Published September 13 2023
The Annual General Meeting of Merri Health is scheduled to be held in November 2023. Details of the nomination process for a candidate to fill one vacancy on the Board of Directors from that date are set out below. The election, if required, shall be conducted by postal ballot.
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
The Constitution of Merri Community Health Services Limited (trading as ‘Merri Health’) stipulates that the Board of Directors consists of up to six Directors appointed by Members in addition to a maximum of four Co‐opted Directors appointed by the Board. This document has been prepared to assist potential candidates to nominate for election as a Director. Clause 8.7 of the Constitution lays out a number of matters that need to be complied with regarding the election of Directors. A copy of the Constitution of Merri Health can be found at www.merrihealth.org.au under the ‘Get Involved’ tab listed in the membership section.
Nominations
Any person in the community is eligible to stand for election (subject to the requirements of the Constitution). Specific eligibility requirements for Directors are contained in Clause 8.7 and 8.8 of the Constitution as noted below:
Per clause 8.7.2 (above), nominees are to demonstrate strategic knowledge and/or experience in at least one of the following areas:
- Clinical Governance in Health or a related sector
- Information Technology
- Property / Facilities
- Public Policy and Political Relations
- Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Commissioning / Risk Management practices
Nominations must be made on the prescribed form, must be signed by the candidate and signed by at least five [5] voting members (per clause 8.6.1(b) of the Constitution).
For the purpose of nominations, voting members are deemed to be those that are eligible to vote at the time of the close of including a minimum of 12 months membership status). If you are uncertain about who are eligible members, a copy of the membership list is available for perusal at the corporate offices or on request from the Company Secretary.
Nominees are required to attend ‘an information and education session conducted by the Company’ (per clause 8.7.3 of the Constitution). Information about these sessions will be supplied upon enquiry. Attendance is a required prerequisite for the eligibility of a nomination.
Board Meetings & Committees
The Constitution states that the Board must meet at least on ten occasions during the year. Currently, Board meetings are generally held on the last Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm. The Board has several sub‐committees and each Board member is encouraged to nominate for one of these. Sub‐committees usually meet at least six times a year.
Term of Office
The term of office for a Director is three [3] years and a Director cannot hold office for more than three successive terms.
Nomination Forms
Nomination forms are available upon request from the Company Secretary of Merri Health.
As the nomination forms are required to be supported by five, and there are other prerequisites in the nomination process, it is advisable for nominees to request a form at their earliest opportunity.
All finalised nominations are to be returned to the Company Secretary and must be received by 5:00pm on Wednesday, 4 October 2023.
CONTACT DETAILS
Company Secretary
Gavin Thompson
Company Secretary – Merri Health
Email: Gavin.Thompson@merrihealth.org.au
Telephone: (03) 8319 7454
Alternative contact: Joan Wilkinson (03) 8319 7427
Email: Joan.Wilkinson@merrihealth.org.au