Dear member groups,
An update following the NCC Annual Conference and AGM. It was a big day with successful and interesting workshops.
The minutes are now available here.
Please welcome the returning office bearers for the NCC Board 2024-25:
Chair: Carolyn Loton
Treasurer: Luke Austin
Secretary: Julie Barnes
Deputy Chair and Public Officer: Julie Taylor Mills
Our sub-committees will continue to be run by Julie Barnes, Winsome Hall and Luke Austin.
For more information about the full Board for 2024-25, please take a look at our website: https://www.nature.org.au/our_board
We are looking forward to a busy year in 2025!
During the Annual General Meeting a series of important votes took place.
Updates to the NCC Constitution
The Board have spent the last 18 months consulting with not-for-profit governance experts, lawyers and the member group network on a series of updates to our constitution that will bring us up to speed with contemporary expectations of charity governance and align us with legislative requirements.
Over consultation sessions across 2023 and 2024, including calls for written feedback, the 2023 Annual Conference, two member group online forums, and the 2024 Regional Conference, we gathered substantial verbal and written feedback on the Board’s agreed proposals for bringing the constitution up to date. We took on the suggestions and proposals of many member groups.
All that work culminated in the vote at the 2024 AGM.
While the proposals did raise questions for some member group delegates, the required 75% + voting delegates showed support for the suite of updates proposed resulting from that consultation and expert advice.
We wish to assure our member groups that there will be no changes to the role of member groups in the operations of our organisation, nor any change to the day-to-day running of the charity, once the updated Constitution is approved by NSW Fair Trading.
The positive impacts of the updates include:
- Adding an acknowledgement of Country to the front of the Constitution, joining the many environment organisations who are also publicly declaring their important commitment to working in solidarity with First Nations communities to achieve climate and environmental justice.
- Aligning language with modern charitable governance requirements, and to reflect the operation of the organisation as a professional staff team guided by a Board of directors with expertise in grassroots community organising, advocacy, governance, law and finance.
- Bringing our gift fund provisions, among other financial and procedural requirements, into compliance with the law.
- Allowing for future AGMs and special general meetings to be held online and in person.
- A more straight forward director nomination process.
- Creating a three-year term for directors which will result in fewer directors being put up for election each year, and therefore more contested elections. Longer terms will also allow greater focus on strategy and the long-term vision for NCC, through increased consistency across years.
- At the same time, the new tenure limit of 12 years will encourage gradual renewal – enabling a balance between continuity and refreshment.
Your board believes that our Constitution should be a living document that is helpful in guiding the organisation, and that reflects how the NCC is run. We’ll keep consulting on ways this important foundational document can continue to support NCC’s journey.
Up to date key NCC policy documents
The NCC climate and forests policies were updated by the working groups throughout 2024, and were passed by delegates with some minor amendments made on the day.
Those policies will soon be available online at https://www.nature.org.au/policy
Three member group motions to be sent to Ministers
The Premier and Ministers including The Hon. Penny Sharpe, Minister for the Environment and Climate, and Paul Scully, Minister for Planning will soon receive correspondence from the AGM calling for an immediate stop to native forest logging, an end to native vegetation clearing and limitations to developments in environmental zoned land.
The second motion calls for a review of the strategic statement on coal, recognising that coal mine expansions are incompatible with meeting legislated 2030 NSW emissions reduction targets. This motion compliments the work of our climate team. The final motion calls for the proper protection of the Gardens of Stone Conservation Area from private interests. A long-term member group driven campaign, we hope this motion elevates the work of the tireless groups advocating to keep this landscape safe.
Please keep an eye on the conference website as we upload materials from the day.
Impact report released!
The staff team have put together this fantastic report summarising the 2023-24 financial year’s efforts. Please take the time to have a read!
All the best for your festive season,
Carolyn Loton
Chair
Nature Conservation Council of NSW