Associations Incorporation Act - SLSQ Governance Manual

The Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (Qld) is a Queensland state law that governs the registration and operation of not-for-profit associations in Queensland.

The Act sets out the legal requirements for incorporating an association in Queensland. This includes specifying the minimum number of members, the rules around membership, and the requirements for the association’s constitution.
Once an association is incorporated, it must comply with a range of ongoing legal obligations. For example, associations must keep accurate financial records, hold regular meetings of members, and comply with various reporting requirements.
The Act establishes the Office of Fair Trading, which is responsible for regulating incorporated associations in Queensland. The Office of Fair Trading has the power to investigate complaints, conduct audits, and take enforcement action where necessary.
The Act includes provisions to protect the interests of members, including rules around voting, the election of office bearers, and the removal of office bearers.
The Act also includes provisions to protect the interests of creditors, including rules around insolvency and the winding up of an association.

Overall, the Associations Incorporation Act is an important piece of legislation that helps to regulate the not-for-profit sector in Queensland. It sets out the rules for incorporating and operating an association, and helps to ensure that associations operate in a transparent and responsible manner.

The Queensland Association was introduced in 1981 with the most recent amendments to the Act in 2020. There is also a regulation named Associations Incorporation Regulation 1999 that provides further information on the material related to the Act.

The purpose of the Act is to provide a scheme for the registration of associations that are for the purpose to engage in not-for-profit and non-commercial activities. The Act provisions for financials accountability and corporate governance of the associations registered under this scheme.

A high-level overview of the Act and responsibilities for incorporating, management, financial obligations can be found here Incorp Act document.