Conducting Business at a General Meeting

For a meeting to open a quorum of voters must be present within 30 minutes of the scheduled start time of the meeting. Voters are present if they are personally at the meeting, have provided their proxy to someone who is present, or have submitted a written or electronic vote. A quorum is constituted by at least 25% of the number of voters where there are at least 2 voters present personally.  If the number of voters for the meeting is only 1 or 2, then only 1 needs to be present personally.  For the purposes of calculating a quorum, 2 or more co-owners are counted as 1 voter.  (Standard Module Section 82).

Where there is not a quorum at the first attempt to hold the meeting, the meeting is automatically adjourned to the same time and place in seven days. If at the reconvened meeting there is still no quorum within 30 minutes, the persons present will constitute a quorum so long as the chairperson is present. If authorised a body corporate manager may take the chair in the chairperson’s absence.

Every general meeting must have a chairperson. The chairperson has a duty to chair all general meetings at which he or she is present (Standard Module Section 80). Where no chairperson is present, the voters present at the meeting may elect a chairperson from the floor. The chairperson may be assisted in chairing the meeting by the body corporate manager if authorisation to exercise the chairman’s executive powers has been granted. (Body Corporate and Community Management Act Section 119).

The chairperson at the meeting has the duty to rule motions out of order if they conflict with the law, the by-laws of the scheme, other motions already decided at the meeting, are otherwise unenforceable for any reason, or if their entire substance is not included in the agenda. Any decision to rule a motion out of order must be supported by reasons, including how the ruling may be reversed, and the decision included in the minutes.

Voters at the meeting may reverse the ruling by passing an ordinary resolution disagreeing with the ruling.