In this issue I will outline some of the discussions from our National Council Teleconference Meeting on Tuesday 8 December 2009.
Results of Wind-up Vote
As you would be aware OT AUSTRALIA members overwhelmingly voted in favour of the move to a single national entity at the Special General Meeting on Saturday 28 November 2009. The meeting was duly constituted with a quorum.
The first item was a special resolution that the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists Incorporated (ABN 65 470 069 906) be wound up, and the activities and operations of the Association to be transferred to, and undertaken by Occupational Therapy Australia Limited (A C N 127 396 945). The votes were cast in accordance with the Constitution and the result was 89.23% in favour of the special resolution. As there was greater than 75% of the members who voted in favour, the Special Resolution was duly passed.
As a consequence of the special resolution being passed, two further resolutions were put and passed, viz;
That the assets of Australian Association of Occupational Therapists Incorporated (ABN 65 470 069 906) be transferred and assigned to Occupational Therapy Australia Limited (A C N 127 396 945), and that the Council is authorized and directed to prepare a distribution plan for the distribution of the surplus property of the Association in accordance with this resolution and the constitution of the Association.
That David Solomons and Riad Tayeh of the chartered accounting firm deVries Tayeh be appointed liquidators of Australian Association of Occupational Therapists incorporated.
National Award
Council received an application for the OT AUSTRALIA National Award, an award to recognise a member of the association who contributes outstanding honorary service to Occupational Therapy Australia by an occupational therapist.
In 2009 the Occupational Therapy Australia National Council bestowed this award to Carol Crocker for her devotion and energy to the association.
The nomination recognises some of the significant elements of that contribution and we congratulate Carol on receiving this prestigious award.
National Conference
OT AUSTRALIA invited Professional Conference Organising [PCO] companies to submit a formal proposal to provide professional conference services to the OT AUSTRALIA 24th National Conference and Exhibition.
Although all Submissions had the quality and capacity to complete the work required the Council has endorsed the decision of Think Business Events as the Professional Conference Organiser for the OT AUSTRALIA 24th National Conference and Exhibition.
The OT AUSTRALIA National Council, under the direction of the National Conference Review Committees recommendations, decided that the Occupational Therapy Australia 24th National Conference and Exhibition will be held on the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland during the week of June 27 to July 1, 2011.
OT CATS Website
OT AUSTRALIA Council discussed the possible ‘adoption’ of the OT CATs [Critically Appraised Topics] website [www.otcats.com], a site dedicated to evidence in key areas of occupational therapy.
This important educational resource for occupational therapists has been meeting a need for the past 5 years but due to increased responsibilities, the creator of the website is looking to pass on the website management onto another organisation.
NB
In my last correspondence to members I reported on some of the major issues surrounding the association and in particular some of the discussions from our National Council Face to Face Meeting on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October, 2009.
Since this issue was released the decision to wind up OT AUSTRALIA has become apparent and consequently a number of these issues are no longer relevant within the new entity Occupational Therapy Australia.
Nationally Elected councilors: It was reported that at each Annual General Meeting, one third of the Nationally elected and Member Association elected Councillors shall retire from office. Retiring Councillors are eligible for re-election and a call for nominations was made in the December issue of Connections. This process is no longer applicable under the new entity and as a result the Councillors who are up for re-election will remain on the new board until the Annual General Meeting of Occupational Therapy Australia Limited by which time they can then apply for re-election.
.JPG "AON")
