Introduction

What is this book about?

1This book is about meeting procedure in Australia, with rough applicability to countries with similar procedures – such as the UK, from where Australian meeting procedure originates, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth countries.

2This book takes a descriptive, rather than prescriptive, approach to meeting procedure. We review a wide range of authorities on meeting procedure, from both Australia and abroad, and from various different contexts. We combine this with the author's personal experience, presenting a comprehensive description of the range of meeting procedures in use, to give this book the widest possible applicability.

3However, where the author believes that certain practices attested to by other authorities are significantly more (or less) preferable than others, that will be noted as a personal recommendation of the author.

What is this book not about?

4This book does not exhaustively cover the law relating to meetings, nor does it confine itself only to the law, as there exist many books on this topic – such as Lang (2015) – and many practical aspects of running meetings fall outside the scope of legal regulation.

5This book does not cover in detail requirements specific to company meetings under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (or other specific types of organisation). Most general principles of meeting procedure apply equally to companies, and there again exist many texts on company meeting specifics – such as Lang (2015) and Magner (2012).

6This book does not cover matters relating to the administration of organisations outside of the practice of meetings. This book focuses on meetings of existing bodies, and so does not cover topics such as the establishment of organisations and bodies, inaugural meetings, the writing of rules or standing orders, or the conduct of mass meetings (although some of these topics are planned for future editions).

Who is this book for?

7This book is suitable for participants at meetings who'd like to learn more about meeting procedure to follow along or get involved.

8It is suitable for Chairs of committees and organisations as a reference text on chairing meetings, or on meeting procedure generally.

9It is also suitable, if desired, to be referred to in an organisation's rules as an authority on meeting procedure to resolve disputes that arise.