Like many small clubs in Australia, the Australian Centurions were concerned  that we leave ourselves open to litigation when we run 24 hour events. If someone is injured and decides to sue for negligence, we as members of the club could be liable. By registering the Australian Centurions as an Incorporated Association in 2001, we came under Victorian Government legislation and are now afforded protection as individuals against such legal redress.

When Brian Parkinson rewrote our constitution in the early 1990s, he advised us that we should look at this change but it took us a few years to action! Now we, like nearly all sporting clubs, have availed ourselves of the peace of mind offered via this legislation.

To satisfy Incorporation requirements, our constitution had to be changed as follows

• Membership must be more formalised in that prospective new members must apply in writing. This is no big deal. We still restrict membership to those who have qualified. We just have to go through a more formal process to admit them to the club.
• The secretary must maintain a register of members
• The constitution must contain a section on discipline, suspension and expulsion of members.
• The consitution must be amended to add a section on disputes and mediation
• The Annual General Meeting must be more formalised with notification at least 21 days in advance
• All Incorporated Assocations must have a common seal and must put their Incorporation Number on all formal correspondence and newsletters and such like.

The other main change was that an audited copy of our annual financial statements must be sent to the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs and we must inform them of Executive changes within the Association.

A copy of our Rules of Incorporation are presented here in a spirit of openness.

Rules of Incorporation - Australian Centurion Walkers

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