The Annual General Meeting of the Rationalist Society of Australia Inc. was held at 7:30 pm AEDT on Wednesday 21 October 2020.
Due to COVID-19, this AGM was not held in-person as was the case in previous years. Instead, the 2020 AGM was held via Zoom.
The President’s Report 2020
2020 Annual General Meeting Minutes
1. Formal matters
Election of a chair
Dr Meredith Doig (RSA President) was elected as chair of the meeting.
Moved: Christopher Noonan Seconded: Greg Kasarik
Attendees and Apologies
- In attendance (34)
| Name | Name | Name | Name |
| Rosemary Watson | Luke Beck | Leslie Allan | Maxwell Campbell |
| Meredith Doig | Jeff Lerner | Con Karavas | Ralph Catts |
| Aziz Islam | Nick Lee | Rod Bower | Gaye Mason |
| Leo Brewin | Chris Noonan | Brendan Liveris | Steve Munro |
| Ken Derrick | Brigitte Battova | Craig Sankey | John Hutchinson |
| Greg Kasarik | Barry Clearwater | Keith Birney | Leanne McDonald |
| Tanya Watkins | Vicki Caulfield | Robert van de Graaff | Michael Henry |
| Elizabeth Dangerfield | Jeremy Lawrence | Thomas Hannah | Chris Botha |
| Stella Thomas | Hugh Sarjeant |
- Apologies (29)
| Name | Name | Name | Name |
| Sujai Thomman | Geoff Green | Joel Murray | Xiao Cheng Chen |
| Brian Wilder | Victor Franco | John Barrell | Christopher Brown |
| Nicholas Wade | Ray Lakeman | Oliver Berckmans | Zachary Reynders |
| Nicholas Fowler | Russell Cameron | David Brew | David Goss |
| Paul Monk | Ian McLeod | John Smyrk | Judith Hoy |
| Phillip Edwards | Deirdree Wallwork | Thomas Gengenbach | Paul Meo |
| Douglas Leverett | Jim Howe | Ross Seaman | Peter Consandine |
| Nigel Sinnott |
- Proxies (49)
| Name | Proxy | Name | Proxy |
| Victor Franco | Meredith Doig | Rex Williams | Meredith Doig |
| Derek O’Reilly | Chair | Phillip Sweeney | Meredith Doig |
| David Swanton | Chair | Kevin McDonald | Meredith Doig |
| Donald Humphries | Meredith Doig | John Downey | Chair |
| Rohan Navaratne | Chair | Julian Jordan | Chair |
| Alfred Flatow | Chair | Walter Frank | Chair |
| Ferdinand Klesch | Chair | Anthony Sunderland | Meredith Doig |
| Jenny Stonier | Meredith Doig | Margaret Gawler | Meredith Doig |
| David Walsh | Chair | Bruce Fisher | Meredith Doig |
| Geoffrey Lennie | Chair | Christopher Hall | Chair |
| Adrian Gargett | Chair | Patrick Weir | Chair |
| Glyn Cryer | Meredith Doig | Victor Stevens | Chair |
| Jon Cook | Chair | Yvonne Patterson | Meredith Doig |
| John Bryson | Chair | Gary Wilson | Chair |
| Hussain Alrikabi | Chair | Grahame Beecroft | Chair |
| Phillip Edwards | Chair | Mathew Withoos | Chair |
| Jack Dikian | Chair | Bronwen Long | Chair |
| David Stimson | Meredith Doig | David Slatyer | Chair |
| Simon Rouse | Chair | Matthew Goddard | Chair |
| Greg Norton | Meredith Doig | Charl Nienaber | Chair |
| Jacquie Connolly | Meredith Doig | Brett Connolly | Meredith Doig |
| William Greer | Chair | Romola Wilkinson | Chair |
| Lyle Allan | Meredith Doig | Dominic Kelly | Chair |
| John Timlin | Chair | Angus Muir | Chair |
| Graziano Birgi | Chair |
Quorum
The RSA Rules specify that a quorum comprises the lesser of 10% of the members entitled to vote, or 40 members entitled to vote. There being 34 Members present and 49 proxies, a quorum was achieved.
2. Minutes of the last AGM
To read the Minutes of the 2019 AGM, please click here.
Motion 2.1: It was moved and carried without dissent that the Minutes of the 2019 AGM be accepted as a true record.
Moved: Ralph Catts Seconded: Leanne McDonald
There is no formal business arising from the Minutes of the last AGM, though a question was asked about whether the RSA invested its funds in ethical investments. This was addressed in the President’s Report.
3. Reports
President’s report
Motion 3.1: It was moved and carried without dissent that the President’s report be noted.
Moved: Jeff Lerner Seconded: Luke Beck
Treasurer’s report
Motion 3.2: It was moved and carried that the Treasurer’s report be adopted.
Moved: Ken Derrick Seconded: Max Campbell
4. Election of a Committee
As per the RSA Rules, the committee of the RSA comprises at least five and not more than seven members (Rule 44).
Motion 4.1: There being seven nominations received, it was moved and carried without dissent that a committee of seven be elected, comprising: Meredith Doig, Luke Beck, Brendan Liveris, Chris Botha, Stella Thomas, Vicki Caulfield, and Christopher Noonan.
Moved: Jeff Lerner Seconded: Nick Lee
5. General business
At the 2019 AGM, a question was asked about whether the RSA invested its funds in ethical investments. RSA member Ralph Catts followed up his question with a well-considered paper on the issue. The Financial Advisory Subcommittee has investigated this issue and after careful consideration, decided to re-allocate the RSA’s investments partially to ethical funds. This will be carefully monitored over the next 12 months.
6. Next meeting
The next AGM will be held between 1 July and 30 November 2021. The Committee of Management will decide the actual date and notify members at least 21 days prior.