5.6.2.2. Responsibilities & Role Essentials – Secretary

Please find below the key responsibilities of a Club or Branch Secretary.

• Coordinates the administrative requirements of Association meetings, including Board / Committee meetings, AGM’s, GM’s and SGM’s
  • Creation and timely distribution of agenda’s
  • Coordination of reports and correspondence to be tabled at meetings.
  • Confirmation of appropriateness of Notices of Motion as per the club’s Constitution and By-Laws
  • Recording of accurate minutes and action items (in some associations, the minute taker maybe be a separate person to the Secretary but is best to confirm with your Club/Branch president)
  • Timely distribution of minutes for review prior to endorsement at the subsequent relevant meeting
• Ensure that the association and its committees and boards are compliant with SLSA and SLSQ regulations and policies as well as relevant legislation.
• Ensure that affiliation requirements are met annually/as required
  

Listed below are some further responsibilities:

• Responsible for managing and overseeing the administrative tasks of the association, such as record-keeping, document management, and correspondence.
• Ensures maintenance and accuracy of the Association’s register of members and ensures that it is availability for inspection.
• Manages official communication and correspondence on behalf of the association.
• Ensures compliance with reporting requirements, including the preparation and lodgement of annual financial statements and reports.
• Ensures compliance with SLSQ and SLSA requirements and relevant legislation and helps maintain the association’s constitution and lawful operations.
  

The below goes into further detail tasks that are the responsibility of the Secretary.

Planning
Planning is crucial in any role as it provides direction, clarity, and focus. It empowers individuals to stay proactive and prepared for any obstacles that may arise. Planning in relation to the Secretary role includes, but is not limited to:

• 12-month or 24-month meeting calendar TGOV0024 – 12 Month Calendar.xlsx
  12-month-calendar.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK
• Documentation and communication of key deadlines related to committee or board activities, for example submission of paperwork to SLSQ / SLSQ or the Office of Fair Trading as required.
  

Whether in leadership, team collaboration, or personal tasks, a well-thought-out plan enables better time management, helps track progress, and ensures that outcomes are achieved efficiently and successfully.

Communication and Correspondence Management
As stated in the secretary definition, communication is a skill that is necessary when it comes to being successful in the role of secretary. While communication has a broad definition, below are some more definitive points of how you will communicate within the role:

• Liaise & serve as the main point of contact for committee members, stakeholders, and other interested parties.
• Ensure the timely and accurate dissemination of information related to committee or board proceedings, decisions, and ongoing projects.
• Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence (letters, emails, etc.) as it pertains to the committee’s work.
• Craft messages that address the specific concerns and interests of different stakeholder groups.
• Create opportunities for open dialogue, feedback, and questions.
• Encourage key stakeholders to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas related to the change.
• Communicate discretely and securely when handling sensitive & confidential information.
  

Common platforms that Clubs & Branches tend to use for communication between themselves & stakeholders are listed below. Each of these platforms offer a combination of collaboration & productivity.

• Outlook – for emails
• TEAMS – for online meetings
• Zoom – for online meetings
  

If a club wishes to choose a platform outside of the commonly used ones, they must look for the below:

1. Does it allow for seamless integration?
2. Does it allow for multi-channel communication (i.e., chat, meetings, file sharing etc.)?
3. Does it offer real-time collaboration?
   • Does everyone get access to a calendar?
   • Are the reviews of the platform positive around file sharing?
   • What level of security does it offer?
   • Is it suitable for the scale of the business (i.e., club or branch)?

Maintenance of Association Documents
Association documents are crucial files/essential records that the club must generate & maintain, in a hard or soft copy form, that SLSQ may call upon and request at any time. It is the club secretary’s responsibility to ensure the copies the association holds are the most current & up to date. To ensure consistency and assist with compliance, SLSQ has created a ‘Club Documentation Checklist Template’ HERE.

If at any point you do not understand what a document is or have never seen it before, please reach out to your relevant Branch or the SLSQ Compliance team.

Meeting Coordination and Scheduling
A key aspect of the Secretary role is to coordinate and schedule meetings of the association. These meetings include, but aren’t limited to AGM’s, SGM’s, GM’s & board / management committee and subcommittee meetings.

For detailed information on meetings, please refer to the SLSQ Governance Manual 5.6 – Meetings, but below are three important things to keep in mind when planning meetings.

1. Schedule meetings and ensure that they align with the board or committee’s calendar.
2. Confirm attendance and track quorum requirements for decision-making.
3. Arrange logistics for both in-person and virtual meetings, ensuring all members have access to necessary technology and facilities.
   

Committee and Board Meetings
Part of running committee meetings is the preparation, documentation and actioning items post meetings. Below is helpful information on what to keep in mind when completing all tasks.

Effective Meeting
An effective meeting is conducted by ensuring all reports have been submitted in writing prior to the meeting, all Committee members have been issued with the agenda, reports and relevant materials prior to the meeting and the Chair manages the time and conducts the meeting as per the agenda. The point of the meeting should be to discuss the prominent issues that are occurring within the association, tabling reports, tracking action items and reviewing the financials with a resolution for each item.

How to call for Agenda
Calling for agenda is asking all members on the committee to submit any agenda items they would like to discuss. Every association has a different way of calling for agenda, but SLSQ has created a template HERE for ease.

Remember to always put a date that all agenda items need to be submitted by, so that the secretary & chair can review agenda items prior to publishing it for all members to see.

Agenda Preparation & Meeting Documentation
Effective agenda preparation and documentation are essential to running productive and accountable meetings. A well-structured agenda provides clear direction, helps manage expectations, and creates a constructive environment for all attendees. It also ensures meetings stay within the allocated time, respecting the valuable time of volunteers. As part of the secretary’s role, this includes calling for agenda items ahead of the meeting, collaborating with the chairperson to finalise the agenda, and distributing it in advance.

Equally important is the provision of relevant meeting documentation. Informed decision-making relies on having the appropriate supporting materials for each agenda item. Committees, Boards, and Management Committees may be unable to endorse motions if the necessary information is not provided. Meeting packs should include these documents and be distributed prior to the meeting, both in printed form and accessible online, to allow all members to come prepared and contribute meaningfully. For further guidance, refer to the SLSQ Governance Manual – Agendas.

Meeting Agenda
The meeting agenda is the most important document when it comes to assisting in conducting an effective meeting. The agenda for a meeting is in place to record the items that will be discussed with a brief overview of each topic and the proposed resolution that will be reached for each agenda item. There are items that must be included in every meeting:

• Minutes of previous meeting
  This is to ensure that all Committee members agree to what has been produced is an accurate record of the discussions and resolutions from the meeting.
  

• Disclosure of interest
  This is to allow any Committee members that may have a personal conflict with items that will be discussed at the meeting – e.g. the beach coach has a child in the Under 11 age group and there will be a discussion on selection of the State team. If a committee member notes that they have a disclosure of interest a process should be set up within the meeting to work around this – e.g. the beach coach will provide input for the beach competition, however, will abstain from voting or providing input on the Under 11 age group selection. It is recommended that a Conflict of Interest Register is maintained as part of the meeting documentation to ensure accurate and timely record keeping, a suggested template can be found here Club Management | Surf Life Saving Queensland

• Reports
  This allows all Committee members to understand what each Committee member working on and the issues that they may be encountering and to do the work before the meeting and not in it to make the meeting more effective.

Further, it is recommended that Executive/ Management Committees or Board meeting agendas also include the following:

• Financial reports in each meeting.
• Risk register to assess and mitigate risks for club operations and upcoming events, a suggested template can be found here: Club Management | Surf Life Saving Queensland
• Resolutions, as a measure to assist in the direction of the meeting and define what is being sought from the attendees.
  

The purpose of the meeting agenda is to guide the meeting by providing an outline of information with a brief attached that will give members of the Committee an understanding of the topic that will be discussed.
The inclusion of all attachments including minutes of the previous meeting, action matrix and reports is to provide Committee members with as much information as possible prior to the meeting so they can be well informed on the items that will be discussed. The meeting agenda and all attachments should be distributed to Committee members at least 1 week prior to the meeting.

Surf Life Saving Queensland has developed an agenda template for Committee and AGM Meetings for Club and Branch level HERE. Clubs/ Branches that wish to have the templates altered to suit the associations constitution contact the SLSQ Compliance Team.

Meeting Minutes
Meeting minutes are important legal documents that a committee must keep. They serve as an official record of what happened during the meeting. The minutes should summarise each item discussed, highlight key points, and note the decision made, but they are not a full transcript of the meeting. In compliance with SLSQ, the minutes must be published within 14 days of the meeting, for all members to review & read.

To check if the minutes are correct, read them after they are written. If someone who wasn’t at the meeting can understand the topic, the discussion, and the outcome, then the minutes are accurate. Minutes should be shared with all committee members, visitors, and other attendees within one week of the meeting, noting that some confidential items may need to be redacted before being sent to visitors if they weren’t present for the full meeting. Any member of the association can request to see the minutes, but this should be done through a scheduled meeting with the Administrator or Secretary, the minutes must stay at the location and some items may need to be redacted prior to sharing with a member.

Government bodies or legal professionals may request the minutes during investigations, especially if illegal activity is suspected. This makes it important to ensure the minutes accurately reflect the meeting. Surf Life Saving Queensland provides a meeting minutes template for Clubs and Branches. Clubs or Branches that want to customize the template to fit their constitution should contact the State Ethical Standards Team.

For more information on minutes, please refer to the below links.
SLSQ Governance Manual – Minutes
SLSQ Governance Manual – Effective Minute Taking

Action Item Tracking
To assist the Committee or Board to keep track of items assigned during meetings, it is important to maintain some form of action item tracking, ideally this is done within the meeting minutes to keep the details in an easy to locate place. Action item tracking is important to:

• Monitor progress on action items assigned during meetings and provide updates on the status at subsequent meetings.
• Remind members of deadlines and help facilitate follow-through.
  

Decision Making in Committee Meetings
Decision Making – SLSQ Administration Operations Manual – 1
Officers of the association are expected to make decisions on behalf of the association. These decisions are usually made through various committee meetings conducted by the association (Management Committee or Board, Surf Sports Committee etc). In this way the view of the committee rather than an individual member prevails through a democratic vote. In some cases, officers may be required to make decisions independent of the committee, in these cases such decisions will be reported back through the committee and ratified.

In all cases decisions must comply with the guidelines provided by the association through its various plans, rules, policies and procedures and within the constraints set by the constitution (i.e. certain decisions must be made by the Management Committee or by the Club Council at an AGM etc).

A simple guide for committees and officers in making decisions on behalf of the Club is to ask seven questions:

1. Is it consistent with the values & objects of the association?
2. Does it comply with the association Constitution and By-Laws?
3. Does it help meet the association’s strategic plan?
4. Does it comply with club, South Coast Branch, SLSQ and SLSA regulations?
5. Have I/we got the authority to make this decision?
6. Is it financially viable?
7. What are the risks associated with making this decision?
   

Once a decision has been made by a committee it is important that all members of the committee support the decision even though they may not have supported it in the debate. Officers who do not publicly support and comply with legitimate decisions made by committees undermine the structure of the Association and promote factionalism.

This is not to say that officers must support all decisions during the debate as officers are required to think and vote freely as in any democracy. However, after the vote, once a decision is made in the best interests of the Club by a committee, it is expected that all officers will comply with and show support for that decision.

Association Meetings – AGM’s, GM’s, SGM’s
The Secretary of the association is also responsible for the administrative requirements of running the associations AGM, GM’s and SGM’s each season. The completion of individual tasks may be carried out by an administrator; however, the responsibility lies with the Secretary.

The requirements for association meetings are similar to that of Committee / Board meetings, however, there are a few key differences to note:

1. The association’s Constitution and / or By-Laws will outline the number of meetings required during each season, the Secretary should liaise with the Committee / Board to plan suitable timing for each meeting
2. The association’s Constitution and / or By-Laws will outline the process and timing for calling for agenda items and the lead time required for circulation of agenda to the Club Council
3. The association’s Constitution and / or By-Laws will outline the required items to be tabled at specific meetings, particularly the requirements of the AGM.
   

Compliance and Governance Support
A key part of the Secretary role is to ensure that the compliance and governance of the association is completed in an effective and efficient way. Compliance and governance support tasks include:

• Ensuring that all committee’s within the association (including sub-committees and auxiliary organisation committees) comply with applicable rules, regulations, and governance frameworks and relevant legislation.
• Ensuring that all incoming Board & Committee members receive any governance training provided by SLSQ.
• Track and report on action items, deadlines, and follow-ups to ensure accountability and progress.
• Provide support to the committee or board chair or other leadership in governance and legal matters
• Maintain a central repository of all committee or board documents and records, ensuring they are organised and accessible.
• Ensure compliance with any legal or regulatory document retention requirement.
• Ensure compliance with the requirements of governing bodies including SLSQ, the ACNPC & OFT.
  

Annual Affiliation and ACNC Requirements
As part of their role in ensuring compliance with SLSA and SLSQ requirements and maintaining good governance within the association, it is recommended that the Secretary role assumes responsibility for ensuring that the annual affiliation and ACNC requirements are met.

At the completion of each season, SLSQ will request clubs and branches to submit a suite of standard documentation required as part of the affiliation for that year. Please see the SLSQ Governance Manual, linked below, for further information regarding these requirements.

Affiliations – SLSQ Governance Manual – 1

Additionally, to maintain charity status, each association must report annually to the ACNPC. Please see link before for further information regarding this requirement. Note that this role can sometimes be undertaken by the Treasurer of the association, however, this needs to be confirmed within the committee / board to ensure that it is completed.

Reporting annually to the ACNC | ACNC:

Other Responsibilities
Whilst SLSQ are aware that the role of secretary is varied, there are some other tasks that may come into the role, including but not limited to:

• Preparing or reviewing reports, such as the Annual Report, and presentations to be presented at meetings.
• In the absence of the treasurer, assist in preparing budgets or financial reports if the committee handles financial matters.
• Acting as a liaison to external parties or other committees.
• Archiving documents – Archiving Documents – SLSQ Administration Operations Manual
• Documentation destruction & retention – SLSQ Administration Operations Manual
• Inducting new committee or board members – Induction – SLSQ Governance Manual
  

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