Landcare Tasmania 2019 Constitution

Landcare Tasmania is an incorporated body operating under the Associations Incorporations Act 1964 (Tas). We are also a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, and a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations.

We operate under a Constitution that sets out clear rules in a number of areas including:

• The objectives and purposes of Landcare Tasmania.
• Eligibility for membership and the processing of membership applications.
• Establishment of the Tasmanian Landcare Fund, our DGR fund which provides for tax deductible gifts and donations to be made to support Landcare Tasmania's purpose.
• Election and operation of the organisation's Board and Member's Council.
• Financial management, audit, meeting and other key areas of operational accountability.

A thorough review of the Constitution was undertaken during 2016-17. This was in response to professional advice on corporate governance that identified a number of areas of risk to office bearers, and also risks arising from the increasing complexity and expectations on the operation of Not-for-profit organisations.

Our AGM in 2017 adopted a new Constitution designed to address these risks, and also to provide for higher standards of professional governance needed for Landcare Tasmania to continue to be effective and relevant in pursuing its purpose and objects. A minor amendment was adopted in 2019 to provide for the AGM to be held within six months of the end of the financial year (previously three).

The governance structure that was adopted comprises:

• A skills-based Board of 7 people, responsible for the proper management of the organisation; and
• A Members Council that provides advice to the Board, is active in implementing Landcare Tasmania activities and programs, and is the representative forum for discussion of issues relevant to community Landcare in Tasmania.

This model is used by the peak Landcare bodies in a number of the States, and is also that adopted by our national representative body the National Landcare Network.