected to be preserved, plus or minus 10%, for the incoming Board of Directors. 7. By the appointment of up to 3 National Directors continuity between conventions can be maintained. 8. Any undertakings or contractual arrangements made by NSCA with sponsors (overseas and local), suppliers, bankers and the like will continue from convention to convention without having to be renegotiated or set up.