Statutes
1. The National Catholic Education Commission (hereinafter called "the NCEC") is commissioned by and responsible to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (hereinafter called "the Conference").
2. The NCEC shall carry out its functions within the terms of reference established or amended by the Commission, and in accordance with these statutes.
3. The NCEC shall report annually to the Conference. Communication between the NCEC and the Conference to be through the Bishops' Commission for Catholic Education.
4. The NCEC shall have a Chairperson appointed by Conference and an Executive-Secretary appointed by the Bishops' Commission for Catholic Education.
5. The NCEC shall consist of at least sixteen (16) and no more than eighteen (18) members, composed of:
i. Two (2) Bishops of the Bishops' Commission for Catholic Education.
ii. A Chair appointed by the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference.
iii. Two (2) members drawn from and nominated by Catholic Religious Australia.
iv. The Chief Executive Officers of each State and Territory Commission (=8).
v. The Vice-Chancellors of the two Catholic Universities in
vi. Six (6) other persons may be appointed by the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference. One (1) of these members shall be an indigenous person and two shall be parent members drawn from nominations made by State and Territory Catholic Education Commissions.
6. Membership of the NCEC shall ordinarily be for a period of four (4) years.
7. Retiring members may be re-appointed, but no member shall serve more than eight (8) consecutive years unless he/she be the Chief Executive Officer of a State or Territory Education Commission or the tertiary nominees.
8. Substitutes for members shall not ordinarily be appointed. Notwithstanding this provision, the Chair of the NCEC may accept a suitable substitute for any member unable to attend one or more meetings of the NCEC. Such substitute appointee shall have full membership and voting rights for the period of substitution.
9. Where a member is absent from three (3) consecutive meetings of the NCEC without reasonable cause, his/her membership shall be deemed to have lapsed and another person shall be appointed.
10. In the event of a member of the NCEC relinquishing membership for any reason, another person shall be appointed to complete the unexpired term in accordance with 5 above.
11. The NCEC shall have a Deputy Chair elected by and from the members of the NCEC. The appointment shall be for a period of one year and may be renewed. The Deputy Chair shall preside at meetings when the Chair is absent.
12. In the absence of the Chair and Deputy Chair, the meeting shall elect a member to preside.
13. The Chair of the NCEC shall be ex officio a member of all Committees established by the NCEC.
14. The Chair of the NCEC shall be the official spokesperson for the NCEC.
15. The NCEC shall have an executive consisting of the Chair, Deputy Chair, Executive-Secretary, and at least one other member elected annually. The executive shall include one member who is a bishop.
Meetings
16. The NCEC shall hold at least five (5) ordinary meetings each calendar year.
17. Extraordinary meetings of the NCEC shall be called by the Chair, either at his/her own discretion, or on the request of at least four members. In the latter case, the meeting shall be held within one month of receipt of the request. A quorum shall consist of half the members of the NCEC plus one.
18. All discussions at meetings of the NCEC shall be governed by the usual rules of debate. All members, including the Presiding Chair, have a deliberative vote, and the Chair shall also have a casting vote. Proxy votes shall not be permitted.
19. The Chair may on behalf of the NCEC invite any person, group or organisation to attend a meeting.
Committees
20. The NCEC shall appoint committees, either standing or ad hoc, to assist it in its activities, or to carry out specific functions. Such committees shall be required to report their operations regularly to meetings of the NCEC. The terms of reference of any standing committee shall include the period of membership.
21. In addition to the committee processes indicated above, it is within the competence of the NCEC to seek the short-term appointment or secondment of an appropriate person for a specific purpose.
Finance
22. Costs of travel, accommodation and other approved expenses incurred in the work of the NCEC or its committees will be met from funds approved by the Conference.
23. Sitting fees are paid, at a level determined by the NCEC from time to time, to members who forego salary, or incur similar financial disadvantage, in attending meetings.
24. The NCEC shall submit an annual budget for approval by the Conference. It shall also annually submit to the Conference an audited financial statement. Financial statements shall be presented regularly to the NCEC.
Support Services
25. Secretarial and other support services shall be provided to the NCEC by its Secretariat.
Amendments
26. Amendments to the above statutes may be recommended to the Conference provided they have the support of two-thirds of the members of the NCEC.
Dissolution
27. The NCEC may be dissolved by a resolution of the Conference.
28. Should the NCEC be dissolved its records, minutes, books of account, etc., together with the residue of its funds shall be transmitted to the Chair of the Bishops' Commission for Catholic Education within two (2) months of the date of dissolution.