Another 'fun' item from the AASW

People who are members of the AASW must be having a field day with the number of interesting decisions they are making these days - especially in Western Australia.

There is an advertisement in their latest newsletter (or at least the latest one that is on the web) which states that there is to be special meeting of the members in WA to 'reconstitute' the WA Branch which it appears has been managed by some form of guiding group for some time. Indeed sources have suggested that they have not had an election since 2003 when the entire Committee of Management resigned en masse and went off to form a different association in WA to represent social workers in disgust with the way in which the Association was being managed.

There are several hilarious things about this advert, one is that the meeting is set for June 8th 2005. The constitution of the AASW clearly stipulates that each Branch is to have an Annual General Meeting within 90 days from the end of the financial year. Thus these poor people will have to attend a meeting on June 8th to elect a Committee of Management which can only last for 90 days from the end of June. Daft I call it, and a waste of the members' money.

To make matters worse, they indicate in the advert that the newly elected committee is expected to have a two year term of office. Oh dear, which part of their constitution did they forget to read this time? Why the same clause - there are to be elections every year within 90 days from the end of the financial year. Of course they also forgot the clause that stipulates that the Director that they elect will serve for THREE years - something that is set out in yet another section of their constitution.

To add insult to injury they also stipulate that there is a nomination form attached which can be filled out by members who hope to nominate someone to serve. Just try and find it! It may have been attached to the paper copy of their newsletter, but it seems to be missing from the electronic version.

Do people seriously want to pay money to become members of an Association which is actually a company governed by the Corporations Law when this is the level of governance that they can expect locally?

Do people really want to elect a group of leaders who cannot read and interpret their own constitution, can't spell the words which they have read, can't proof read their newsletter and still expect to provide leadership and representation for the profession in WA?

Sometimes I am embarrassed by what I read - this is one of those occasions.