Membership

The subscribers to the Memorandum of Association and such persons as the Council shall admit to the membership in accordance with these Articles shall be members of the ADF.

Classes of Members

There shall be four (4) categories of membership of the ADF namely: Ordinary Members, Registrar Members, Emeritus Members and Associate Members.

“Ordinary Members” shall be limited to medical practitioners registered in Australia qualified to practise or otherwise recognised by the Council of the ADF as so qualified.

“Registrar Members” shall be limited to medical practitioners registered in Australia who are undertaking training in medicine or surgery in a recognised training programme or otherwise recognised by the Council of the ADF.

“Emeritus Members” shall be limited to the Ordinary Members of the ADF who have made a significant contribution to the practice of medicine and surgery in Australia and who have been recommended by the Council as suitable for nomination as Emeritus Members and are approved by the ADF in general meeting.

“Associate Members” shall be limited to persons who are otherwise ineligible for membership of the ADF but who nonetheless are approved by the Council as worthy of Associate Membership of the ADF. An Associate Member shall not be entitled to vote at any general meeting of the ADF, to become a member of the Council, to nominate a person for election to the Council or to be appointed as proxy for a member, but otherwise shall be entitled to exercise and enjoy the privileges of membership.

Application for Membership

Every applicant for membership of the ADF (other than the subscribers to the Memorandum of the Association) shall be nominated by one and seconded by another member (other than an Associate Member) of the ADF to whom the applicant is personally known. The application for membership shall be made in writing, signed by the applicant and his nominator and seconder and shall be in such form as the Council from time to time prescribes.

Admission for Membership

At the next meeting of the Council after the receipt of any application for membership, such application shall be considered by the Council, who shall thereupon determine upon the admission or rejection of the applicant. In no case shall the Council be required to give any reason for the rejection of an applicant.

When an applicant has been accepted for membership, the Secretary shall forthwith send to the applicant written notice of his acceptance. Upon payment of his entrance fee and first annual subscription, the applicant shall become a member of the ADF, provided nevertheless that if such payment be not made within two calendar months after the date of the notice, the Council may at its discretion cancel its acceptance of the applicant for membership of the ADF.

Cessation of Membership

A person shall cease to be a Member upon the happening of any one of the following events:-

• The person dies;
• The person (in the case of a corporation or organisation) ceases to be or there is an appointment of a receiver or manager or receiver and manager to the assets;
• The person resigns by notice in writing to the ADF;
• The person becomes bankrupt or is wound-up;
• The person becomes of unsound mind, or a person whose person or estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental health;
• The person shall refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the ADF or shall in the opinion of the Council be guilty of any conduct derogatory of or contrary to the interests of the ADF and the Council resolves that he shall be expelled as an Ordinary Member of the Association PROVIDED THAT at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting of the Council at which such resolution is passed the person concerned shall have received notice thereof and of the motion for his expulsion. The Ordinary Member concerned may attend or be represented at the meeting and be heard but the Ordinary member or his attorney proxy or other representative shall not be present at the vote on such motion or otherwise take part in the proceedings of the Council relating to such motion, other than as the Council may allow.

Any person who ceases to be a member of the ADF shall not be entitled to a refund of any subscription or levy paid to the ADF unless the Council shall otherwise resolve.

The rights and privileges of a member shall, subject to Articles 8 (Cessation of Membership) hereof –

• Not be transferred or transmitted either by the member or by the operation of law;
• Determine on cessation of membership in accordance with the previous paragraph of this Article.

Register of Members

The name, class of membership and address for service of notices of each person admitted to membership of the ADF shall be entered in the Register of Members forthwith upon their admission to membership.

Annual Subscription

The entrance fee and annual subscription (if any) payable by each class of members of the ADF shall be such amount as the ADF in general meetings shall from time to time prescribe, PROVIDED THAT until the ADF shall otherwise resolve the annual subscription (including GST) shall be $80.00 for Ordinary Members and Associate Members, $40.00 for Registrar Members, $25 for Student Members, and $nil for Emeritus Members

All annual subscriptions shall become due and payable on the admission of the member and thereafter on the 1st day of July each year.

The Council may from time to time, if and when it considers that further monies are required for carrying out the objects of the ADF, impose a levy upon all or any one or more of the Ordinary Members provided that a levy shall not be imposed unless consented to by at least two-thirds of the members of the Council for the time being.

Unfinancial Members

If an annual subscription or levy is not received within two (2) months after it becomes due, the member is in default and in the case of an Ordinary Member, shall not be entitled to attend or be heard or vote at meetings of the ADF or at any meetings of the ADF or at any meetings of the Council (as the case may be) until such annual subscription or levy has been received. The Council may by resolution direct that the name of any member who has not paid any annual subscription and/or levy by the due date be removed from the Registrar of Members and forthwith upon the passing of such resolution each member shall cease to be a member of the ADF.

If a member has not paid an annual subscription or levy by the due date for payment then, without prejudice to any other provisions of these Articles and provided the Council so resolves, the member or former member shall be liable to pay interest to the ADF in respect of any such unpaid amount from the Council, which is not to exceed the lowest overdraft rate from time to time charged for arm’s length overdrafts by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the ADF may commence legal proceedings against any such member or former member to recover any such amount outstanding together with interest as aforesaid.