SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2007–08

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
Since the early days of the surf lifesaving movement,
we have evolved into a highly federated and geographically
dispersed organisation, made up of 306 separately
incorporated local surf life saving clubs, 17 regional
branches (in NSW and Queensland), 45 support operations
(regional rescue and response teams) and seven state and
territory centres (see page 142 for full list).
As there would otherwise be no meaningful report
on the national contribution of the entire movement,
the surf lifesaving, education, training and surf sports
activities of our members are consolidated in this report
(See Section 4). However, as the various separate entities
are not subsidiaries of SLSA Ltd and have a variety of
legal and reporting structures, their fi nancial results are
not consolidated here.
We (Surf Life Saving Australia Ltd) are the ‘peak’ policy
and decision making body for the movement.
Under our Constitution, our members are:
• State centres, represented by their state directors who
have the right to be present, debate and vote at our
general meetings.
• Affi liated clubs, representatives of which have the right
to be present and to debate on behalf of their club at
general meetings, but with no voting rights.
• Life Members (see page 104), who have the right to be
present and to debate at general meetings, but with no
voting rights.
• All individual members of affi liated clubs, who shall
have the right to be present at SLSA general meetings,
but with no voting or debating rights.
Individual members sign an application for joint
membership of SLSA and their club each year prior to the
commencement of the season. (Where the members are
less than 18 year of age, the membership form is sign by
a parent or legal guardian.) This detailed form meets a
number of legal requirements, including indemnifi cation of
SLSA in the event of any claim arising from a surf lifesaving
activity, as well as outlining a member’s individual liability in
the unlikely event of wind-up.
We also operate a number of subsidiary companies
to provide helicopter and fi xed wing rescue services
in NSW (see page 37) with services operated in
Queensland, Victoria and South Australia by their
respective state centres.
We are a foundation member of the International Life
Saving Federation (ILS), through which we maintain contact
with other ‘lifesaving nations’ and play a leadership role in
developing lifesaving expertise around the globe.
Chief Patron
His Royal Highness Prince Philip KG KT OM GBE AC QSO PC
Duke of Edinburgh
Chief Patron for the Year of the Surf Lifesaver
Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
(Until 3 September 2008)
Patrons of the Year of the Surf Lifesaver
Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO
Governor of New South Wales
Professor David de Kretser AC
Governor of Victoria
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Governor of Queensland
His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce
AC CSC RANR
Governor of South Australia
His Excellency Ken Michael AC
Governor of Western Australia
His Excellency the Hon William JE Cox AC RFD ED
Governor of Tasmania
Mr Tom Pauling AO QC
Administrator of the Northern Territory
Vice Patrons
Hon John Howard MP
Prime Minister of Australia until 24 November 2007
Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister of Australia from 24 November 2007
(pending formal acceptance)
Life Governor
Alan Whelpton AO
SECTION 02—OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
43