Election and AGM
The 2021 RACP Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Friday 7 May 2021 in Sydney and online.
Election information
Eligibility
College members are eligible to nominate and/or submit an expression of interest provided they meet the eligibility criteria for the position set out in the relevant College Body’s By-law or the Constitution and meet any additional election criteria specific to the role.
Nominate
These positions are now open for nomination:
2 x Member Directors
Position description (PDF) | Nomination form (DOC)
Aotearoa New Zealand RACP President-elect (becomes Board Director in 2022)
Position description (PDF) | Nomination form (DOC)
All candidates must read, complete and submit the Candidate Code of Conduct (PDF) along with their nomination form.
See the guidance notes for candidates nominating for election to the RACP Board for more information.
Your completed Candidate Code of Conduct and nomination form are to be emailed to the Returning Officer at elections@racp.edu.au by Monday 15 February 2021.
Board election timeline
Event |
Date |
Nominations for Member Directors and Aotearoa New Zealand President-elect close |
Monday 15 February 2021 |
Declaration of Nominees for all relevant positions and arrangement of election for all positions with more than one nominee |
Wednesday 17 February 2021 |
Last day for withdrawal of nominations |
Monday 8 March 2021 |
Opening of online voting and voting instructions will be emailed to all members |
Tuesday 9 March 2021 |
Voting closes |
Tuesday 6 April 2021 |
Announcement of provisional results pending audit notification |
Friday 16 April 2021 |
RACP Annual General Meeting — declaration of all election results |
Friday 7 May 2021 |
Nomination outcomes
If the number of valid nominees is equal to or less than the number of vacant positions, those nominees will be automatically elected to the positions.
If the number of valid nominees is greater than the number of vacant positions, a ballot will be held. Valid nominees will be asked to provide a Candidate Statement (500 words maximum) and a headshot for publishing to support their candidacy.
All election outcomes will be reported at the Annual General Meeting.
Guidance notes
These guidance notes are provided to assist members nominating for election, to understand the requirements for Directors of the College and to provide appropriate information covering their expertise and potential contribution to the College’s future.
Collective Board expertise
To effectively operate the College, members of the College Board – working together in a respectful and collaborative environment – require skills, experience and expertise that must be aligned to the objectives and purpose of the College, as set out in the RACP Constitution (PDF).
Collectively, these Board skills and expertise should enable the College to successfully develop, implement and monitor the performance of the College strategy. Ideally, the College Board should be structured to have:
- a diversity of backgrounds, expertise and perspectives
- a significant depth of experience, skills and knowledge in critical areas of the College’s activities or in areas which are important to the College’s future development
- a capacity to work strategically for the College as a whole, in a complex and challenging environment
- combined commitment, personal qualities and integrity which mean Directors work together effectively and with other parts of the College
- a clear and shared understanding of good governance and the Board’s role in the College
RACP Strategic Plan 2021
The College will shortly be releasing the Strategic Plan for 2021. The plan focuses not only on our core business as usual, but also the areas we will address for strategic improvement.
The Plan will replace the third year of the RACP Strategic Plan 2019-2021 (PDF).
Strategic experience and capacity
Ideally, prospective RACP Directors must demonstrate relevant experience and a capacity to operate strategically in one or more of these areas:
- Education and training — the development, delivery or assessment of education and training
- Policy and advocacy — developing or advocating for public policy, building community relationships and networks in areas relevant to healthcare
- Research — experience in research, research training, research management, research development, the funding or supervision of research in medicine, or the RACP Foundation
- Fellowship matters and College relationships — achievements related to building engagement and relationships with members, the health industry and organisational partners
Position descriptions covering each of the open Board positions provides more details of the essential and desirable skills, qualifications and experience expected from members nominating for appointment as a Board Director.
College structure and governance
The College is a public company limited by guarantee. The College governance documents include the RACP Constitution, Board Charter, Directors Code of Conduct and other relevant By-Laws. As an incorporated body, the College is bound by the Corporations Act, as well as by the common law including the fiduciary duties of Directors and Officers.
All RACP activities are governed by the College Constitution, which is approved by members. Additionally, the RACP is a Charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and must comply with the ACNC legislation, which includes modified Director duties.
The ACNC Act sets down 5 Governance Standards that all Charities must satisfy at all times to remain registered with the ACNC. All RACP Directors are classified as Responsible Persons under the ACNC legislation.
The ACNC Governance Standard 5 – Duties of Responsible Persons requires all RACP Directors to:
- act with reasonable care and diligence
- act honestly and fairly in the best interests of the charity and for its charitable purposes
- not misuse their position or information they gain as a Responsible Person
- disclose conflicts of interest
- ensure that the financial affairs of the charity are managed responsibly
- not allow the charity to operate while it is insolvent
Guidance notes for candidates nominating for election to RACP Board (PDF)
Recommended resources
These resources are applicable to the roles and responsibilities of the RACP Board and its Directors are recommended reading for members interested in nominating for the RACP Board in this election.
Governance for Good: The ACNC’s guide for Charity Board Members | Australian Charities and Non-for-profit Commission
The Not-for-profit Governance Principles (PDF) | Australian Institute of Company Directors