Members of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) will vote on proposed amendments to the Community’s Constitution at a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Sunday, July 21 from 5pm.
The SGM will be held at Alphington Grammar, Alphington, and will focus on three ‘Items of Business’:
- Preliminary Amendment: Members will consider a special resolution to modify Article 60 of the current Constitution by removing the words “(save and except Clauses 3 and 4 which shall be unalterable)”.
- Adoption of Replacement Constitution: A special resolution will be proposed to repeal and replace the current Constitution with a new version tabled by the Chairman of the SGM.
- Approval of Member-Proposed Amendments: The Community will vote on a special resolution to amend the Constitution with changes proposed by members in 2023.
The Directors of the GCM initiated a comprehensive review of the Community’s Constitution in 2023. This process included soliciting submissions from all members to identify desirable changes, receiving numerous responses. The law firm Piper Alderman was engaged to assist with the review.
A proposed “modernised” replacement Constitution has since been prepared, along with a marked-up document highlighting differences from the current Constitution, to clearly identify all proposed amendments. These will both be presented to members at the SGM and include changes around excluding gender specific language, broadening eligibility for membership, members not directing the Directors, and the removal of certain provisions for priests, among many other issues.
According to an Explanatory Memorandum provided to GCM members prior to the SGM, these proposed changes are necessary as the current Constitution: (1) is a very dated document which does not accord with a number of current legal concepts, (2) does not reflect either modern corporate practice or contemporary concepts of good corporate governance, and (3) contains numerous anachronisms, conflicts, inconsistencies and unclear provisions.
An information meeting to talk through the SGM and the tabled amendments has been set for Sunday, June 7 at 2pm at the Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne).
For further details and inquiries, members are urged to contact the GCM’s office on 9662 2722 or by email: info@greekcommunity.com.au. Digital copies of both the “modernised” Constitution and “marked-up” version are available at: https://bit.ly/4boGFAp
