VAHPA post-election report from the Australian Electoral Commission

VAHPA is a democratic community of Allied Health Professionals. The scope and detail of what this means in electoral terms is set out in the Rules of the HSU. In general terms, every VAHPA member has the right to run for a leadership position and every member has the right to know the results of all elections.

VAHPA has recently completed elections for two casual vacancy positions: 1 Branch Delegate to National Council & 1 Ordinary Member of the Branch Committee of Management. The results for these elections have been circulated. However, it is also necessary for VAHPA to provide all members with access to the Post-Election Report as drafted by the Australian Election Commission (AEC). This document has been available via our website for some time now and may be found here.

The Registered Organisation Act (2009) requires those branches who receive a Post-Election Report that identifies a rule that was difficult to interpret or apply to respond to the AEC on that aspect of the report within 30 days. The response must specify whether the organisation or branch intends to take any action in relation to the rule, and if so, what action it intends to take.

The VAHPA Post-Election Report doesspecify rules that were difficult to interpret and/or apply. It does this by making reference to a 22 November 2018 Post-Election Report that was drafted for the National Union. This is fitting, as the electoral processes and structures relevant to VAHPA are set out in the Rules of the HSU and therefore apply to all Branches of the HSU and the National Union itself. This report is not simply a matter for VAHPA, and the issues raised cannot be resolved by VAHPA. Resolution to these issues must come in the form of changes to the Rules of the HSU and those rules may only be altered by a valid resolution of the supreme governing body of the Union, the National Council—VAHPA currently holds 5 of the 76 votes on the National Council. 

This scenario does not exempt VAHPA from its obligation to respond to the AEC. However, it would not be proper for VAHPA to respond to these matters unilaterally. As such, VAHPA provides the following response as drafted by the National Secretary of the HSU, Lloyd Williams, on behalf of the entire union. 

Members are encouraged to read all relevant reports and the electoral information contained in the Rules of the HSU. For further information see the relevant page at the Registered Organisation Commission website.

There is a great deal of material here and we understand that members might feel overwhelmed by the wealth information presented. All VAHPA members are welcome to discuss these matters or any other matter relating to the structure and operation of the union with VAHPA Secretary Craig McGregor.