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June 2006
Chair's Report
New ARM contact details
ARM's 15th birthday
ARM membership renewals
What's On
Contact Us
Welcome to Republican Roundup, the monthly e-newsletter of the Australian Republican Movement.
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Chair's Report
Let me use this month's Chair's Report to share some important news about an organisational restructure of the ARM that we're calling our "Re-focus Program". This report is the second in a series of correspondence you will receive about our Re-focus Program, following my email last week. We want to ensure you are not only fully informed about our efforts to re-focus the movement, but that you can also contribute your own thoughts and ideas on how we move forward. Your support and understanding is vital to the program's success.
INTRODUCING THE RE-FOCUS PROGRAM
Our Re-focus Program is about repositioning the ARM so that it can better campaign for a Republic with an Australian Head of State. Although our overall strategy to win the hearts and minds of everyday Australians remains unchanged, our Re-focus Program will help us apply our scarce resources in the most effective way possible and maximise our ability to engage the community and lobby federal parliament.
At the end of last year, the National Committee (NC) decided to review the ARM's governance structure with a view to better aligning the roles & responsibilities of NC Directors to our current operating environment. However, we soon recognised that a more holistic Re-focus Program was required when our National Director, Allison Henry, advised that she would not be looking to renew her contract when it expires in August this year. Allison has worked in nearly every capacity in the Movement and she will be missed enormously as National Director, a role that she has performed exceptionally well. We are delighted, however, that she plans to remain involved in the movement over the longer term.
Although Allison's advice about her pending departure was unfortunate, it also indicated that the time was right for us to take step back and embark on a more holistic review of how the ARM operates and structure itself. That review, which has involved the NC and all Branch Councils, is now complete and we are ready to embark on a Re-focus Program, which consists of five key initiatives:
- Relocating the Head Office
- Replacing "National Director" position with an "Executive Officer"
- Introducing Portfolios for NC Directors
- Adding an Extra Director to the NC Executive
- Aligning Branch Councils to the NC Structure
EXPLAINING THE RE-FOCUS PROGRAM
1. Relocating the Head Office: After 15 years of being Sydney-based, the ARM will be relocating its Head Office to Canberra. Although it will be sad to leave Sydney, where many members and supporters have generously helped keep our Head Office operating over the years, we believe Canberra is now the right place for us to be based. As the nation's capital and the meeting place for our federal parliamentarians, a Canberra-base will allow us to represent Republicans from across the nation with improved coordination of our lobbying efforts. The new address of the ARM office, effective Monday the 12th of June, will be 1st Floor 29 Lonsdale St, Braddon.
2. Replacing "National Director" position with an "Executive Officer": The ARM has been operating with one full-time employee in a role entitled "National Director". Our National Directors have been expected to fulfil a broad scope of responsibilities. As part of the Re-focus Program, we have decided to replace the position of National Director with a new position entitled "Executive Officer". This position will continue to be vital to our operations as a movement, albeit as a part-time role with a more narrowly defined scope of responsibilities than the National Director. Based in Canberra, the Executive Officer will act as secretary to the NC, manage the National Office and membership database, act as Returning Officer in ARM elections, and assist the NC with financial affairs and communications etc. We are adopting an open and transparent recruitment process for finding the right person to fill this role, which began with an email to all ARM members in the ACT last week, in which we called for suggestions for potential candidates. As outlined in that email, interested parties can contact Terry Fewtrell (email deputy2@republic.org.au) to express interest and receive an Information Pack about the position. Applications will close on the 9th of June.
3. Introducing Portfolios for NC Directors: The ARM's NC is the board of the organisation, consisting of 17 Directors: eight Branch Convenors representing each of the states and territories and nine people directly elected by the members, including a national Youth Convenor. A Chair and two Deputy Chairs are elected from this group of 17. As part of the Re-focus Program, we plan to build on this basic structure by introducing new portfolio responsibilities for NC Directors. That is, all Directors of the NC will have a specific portfolio for which they will be responsible. Although the portfolios are yet to be finalised, they are likely to include Treasurer/Company Secretary, Community Liaison, Media Liaison, Communications and Publications, Fundraising, Constitutional Issues, Parliamentary Network, Women's Network and Youth Network.
4. Adding an Extra Director to the NC Executive: The ARM's NC currently consists of three Executive positions: the Chair and two Deputy Chairs. As part of the Re-focus Program, we plan to expand the Executive to include the Director who takes responsibility for the "Treasurer / Company Secretary" portfolio. We believe this is necessary because of the important responsibilities carried by this role, including ASIC and taxation obligations, banking arrangements, staff payroll and superannuation, insurance, office lease and rental payments, accounts payable etc.
5. Aligning Branch Councils to the NC Structure: The ARM has a Branch Council in each state and territory that play a critical role with not only keeping the Republican cause alive and growing in their respective parts of the nation, but also with engaging ARM members and supporters. As part of the Re-focus program, we plan to ensure that each Branch Council nominates one council member to liaise with each NC portfolio director. This does not mean Branch Councils will be structured like the NC (that is entirely a matter for each Council). It simply means that we will be able to ensure effective national coordination by having each NC director linked to Council members in each State and Territory.
This Re-focus Program represents an important milestone for our movement and we hope that you will be as pleased and confident with our plans, as is the National Committee and the State & Territory Branch Councils. The changes have already received some favourable media coverage and will be a focus of our Queen's Birthday media release. These changes will require some amendments to the ARM's constitution, which we plan to manage through an Extraordinary General Meeting in Canberra during the second half of July this year. We will advise you shortly on more specific details about how this will take place.
In the meantime, though, please do not hesitate contacting me on chair@republic.org.au if you have queries, questions or concerns.
Ted O'Brien, ARM Chair
chair@republic.org.au
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New ARM contact details
The ARM's new National Office will open in Canberra on Tuesday 13 June 2006.
PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RECORDS
Street Address: Level 1, 29 Lonsdale St, Braddon, ACT 2612
Postal Address: GPO Box 611 Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 1800 80 2000
Fax: 02 6257 3670
Email: republic@republic.org.au
All former contact details from the Sydney office have been redirected so mail, phone and fax will still reach us at the new office.
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ARM's 15th birthday
Friday 7th July 2006 marks 15 years since the Australian Republican Movement was launched in The Rocks in Sydney by Chair Tom Keneally and 100 foundation members. While our biggest celebration will be when we achieve an Australian Republic, the ARM is commemorating its 15th birthday with a gala dinner at the Australia Ballroom at The Menzies Sydney on Friday 7 July. We hope that many of the 100 original founding members of the ARM in 1991 will be in attendance. Please join us!
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ARM membership renewals
ARM membership renewals are now due. If you have not already done so, you can renew your membership online.
Many thanks to those members who have already renewed their membership for 2005-2006. Your ongoing support will help us maintain our campaign for an Australian Head of State, and launch important initiatives throughout the coming year.
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What's On
JUNE
QLD Film Night: The Da Vinci Code
Date: Friday 9 June 2006
Time: pre-screening bubble at 6pm followed by film at 6:30pm
Where: Palace Centro, 36 James St at New Farm
Cost: $20 per person including bubbles
RSVP: to Simon Ovenden at sovenden@pacific.net.au or telephone 0418 158 934
Flyer
JULY
ARM's 15th birthday
Date: Friday 7 July 2006
Time: 7pm-11pm
Venue: Australia Ballroom, The Menzies Sydney
Address: Carrington St, Sydney
Cost: $85 per head (including dinner and drinks)
Invitation
Payment Form
Victorian Annual Conference and Dinner
Date: Saturday 15 July 2006
Conference - Special Guest Aly Waleed and Dr Clare Wright
Time: 9:30am-1pm
Venue: Celtic Club
Address: Cnr of La Trobe and Queen Sts, Melbourne
Cost: $10 / $5 conc
Dinner - Special Guest George Megalogenis
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Republic Bar and Cafe
Address: Cnr Queen and La Trobe Sts, Melbourne
Cost: $65 / $55 conc ($5 discount for ARM members)
RSVP: 1 July 2006
Flyer
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Contact Us
ARM National Office
Level 1, 29 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, ACT 2612
GPO Box 611 Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 1800 80 2000
Fax: 02 6257 3670
Email: republic@republic.org.au
ACT Branch Council
NSW Branch Council
NT Branch Council
QLD Branch Council
SA Branch Council
TAS Branch Council
VIC Branch Council
WA Branch Council
ARM Women's Network
ARM Youth Network
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