Review of the Registered Clubs Industry in NSW - Clubs NSW

14 A framework for a management plan
Gaming revenue is central to the most common registered club model.
That 13 per cent of registered clubs do not operate gaming machines and that this
is also a legitimate model for registered clubs that should be supported.
Clubs should strive to minimise harm from the social costs associated with some
of their activities, including gaming and alcohol consumption.
Volunteers are important to the registered club model.
Clubs should be responsive to their members’ and the wider community’s needs.
Clubs should seek to optimise their financial performance, but not with the sole
aim of generating profit.
Clubs should operate with sound corporate governance.
Club organisations play an important role in club development, education,
training and leadership.
14.2.2 A Clubs Charter
ClubsNSW suggested that a Clubs Charter be developed as part of the industry
management plan, and that this charter should set out the overall vision, goals and
obligations that are shared by both government and industry. 255 IPART generally
agrees with ClubsNSW’s proposed elements of a charter, as outlined below.
The charter should set out the key principles that underpin the management plan (as
outlined in section 14.3.1), and the broad obligations that apply to clubs in
conducting their operations and to Government in regulating clubs.
The charter could state that the primary role of clubs in NSW is to provide a means
for people to come together for the benefit of each other and the broader community.
To this end, clubs strive to:
provide a range of facilities and services according to the needs and desires of
their members
provide support to their communities in a targeted, effective way that meets the
identified needs of those communities.
Under the charter, the responsibilities of registered clubs could be to:
operate primarily for the benefit of their members, while having appropriate
regard for the needs of local communities
adopt governance and operational strategies to achieve compliance with the
requirements of the Registered Clubs Act and other applicable legislation
implement best practice in corporate governance, management, training and
industrial relations
255 ClubsNSW submission, 31 July 2007, p 168.
Review of the Registered Clubs Industry in NSW IPART 213