About The National Council
The
National Council of the Institute is defined and its responsibilities set out in Company Constitution.
The
National Council acts as the Board of Directors and is therefore directly responsible
for the policies and management of the Institute.
National Council consists of
ten members elected by the total corporate membership of the Institute.
National Councillors are elected for a two year period and at least one Councillor
must come from each State, the ACT and the NT.
However Councillors are
not representatives of the State Groups or State members; they act as
individuals with primary responsibility to the Institute as a whole but
are expected to be aware of State matters, to present these at Council
meetings and to present National Council matters to State Groups where
appropriate.
Council
business may also be conducted through a system of Committees, formal meetings
of Council and through its Executive. Council generally meets face to face twice a year and
the Executive at least twice more by either telephone and/or face to face.
Council
elects its own office bearers. These are a President, two Vice Presidents,
a Secretary and a Treasurer, who form the Executive which ensures continuation
of Council business between full Council meetings.
The AILA’s National President is responsible for the integrity of the governance process and the functioning of the Council.
This contrasts with the role of the Executive Director who is responsible for the functioning of the whole organisation, which includes overseeing the day-to-day running of
the Institute's national office, the various committees, and the state group functions.
Councillors have a
duty to represent all Institute members to the best of their ability.
They are seen as senior representatives of the Institute and of the profession
of Landscape Architecture and their actions and statements will reflect
upon both.
The National Council conducts its business in accordance with the Company Constitution and the Governance Manual.