The Arc Student Development Committee (SDC) has declined to re-affiliate the UNSW Liberal Club following a bungled AGM in May.
The decision was communicated to the Club’s executive in a letter sent by SDC Convenor Chris Antonini following a meeting of the Committee last week.
Tharunka understands re-affiliation was denied because the Club refused to amend the Club Constitution to meet Arc requirements. The section in question, Section 4.3.1(d), restricted voting rights to members who had attended three meetings in the calendar year. Whilst that clause was in the Constitution when it was approved by the SDC in November 2011, it was rejected by the same body following an earlier attempt at holding an AGM this year.
A previous SDC meeting had found the anti-stacking measure too strict. Instead, the Committee had advocated for voting rolls to be closed once election notices were finalised, although the possibility for an alternate arrangement was left open.
However, the Liberal Club did not change its constitution, and the May AGM was run following those rules. Whilst hundreds attended, only ten votes were deemed valid, with no position contested except Arc Delegate. Andrew Collignon was elected Club President, and Matthew Peverell was elected Secretary.
Both the Club Executive and SDC Convenor Chris Antonini declined to comment. Chair of the Arc Board Alex Peck told Tharunka that due process had been followed.
Kylar Loussikian
[twitname]kloussikian[/twitname]
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