Structure

The structure of FeNCAA shall comprise of Member Associations, Members, an Executive Committee, State Coordinator Associations (one association in each of the eight States and Territories of Australia), an Advisory Committee and Sub-Committees.

Member Associations

• Nepalese community associations (organisations), not individuals, shall be the members of FeNCAA.
• Associations taking membership of FeNCAA shall be called Member Associations.
• Community associations, which are established to serve the people of Nepalese origin in Australia, shall be considered as Nepalese community associations.
• There is no limitation on the total number of Nepalese community associations from any State or Territory of Australia to become a member of FeNCAA. The membership is open to all Nepalese community associations that meet the following criteria:
  1. Associations seeking membership of FeNCAA must be legally registered as an apolitical, not-for-profit, non-discriminatory community associations with one of the relevant government authorities in Australia, including State Fair Trading, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
  2. Associations must not have any affiliation with any political parties, politically affiliated associations operating in Australia or overseas.
  3. Association must have been in full operation for at least last one year.
  4. Associations must have regular elections of its office bearers as per their constitutions or rules.
  5. Association must have operated community-based programs either in Australia or Nepal for at least last one year.
  6. For the membership to be concurrent, associations must have paid their membership fee to FeNCAA before the expiry of the due date.
• The membership shall remain valid for two financial years.

Members

• Representatives of Member Associations shall be called Members.
• A member association shall nominate a person as their representative to act on its behalf at FeNCAA.
• A member association can change its representative anytime with a valid reason that is acceptable to the FeNCAA Executive Committee.
• The nominated representative shall take part in all business of FeNCAA such as: general meetings, election etc.

Executive Committee

• Executive Committee (hereafter called EC) shall be the executive of FeNCAA and it shall be accountable to FeNCAA.
• EC shall work to achieve the objectives of FeNCAA.
• The positions of the EC shall be held by the representatives of member associations only. Each member association, which holds the key positions, shall nominate a person to fulfill the EC responsibility for the duration of the term. The representatives of member associations called “Members” shall contest for the EC positions.
• EC shall have the following seventeen positions:
  • President
  • Vice-President
  • General Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Spokesperson
  • Assistant General Secretary
  • Assistant Treasurer
  • Assistant Spokesperson
  • State Directors x 8 (One from each States and Territories)
  • Public Officer (Nominated by the EC)
• To promote gender equality, FeNCAA will encourage women’s maximum representation in the EC and other subcommittees and advisory council.
• Based on the policy of inclusiveness and to avoid the unnecessary politicisation of FeNCAA, the first eight the EC positions shall be filled by a rotation system among the States and Territories. The first Annual General Meeting of FeNCAA will decide the sequence of rotation of the States and Territories by consensus. If consensus could not be reached, the sequence shall be decided by members’ vote.
• Once the first eight EC positions are assigned to States and Territories under the rotation system, expression of interest shall be invited from members (that is, the representatives of member associations) of a State/Territory to fill the assigned positions for that State/Territory. If more than one member is interested in a position within a State/Territory, a voting shall be held, and all the FeNCAA members from all eight States and Territories are eligible to vote for the first eight EC positions.
• Representatives of State Coordinator Associations shall be the State Directors in the EC.
• The EC members shall nominate a Public Officer.
• Tenure of the EC shall be two years. A new EC shall be formed at or before the AGM of FeNCAA in each two years.
• An individual shall not serve as President of FeNCAA for more than two terms.

State Coordinator Associations

• In every two years, the AGM of FeNCAA shall nominate one Nepalese community association as the State Coordinator Association (hereafter called SCA) in each of the eight States and Territories to coordinate and facilitate FeNCAA activities in their respective State/Territory, implying that the tenure of State Coordinator Associations shall be two years, same as the FeNCAA Executive Committee.
• The nomination of State Coordinator Associations shall be based on its significant contribution to the Nepalese community as well as in the development of FeNCAA.
• If more than one association is interested in the nomination of State Coordinator Association within a State/Territory, a voting shall be held and all FeNCAA members from all eight States and Territories are eligible to vote for the SCA positions.
• The State Coordinator Associations through its representatives (State Directors) will have the same voting rights as a member association of FeNCAA.

Advisory Committee

To fulfill the objectives of FeNCAA, the EC may choose to form an Advisory Committee (hereafter called AC) consisting of at least 8 (eight) members representing each of the eight States and Territories. Members of AC shall be chosen from member associations.

1. AC shall advice the EC on issues that directly or indirectly affect the wellbeing of the members of the Nepalese community in Australia.
2. AC shall consist at least one legal expert as FeNCAA Legal Advisor.
3. The FeNCAA Executive Committee shall nominate one of the members of the AC as the chairperson of the AC to facilitate advisory committee tasks.
4. The tenure of the AC is in line with the tenure of the EC. The advisory Committee is automatically dissolved when the EC is dissolved.
5. AC shall meet either face to face or via teleconferencing or video conferencing on an as-needed basis.
6. AC shall present their advice to the EC in writing as well as by personally presenting at a meeting of the EC as required by the EC.

Sub-Committee

• EC may from time to time and consistent with the aims and objectives of FeNCAA establish and maintain sub-committees as are appropriate for the effective conduct.
• The provisions relating to the establishment, conduct and functions of such subcommittees shall be as follows:
  • A sub-committee may be established for a period not exceeding the remaining tenure of the EC for the purpose of fulfilling specified purposes.
  • The number of members in such sub-committee shall be determined by the EC considering the purpose the sub-committee intends to fulfill which is within the objectives of FeNCAA.
  • Any such sub-committee shall have the power to co-opt members in consultation with the EC.
  • EC shall nominate the coordinators of such sub-committees.
  • The role, duties and conduct of sub-committees shall be vested in FeNCAA.