MAAA Wingspan

24 25 WING SPAN FEBRUARY Management Matters: update for members and clubs Playing by the rules! It has been a turbulent year for some clubs nationwide. In some State and Territories, clubs have endured issues ranging from constitutional challenges, laws around providing instruction to juniors, member disputes and a variety of other problems that are sometimes easier to avoid than they are to manage. On occasions, the MAAA Executive and State Association representatives have been requested to assist with a number of these issues to help clubs manage their way, and we thought it might be helpful to all club Executives and MAAA members for us to share some of the learnings. Please be reassured though, that the MAAA and State/Territory Associations are not here to regulate or to stop people from having fun. Our job, as much as anything, is to help people have fun, positive experiences and achieve club growth, by sharing some of the extensive legwork that the club committee members have to do. The following relevant topics have recently been identified by the ANSW committee and the MAAA consider that these are relevant topics for all State Associations, Clubs and members to be reminded of. Constitution Every club should have a current constitution which, in most cases, should be lodged with the relevant department in your state along with the Club Incorporation documents. This job usually falls to the Club Secretary. If you need some background information, search and utilise the templates provided by your State department. We suggest considering the model template for a sports club constitution. It is worth making sure that club committee members understand their obligations in terms of meetings, committee structure, dispute resolution, etc. Forewarned is forearmed and a constitution should be viewed as a tool to assist in managing clubs successfully, rather than a tool that ties the club down. Working With Children Any instructor who provides instruction to anyone under 18 MUST undertake a Working With Children Check or relevant checks to your State or Territory. It is important that parents/guardians remain present whilst instruction is being provided (dropping a child off for some flying lessons whilst the parents pop to the shops should not occur). It is strongly recommended that ALL club Executives and committee members undergo a check and there is an obligation on EVERY club to have a suitable person nominated to manage Working With Children Checks. This includes keeping records of those in the club who have completed the check, their WWCC number and the expiry date of their current check. Again, consideration here serves to promote the dedication of our clubs to existing and new members alike. For information, there is no cost involved in completing the check for volunteers. It involves completing a form online, which allows for the appropriate checks to be conducted and finalise the steps in the application. It is a very straightforward process and takes very little time. MAAA Code of Conduct We all expect to be able to visit our club and have a fly without having to put up with abuse, threats, or other uncourteous behaviour. The MAAA has a Code of Conduct which applies to all, and can be read here. The core of the Code of Conduct is that all members should: • Be ethical, fair and honest in all their dealings with other people and the MAAA; • Treat all persons with respect and courtesy and have proper regard for their dignity, rights and obligations; • Always place the safety and welfare of children above other considerations; • Comply with the MAAA’s rules and policies including this Member Protection Policy; • Comply with all relevant Australian laws (Federal and State), particularly anti-discrimination and child protection laws; • Be responsible and accountable for their conduct. You would probably think this is all common sense however some members still operate way outside of these simple ideals. Always remember we participate in model aviation to have fun. So, it’s also the responsibility of clubs, and club Executives, to make sure they publish and promote this information, make members aware of it, and act quickly to deal with any breaches while encouraging close friendships and support. If you have something going on at your club – If breaches of the code of conduct occur, or people are clearly not being treated with respect, the first step is to ask the club committee to help and discuss the issue openly. If the committee needs further assistance, your State Associations are always available for guidance. Club Executives need to make sure you have, and know, your policy for dealing with these sorts of issues and also the principles of natural justice. Adequate documentation must be kept. Safety There have been a number of injuries and accidents during the year and, of course, not all get reported. Have you (your Club) documented any injuries or incidents that might give rise to an injury, property damage, or insurance claim? Has the Club reviewed what occurred and how it might be avoided in the future? Has it been reported to your State Association and the dedicated Safety Officer, so that they can help other clubs avoid the same incident elsewhere? Aeromodelling in Australia has a remarkably good safety record due to the MAAA’s “Just Culture” approach, which is not about blaming people, but rather looking at what can be learnt from an accident? What can be done to minimise the risk of future occurrence? All focused on staying ahead of accident trends. Did someone forget something? Not know something? Get a bit blasé? It’s often a matter of reminding people, rather than rushing to create another rule for people to remember. Hand on heart for a moment…does everyone really range check a model before the first flight of the day? Check batteries? Check throws and make sure that control surfaces are moving in the right direction? Restrain the model for starting? Avoid reaching around a spinning propeller? Operate arming and disarming on electrics? Avoid arming in the pits? It’s simple stuff, and doesn’t take much time, but it could save a model or a fellow member from injury and time off from flying. Alcohol and Drugs All members sign their membership card every year to say that they know and observe the MAAA MOPs. As a member of MAAA, we’re also obliged to operate our aircraft in accordance with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s guidelines, and these are firm with penalties that CASA can impose even firmer. A reminder that heading out for a fly after drinking alcohol is not permitted. Finally… As we said, this isn’t about MAAA or your State/Territory Associations trying to spoil your fun or make you waste time on matters that aren’t important. Every one of the items above has been a headache, sometimes worse, for a club or clubs around the country over the last year. If this helps you and your club avoid the same problems, well, then that’s a win all round. Happy flying