LAAJ RULES

co-operation between Latvians and Latvian organisations in Australia and New Zealand in social, cultural, education and welfare areas. (The term “organisations” include societies, their branches, congregations and other organised bodies);

the development and preservation of Latvian culture in Australia and New Zealand;

co-operation with organisations and government institutions in Latvia; and

co-operation with Latvian organisations in other countries.

make representations to governments and other authorities on behalf of people of Latvian origin;

subscribe to, become a member of and co-operate with any other association or organisation, whether incorporated or not, whose objectives are similar to those of the LAAJ;

encourage and assist the preservation and safe-keeping of existing Latvian cultural works and to promote the development of new cultural works for the enjoyment and benefit of Latvians and the community in general;

encourage, support, organise and co-ordinate schools, courses, lectures, meetings, conferences and other activities for the teaching of the Latvian language, literature, history and other aspects of Latvian culture and sport;

provide or contribute towards the provision of prizes, awards and distinctions to persons and works promoting the objectives of the LAAJ;

purchase, lease, exchange, hire and otherwise acquire any lands, buildings, easements or property real and personal and any rights or privileges which may be requisite for the purposes of, or capable of being conveniently used in connection with, any of the objectives of the LAAJ, provided that in case the LAAJ shall take or hold any property which may be subject to any trusts, the LAAJ shall only deal with the same in such manner as is allowed by law having regard to such trusts;

enter into arrangements with any government or authority, supreme, municipal, local or otherwise that may appear conducive to any or all of the objectives of the LAAJ and to obtain from any such government or authority any rights, privileges and concessions which the LAAJ may consider it desirable to obtain and to carry out, exercise and comply with any such arrangements, rights, privileges and concessions;

invest the assets of the LAAJ in authorised trustee investments or as authorised by the Conference of delegates;

borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as the LAAJ may think fit and to secure the same or the repayment of performance of any debt, liability, contract, guarantee or other engagement incurred or to be entered into by the LAAJ in any way;

borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as the LAAJ may think fit and to secure the same or the repayment of performance of any debt, liability, contract, guarantee or other engagement incurred or to be entered into by the LAAJ in any way;

take such steps by personal or written appeals, public meetings or otherwise, as may from time to time appear expedient for the purpose of procuring contributions to the funds of the LAAJ whether as donations, annual subscriptions or otherwise;

make donations.

All Latvian organisations in Australia and New Zealand, and individual adults may apply for admission to membership of the LAAJ. The application for membership shall be in such form as the Executive Committee prescribes. The Executive Committee shall determine the application and is not required to give reasons for the rejection of any applicant.

Individual members may on payment to the LAAJ of a fee determined by the Executive Committee be admitted as life members and thereupon releases them from liability to pay any further membership fees.

The Executive Committee may suspend for a nominated period any member from membership provided that such member shall have a right of appeal to the Conference of Delegates.

The Conference of delegates may suspend for a nominated period any member from membership or expel any member.

Any member may resign from membership of the LAAJ by giving written notice to The Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee maintains the register of members.

As the need arises and in any event, at least annually;

On the requisition in writing of at least five member organisations or fifty individual members. Such requisition shall state the purpose of the Conference and be delivered to the Chairperson of the Executive Committee or in their absence to the Deputy Chairperson. If the Executive Committee fails to convene a Conference within 3 months of delivery of the requisition, then the requisitioning member organisations or any of them may proceed to convene a Conference at the seat of the Executive Committee.

The date, time and venue of the Conference shall be notified to all members and office bearers at least 3 months prior to the Conferences.

Notice of the Conference shall include the proposed agenda, including all the Executive Committee, Division, Section and member propositions for resolution by the Conference. Propositions may include appropriate supplementary information as attachments.

Notice of the Conference shall include an invitation for members to submit their own propositions or commentaries regarding the proposed agenda to the Executive Committee at least 2 months prior to the Conference.

All propositions and commentaries received by the Executive Committee, subject to the provisions in paragraph (6e), shall be notified to all members at least 1 month prior to the Conference.

Member organisations shall have at least one vote and are entitled to be represented by at least one delegate at the Conference, together with one further vote and delegate for each full quota of 50 members in excess of their first 25 members.

Church congregations and other organisations which are required to pay nominal or no membership fees are entitled to one vote and one delegate each.

The minimum membership fee for member organisations is for 25 members.

Only those member organisations whose fees due are paid at least 1 month before the Conference, are entitled to vote at the Conference.

Any group of at least 25 individual members whose fees due are paid at least 1 month before the Conference may accredit one member as its delegate to the Conference. Such delegate shall have one vote. No member may be in more than one group of individual members.

Delegates must produce written accreditation and membership figures from their organisations or the individual members they represent.

A quorum for the transaction of business at any Conference shall be no less than the delegates of 6 separate member organisations of the LAAJ whom the delegate confirmation committee has determined have the right to be represented and to vote at the Conference.

Until the election of the Conference chairperson, the Conference shall be lead by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee or in their absence by the Deputy Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall appoint a delegate confirmation committee prior to the Conference. The delegate confirmation committee shall report its results to the Conference before the election of the Conference chairperson.

Following the official opening of the Conference and report by the delegate confirmation committee, a Conference chairperson, minute taker and 2 returning officers shall be elected from the delegates present at the Conference.

Unless a secret vote is requested by at least one-tenth of delegates present at the Conference, a question for decision at the Conference shall be determined by a show of hands.

Before voting on an original proposal a vote shall be taken on each amendment to the proposal.

In the case of multiple amendments to a proposal, the Conference chairperson shall determine the order in which they are voted on.

If one or more amendments to a proposal are accepted, then the original proposal shall be altered to include the accepted amendments. The Conference shall then vote on the altered proposal.

“a simple majority” means at least half plus 1 of the total number of votes entitled to be cast by delegates present at the Conference, including all votes for, against and abstaining.

“a two-thirds majority” means at least two-thirds of the total number of votes entitled to be cast by delegates present at the Conference, including all votes for, against and abstaining.

“a visible majority” means that the Conference chairperson may determine “a simple majority” exists without the need to count hands. Any delegate may also request a count of hands immediately following the announcement of “a visual majority”. A count of hands shall be undertaken in this circumstance.

Determine the seat and period in office of the Executive Committee, which shall be at least 2 years.

Elect an Executive Committee, comprising a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Vice Chairpersons for the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, 2 Secretaries, a Treasurer and the Directors of the Divisions. The Chairperson of the Executive Committee and other office bearers shall be elected directly by the Conference. Persons not residing at the pre-determined seat of the Executive Committee may be elected as office bearers. It is permissible, if required, for one person to hold multiple positions on the Executive Committee, except that the positions of Chairperson and Treasurer shall not be held by the same person.

Elect an Audit Committee.

May appoint additional members to the Executive Committee, if required, to fill any vacant positions.

Any member of the Executive Committee may resign from membership of the Executive Committee by giving written notice to The Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may appoint a replacement from within the Executive Committee or any other candidate suitable to the Executive Committee.

Shall meet at least once every 2 months, and not less than 3 business days written notice shall be given to all members of the Executive Committee of the date, time and place of each meeting.

Resolutions of the Executive Committee shall be decided by a majority of votes, cast by a show of hands.

A quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be no less than 6 members of the Executive Committee.

A member of the Executive Committee having a direct or indirect conflict of interest with a question arising must disclose the nature and extent of that interest to the Executive Committee, and shall not vote with respect to that question. The member may participate in debate of the question and express their opinions.

Proper minutes of all proceedings of Executive Committee meetings shall be kept.

by handing the notice to the member personally; or

by sending the notice by ordinary pre-paid post to the member at the postal address for the member last recorded in the register of members or to the latest recorded address in the records of the LAAJ; or

by sending the notice by email to the member at the email address for the member last recorded in the register of members or to the latest recorded email address in the records of the LAAJ; or

by sending the notice by email to a member organisation at the email address of the chairperson or the secretary of the member organisation (or a person in an equivalent position) recorded in the records of the LAAJ as the latest email address for the person in that position. Any such email shall be marked to the attention of the member organisation.

disseminate information about the activities of the LAAJ;

advise on the preservation of archival material on the history and operations of the LAAJ and of other Latvian organisations in Australia and New Zealand; and

disseminate information about Latvia, the Latvian nation and culture.

The Literature Section is responsible for maintaining contact with Latvian authors and others active in the field of Latvian literature, and promotes the development of Latvian literature.

The Handicrafts Section is responsible for maintaining contact with Latvian craftsmen. It works for the preservation and development of Latvian folkloric designs, promotes the formation of handicraft groups and associations, organises seminars and displays and develops collections of Latvian artefacts.

The Music Section is responsible for maintaining contact with Latvian musicians and composers, promotes the development of Latvian choirs and attends to other matters related to Latvian music including the organisation and promotion of concerts by Latvian musicians.

The Theatre Section attends to matters relating to theatre, the development and preservation of Latvian theatre, and promotes the organisation of Theatre Festivals.

The Visual Arts Section is responsible for maintaining contact with Latvian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and others working in the field of Latvian visual art. It promotes Latvian art and organises exhibitions.

The Folk Dancing Section promotes the development of Latvian folk dancing groups, their co-operation and interaction.

The Film Section is responsible for maintaining contact with Latvian film producers, promotes the documentation on film of important events in Latvian society, and organises Latvian film archives and exhibitions.

liaise with schools, camps and other educational institutions or programs in the Latvian communities and co-ordinate their activities;

support the operation of the Anna Ziedare Summer High School, Tērvete Children’s Summer Camp, 3×3 Family Camp and other like programs;

organise conferences, seminars and other opportunities for educators in the Latvian communities to facilitate their work in educational settings and programs;

make appropriate funding applications to ensure the continued operation of the bodies and activities for which the Division has responsibility;

liaise with government and non-government bodies, including educational and cultural institutions in Latvia and other countries with a Latvian diaspora; and

facilitate, through the Post Graduate Studies Section of the Education Division, opportunities for selected university graduates from Latvia to undertake work experience or post graduate studies at tertiary institutions or associated facilities in Australia.

The Schools Section co-operates with Latvian schools and co-ordinates their activities, arranges the supply of educational materials, and organises conferences for parents and teachers. In conjunction with the Further Education Section, it is responsible for the preparation of new teachers for Latvian schools.

The Further Education Section co-ordinates liaises with all Latvian post out-of-school education programs. It deals with all those aspects of Latvian education that do not involve the Latvian Ethnic Schools. It supports the operation of the Anna Ziedare Summer High School, Tērvete Children’s Summer Camp and the 3×3 Family Camp.

The Post Graduate Studies Section is responsible for arranging opportunities for suitable university graduates from Latvia to do post graduate studies at tertiary institutions or associated facilities in Australia.