Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association (ADOHTA) gathered their national and state leaders to discuss train on governance and meet regarding member services and events. Held in conjunction with the Australian Dental Industry Association’s major ADX expo, the ADOHTA meeting was one of the final events held at International Convention Centre Sydney before the government’s meeting restrictions were implemented.  ADOHTA President Letitia Masters was pleased with…

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We’ve heard from you and we understand the challenges associations are facing right now due to COVID-19 and the need to practice social distancing. Microsoft Teams will allow your association to; Collaborate live and in real-time  Voice and Video Call your members and team  Host Live Events and webinars  Host Education and training workshops  Change what teams can do to what associations can’t do.  And then say “we can do that with teams…

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The Australian Services Union and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), have agreed to lodge an application with the Fair Work Commission to amend the Clerks – Private Sector Award 2010.  Most non-profit organisations will engage staff under the Clerks Award. ACCI Workplace Director Scott Barklamb said the deal was an”historic move during an unprecedented…

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The Law Council of Australia has announced the appointment of Michael Tidball as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr Tidball currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Law Society of NSW, a position he has held for nearly 14 years. In announcing Mr Tidball’s appointment, Law Council of Australia President, Pauline Wright, said she is delighted to have secured a candidate of such high calibre to lead the Law Council into the next decade. “Having undertaken an extensive…

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The Council of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has announced the appointment of Paul Zahra as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Paul will take up the role in May 2020. Mr Zahra is a highly-regarded career retailer whose previous executive roles have included CEO and Managing Director of David Jones and senior leadership roles at David Jones, Officeworks and Target. ARA President, Rowan Hodge, said: “We are delighted to have secured a leader of Paul’s calibre to lead…

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The Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) has appointed Dr Vanessa Findlay as the new Independent Chair of the peak industry body. Dr Findlay has a strong background in both the public and private sector, having previously held a number of senior positions including Chief of Staff in the Turnbull government in the trade, tourism and international education portfolios as well as working as a Division Head in the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. Dr Findlay…

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Kathy Nguyen, Manager - Client Services  Associations Forum The spread of the novel coronavirus has already impacted all associations around Australia. During these times of rapid change, it is important to be prepared to respond in the best interest for your staff, volunteers and community. 1. Communicating with staff As we are constantly being updated on the situation regarding COVID-19, communicating with your staff and prioritising health…

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Offering Event EngagementTM, a Free Event Community, to Organisations Dealing with the Cancellations of In-Person Events17 March 2020 Higher Logic, the industry-leading SaaS engagement platform of associations and B2B organisations with more than 2.7 billion community interactions annually, announced today that it will offer Event Engagement for free to current and prospective customers facing the challenge of delivering meaningful experiences and engagement…

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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released new guidelines for meeting upcoming AGM and financial reporting requirements due to the impacts of COVID-19. For associations that are companies limited by guarantee with December year end, ASIC has confirmed that it: Will take no action if the AGMs are postponed for two months; that is, until the end of July Supports the holding of AGMs using appropriate technology. ASIC does…

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The Society of Australian Genealogists has welcomed Ruth Graham as its new Executive Officer. Ms Graham became interested in genealogy when as a child she wondered why there were so few around the table for Christmas dinner and continuous family speculation regarding which women her great-grandfather had actually married. Ms Graham has pursued this interest which has complemented her management roles in academic professional services roles at some of the leading educational…

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By Randall Pearce, Managing Director, THINK: Insight & Advice Many national associations in Australia have a federated governance structure, modelled on the Australian Federation of States and Territories.  However, federal structures are brutal in their simplicity; they assume that all State and Territory Organisations (STOs) want the same rights and obligations from their national counterparts.  In modern-day Australia, nothing could be further from the truth.  In my work with…

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