Constitution
Victorian Weightlifting Association Statement of Purposes
ASSOCIATIONS INCORPORATION ACT
STATEMENT OF PURPOSES OF THE
VICTORIAN WEIGHTLIFTING ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED
1. The name of the Incorporated Association is “VICTORIAN WEIGHTLIFTING ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED”
2. The purposes of the Association are:
(i) To organise and control the sport of weightlifting in Victoria under International Weightlifting Federation Rules.
(ii) To develop Cupertino amongst competitors and officials in weightlifting in Victoria.
(iii) To authorise and supervise all weightlifting activities of members in Victoria.
(iv) To maintain all affiliations with the Australian Weightlifting Federation and any other sporting organisations as may be deemed necessary for the proper advancement and recognition of weightlifting.
(v) To present weightlifting in its proper form to the public.
(vi) To do all things which are condIWFve or incidental to the attainment of the above purposes or any of them.
For the purpose of furthering the purposes set out above, the Association shall have the power :-
(a) To contribute towards the provision of prizes, awards and distinctions provided that such shall not be in contravention of the provisions of the Associations Incorporation Act.
(b) To subscribe to, become a member of and cooperate with, amalgamate with, any other Association or Organisation, whether incorporated or not, whose purposes are substantially similar to those of the Association. Provided that the Association shall not subscribe to ,financially support or amalgamate with any body which does not prohibit the distribution of its income or property among its members to an extent at least as great as that imposed on the Association under or by virtue of the Rules or the provisions of the Associations Incorporation Act.
(c) To buy, sell and deal in any kinds of apparatus and all manner of provisions required by members of the Association or persons using or visiting the Association’s premises.
(d) To purchase, take on lease or in exchange , hire or otherwise acquire any property real or personal, and any rights or privileges which may be requisite for the purpose of, or conveniently used in connection with, any of the purposes of the Association. Provided that if the Association takes or holds any property which may be subject to any trust,
the Association shall only deal in the same in such manner as is allowed by law having regard to such trusts.
(e) To appoint, employ, remove or suspend such managers, clerks, secretaries, servants, workmen or other persons as may be necessary or convenient for the purposes of the Association.
(f) To construct, improve, maintain, develop, work, manage, carry out, alter or control any house, buildings, grounds, works or conveniences which may seem calculated directly or indirectly to advance the Association’s interests, and to contribute to , subsidise or otherwise assist or take part in the construction, improvement, maintenance, development, working, management, carrying out, alteration or control thereof.
(g) To invest and deal with the money of the Association not immediately required in such manner as may be permitted by law for the investment of trust funds.
(h) To borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as the Association may deem fit, and to secure the same or the repayment or performance of any debt, liability, contract, guarantee or other engagement incurred or to be entered into by the Association in any way and in particular by the issue of debentures perpetual or otherwise charged upon all or any of the Association’s property(both present and future), and to purchase , redeem or pay off any such securities.
(i) To enter into any arrangements with any Government or authority, (Commonwealth, State, Territorial or Municipal) which may seem conducive to the Association’s purposes or any of them, and to obtain from any such Government or authority any rights, privileges or concessions which the Association may deem it desirable to obtain ,and to carry out, exercise and comply with any such arrangements, rights, privileges and concessions.
(j) To make, draw, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills of exchange, bills of lading and other negotiable or transferable instruments.
(k) To sell, improve, manage, develop, exchange, lease, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property and rights of the Association.
(l) To take or hold mortgages, liens and charges to secure payment of the purchase price or any unpaid balance of the purchase price, of any part of the Association’s property of whatsoever kind sold by the Association or any money due to the Association from the purchasers and others.
(m) To indemnify any person or persons whether members of the Association or not who may incur or have incurred any personal liability for the benefit of the Association.
(n) To take any gift of property whether subject to any special trust or not, for any one or more of the objects of the Association but subject always to the proviso in paragraph (a) of this clause.
(o) To do all things deemed necessary to procure funds for the Association.
(p) To print and publish any newspapers, periodicals, books or leaflets that the Association deems appropriate for the promotion of its objects.
(q) To purchase or otherwise acquire or take all or any part of the property , assets, liabilities and engagements or any one or more or the companies, institutions, societies or associations with which the Association is authorised to amalgamate.
(r) To make donations for patriotic or charitable purposes.
ASSOCIATIONS INCORPORATION ACT
RULES OF THE VICTORIAN WEIGHTLIFTING ASSOCIATION
1 The name of the incorporated Association is “Victorian Weightlifting Association Incorporated” (in these Rules called “the Association”)
INTERPRETATION
2 (1) In these rules , unless the contrary intention appears:-
“Council” means the Council of Management of the Association.
“Financial year” means the year ending on the thirtieth day of June, or on such other date as the Council may from time to time determine.
“Member” means a member of the Association.
“Ordinary member of the Council” means a member or the Council who is not an officer of the Association under Rule sixteen
“The Act” means the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 as amended from time to time.
“The Regulations” means the regulations made under the Act.
(2) In these Rules, a reference to the Honorary Secretary of the Association means:-
(a) when a person holds office under these Rules as Honorary Secretary of the Association-to that person; and
(b) in any other case, to the public officer of the Association.
(3) Words or expressions contained in these rules shall be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of the Acts Interpretation Act 1958 or the legislation enacted in its place.
(4) Words or expressions importing the singular number or the masculine gender also includes the plural number or the feminine gender, as the case may be, and vice versa.
MEMBERSHIP
3 (1) The Association shall be comprised of registered members only.
(2) A registered member is a natural person who has been nominated as a life member by the Council or who:-
(a) has made application to the Association in the form fixed by the Council; and
(b) has had his application for membership ratified by the Council; and
(c) has paid the membership fee fixed by the Council.
(3) The Council may recognise such :-
(i) affiliated Clubs
(ii) associated Clubs
(a) whose officers are members of the Association, and
(b) whose members of which who participate in weightlifting competitions held under the auspices of the Association are also members of the Association,
as it deems fit.
(4) Members shall be classified in the following categories;-
(a) Senior members are members who have attained their twentieth birthday before the first day of January of the current year.
(b) Under 20 members are members who have attained their eighteenth birthday but have not as yet attained their twentieth birthday on the first day of January of the current year.
(c) Under 18 members are members who have not attained their eighteenth birthday but have attained their sixteenth birthday as of the first day of January of the current year. They shall have no voting rights.
(d) Under 16 members are members who have not attained their sixteenth birthday before the first day of January of the current year. They shall have no voting rights.
(e) School members are members who attend as full time students at a registered primary \secondary school. Such members shall have no voting rights.
(5) A member who has given the Association distinguished and meritorious service may be appointed a life member by a vote of the members present and voting at an annual general meeting.
(6) A nomination of a person for membership of the Association;-
(a) shall be in writing on the appropriate form;
(b) shall be lodged with the honorary Treasurer of the Association or such other person as determined by the Council, and
(c) shall be accompanied by the prescribed membership fee.
(7) Upon a nomination being referred to the Council, the Council shall determine whether to approve or reject the nomination.
(8) Payment of the annual membership fee shall entitle the nominee to membership for the current calendar year.
(9) Annual membership fees shall be as fixed by the Council from time to time.
(10) Upon acceptance by the Council as a member, the name of the member shall be entered on the Register of Members, which Register shall be available for inspection by members.
DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS
4 If any member shall refuse or neglect to comply with these Rules or by-laws made thereunder or shall be guilty of any conduct which in the opinion of the Council is unbecoming of a member or prejudicial to the interests of the Association, the Council shall have the power by resolution to:-
(a) censure
(b) fine
(c) suspend
(d) expel
the member .
PROVIDED that at least one week before the meeting at which such a resolution is considered, the member shall be given notice of such meeting, and of what is being alleged against him, and of the intended resolution; and that he shall at such meeting and before the passing of such resolution have had an opportunity of giving orally or in writing any explanation or defence which he may think fit.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
5 (1) The Association shall in each calendar year convene an annual general meeting of its members.
(2) The annual general meeting shall be held on such day as the Council determines.
(3) The annual general meeting shall be specified as such in the notice convening it,
(4) The ordinary business of the annual general meeting shall be;-
(a) to confirm the minutes of the preceding annual general meeting and of any general meeting held since that meeting.
(b) to receive from the Council reports upon the transactions of the Association during the last preceding financial year.
(c) to elect such officers of the Association and such ordinary members of the Council whose term of office have expired.
(d) to receive and consider the statements submitted to the Association in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
(5) The annual general meeting may transact special business of which notice is given in accordance with these Rules.
(6) The annual general meeting shall be in addition to any other general meetings that may be held in the same year.
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
6 All general meetings other than the annual general meeting shall be called a special general meeting.
7 A special general meeting shall be convened in the following cases:-
(i) Upon the direction of not less than fifty per cent in number of the Council members, or
(ii) Petition received by the Honorary Secretary signed by not less than one third of the members who are entitled to vote.
NOTICE OF MEETING
8 (i) The Honorary Secretary of the Association shall, at least twenty-one days before the date fixed for the holding of a special general meeting of the Association, cause to be sent to each member of the Association who is entitled to vote at his address appearing in the register of members, a notice by pre paid post stating the place, date and time of meeting, and the nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting.
(ii) No business other than that set out in the notice convening the meeting shall be transacted at the meeting.
(iii) A member who is entitled to vote who desires to bring any business before a meeting may give notice of that business in writing to the Honorary Secretary, who shall include that business in the notice calling the next general meeting after the receipt of the notice PROVIDED that such notice is received by the Honorary Secretary at least thirty days prior to the next general meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS
9 (i) All business that is transacted at a special general meeting and all business that is transacted at the annual general meeting with the exception of that specifically referred to in these Rules as being the ordinary business of the annual general meeting shall be deemed to be special business.
(ii) No item of business shall be transacted at a general meeting unless a quorum of members entitled under these Rules to vote is present during the time when the meeting is considering the item.
(iii) Ten members personally present (being members entitled under these Rules to vote at a general meeting) constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of a general meeting.
(iv) If within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement of a general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and (unless another place is specified by the chairman at the time of the adjournment or by written notice to the members given before the day to which the meeting is adjourned) at the same place, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour after the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting , the members present (being not less than eight ) shall be a quorum.
10(i) The President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall preside as chairman at each general meeting of the Association.
(ii) If the President and the Vice-President are absent from a general meeting, the members present shall elect one of their number to preside as Chairman of the meeting.
11 The Chairman of a general meeting at which a quorum is present may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and place to place, but no business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting at which the adjournment took place.
12 A question arising at a general meeting of the Association shall be determined on a show of hands or in such other manner as the meeting determines.
13(i) Upon any question arising at a general meeting of the Association, a member has one vote only.
(ii) All votes shall be cast personally.
(iii) In the case of an equality of voting an a question, the Chairman of the meeting is entitled to exercise a second or casting vote (provided that the Chairman is either the President or the Vice-President).
(iv) The Chairman’s ruling on any matter of constitutional interpretation or of procedure at a general meeting shall be absolute and final.
14 Only current members of the Association shall be entitled to vote at general meetings.
COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT
15(1) The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Council of Management constituted as provided in Rule 15 (3).
(2) The Council:-
(a) shall control and manage the business and affairs of the Association.
(b) may, subject to these Rules, the Act and the Regulations, exercise all such powers and functions as may be exercised by the Association other than those powers and functions that are required by these rules to be exercised by general meetings of the members of the Association.
(c) Subject to these Rules, the Act and the Regulations, has power to perform all such things and acts as appear to the Council to be necessary for the proper management of the business and affairs of the Association.
(3) Subject to section three of the Act, the Council shall consist of:-
(a) the officers of the Association
(b) eight ordinary members-
each of whom shall be elected at an annual general meeting of the Association and shall hold office until the Annual General Meeting held in respect of the year four calendar years next ensuing after such election of such officer or member.
16(1) The officers of the Association shall be:-
(a) a President
(b) a Vice- President
(c) an Honorary Secretary
(d) an Honorary Treasurer
(2) The provisions of Rule 17 so far as they are applicable and with the necessary modifications apply to and in relation to the election of persons to any of the offices mentioned in clause 16 (1).
(3) In the event of a casual vacancy in any office referred to in clause 16(1), the Council may appoint one of its members to fill the vacant office, and the member so appointed may continue in office during the unexpired term of the officer whose departure resulted in such casual vacancy.
(4) In the event of a casual vacancy occurring in the office of an ordinary member of the Council, the Council may appoint a member of the Association to fill the vacancy, and the member so appointed shall hold office, subject to these rules, during the unexpired term of the member whose departure resulted in such casual vacancy.
(5) (i) The Council shall appoint an Executive Director of the Association.
(ii) The Executive Director shall hold office until his appointment is revoked by the Council.
(6) Questions arising at any meeting of the Council shall be decided by a majority vote of those present. In the event of an equality of votes, the President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall have a second or casting vote.
ELECTION OF COUNCIL
17(1) Nomination of candidates for election as officers of the Association or as ordinary members of the Council;-
(a) shall be in writing and signed by the candidate and one other member of the Association, and
(b) shall be delivered to the office of the Association at least twenty one days prior to the annual general meeting when the election for such office is to be held.
(2) If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Council, the candidates nominated shall be deemed to be elected and further nominations shall be received at the annual general meeting.
(3) If the number of nominations received is equal to the number of vacancies to be filled, the persons nominated shall be deemed to be elected.
(4) If the number of nominations exceeds the number of the vacancies to be filled, a ballot shall be held at the annual general meeting in a manner determined by the meeting.
(5) The members entitled to vote at an election of officers of the Association or of ordinary members of the Council shall be those members whose names are on the Register of members as at the close of business on the day forty days prior to the date fixed for the holding of the General Meeting (whether that date is fixed prior to or later than forty days prior to the holding of the Meeting) at which such election is to take place. No person whose name is placed on the Register of members after the close of business on the day forty days prior to the General Meeting as aforesaid shall be entitled to vote at any such election.
VACANCY OF COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
18 For the purpose of these Rules, the office of an officer of the Association or of an ordinary member of the Council becomes vacant if the officer or member;-
(a) ceases to be a member of the Association
(b) becomes an insolvent under administration within the meaning of the Companies Law
(c) resigns his office by notice in writing given to the Honorary Secretary
(d) fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Council without reasonable excuse.
PROCEDURE OF COUNCIL
19(1) The Council shall meet at such places and at such times as the Council may determine.
(2) Special meetings of the Council may be requisitioned by a majority of the members of the Council.
(3) Notice shall be given to members of the Council of any special meeting specifying the general nature of the business to be transacted and no other business shall be transacted at such meetings.
(4) A simple majority of the members of the Council constitutes a quorum for the transaction of the business of a meeting of the Council.
(5) No business shall be transacted unless a quorum is present , and if within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same time and place on the same day in the following week , unless it was a special meeting , in which case it lapses.
(6) At meetings of the Council;-
(a) the President or in his absence the Vice-President shall preside, or
(b) if the President and the Vice- President are absent, such member of the Council as may be chosen by the members present shall preside.
(7) Questions arising at meetings of the Council or of any sub-committee appointed by the Council shall be determined on a show of hands or, if demanded by a member, by a poll taken in such manner as the person presiding at the meeting may determine,
(8) Written notice of each Council meeting shall be served on each member of the Council by delivering it to him at a reasonable time before the meeting or by sending it by pre-paid post addressed to him at his usual or last known place of abode at least two business days before the date of the meeting.
(9) Subject to paragraph (4) of this clause, the Council may act notwithstanding any vacancy on the Council.
20(1) The Executive shall consist of the;-
(a) President
(b) Vice-President
(c) Honorary Secretary
(d) Honorary Treasurer.
(2) The Executive shall have and may exercise the powers of the Council between meetings of the Council, provided that any exercise of such powers and all decisions of the Executive shall be reported to the Council at its next meeting.
(3) All decisions of the Executive shall bind the Association unless rescinded by the Council at its next meeting after such decision.
(4) The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Executive shall be three.
HONORARY TREASURER
21(1) The Honorary Treasurer of the Association;-
(a) shall collect and receive all monies due to the Association and make all payments authorised by the Association, and
(b) shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs of the Association with proper details of all receipts and expenditure connected with the activities of the Association.
(2) The accounts and books referred to in clause 21(1) shall be available for inspection by members.
AUDIT
22 A properly qualified auditor shall be appointed who shall examine the accounts and books of the Association and report to the Association annually.
REMOVAL OF COUNCIL MEMBER
23 The Association in general meeting may by resolution remove any member of the Council before the expiration of his term of office and appoint another member in his stead to hold office until the expiration of the term of the first mentioned member.
CHEQUES
24 All cheques, drafts, bills of exchange, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments shall be signed by any two of the following persons;-
(a) the President
(b) the Honorary Treasurer
(c) the Honorary Secretary
or any other Council members as are appointed by the Council from time to time.
COMMON SEAL
25(1) The Common Seal of the Association shall be kept in the custody of the Honorary Secretary.
(2) The common seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of the Council, and the affixing of the Common Seal shall be attested by the signatures of two members of the Council.
26 The income and property of the Association, whencesoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the purposes of the Association as set forth in the Association’s Statement of Purposes; no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred , directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise to the members of the Association. Provided that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith, of reasonable and proper remuneration to any officers or servants of the Association, or to any member of the Association, in return for any services actually rendered to the Association, nor prevent the payment of interest at a rate not exceeding the interest at the rate for the time being charged by bankers in Melbourne for overdrawn accounts on money lent, or reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let by any member of the Association..
27 If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Association there remains, after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid or distributed among the members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Association under or by virtue of clause 26 hereof, such institution or institutions to be determined by the members of the Association at or before the time of the dissolution , and if and as so far as effect cannot be given to the aforesaid provision, then to some charitable object.
CONTROL OF SPORT
28(1) (a) No member shall compete in any competition conducted outside Victoria without the prior approval of the Council.
(b) No member shall participate in any competition or contest or exhibition which has been disapproved by the Council.
(c) Lifters and officials shall at all times conduct themselves in a proper manner. Breaches of accepted standards of behaviour, including courtesy towards other lifters and officials, may be dealt with by such disciplinary action as the Council determines.
(d) If during any organised competition, any member behaves in an unbecoming fashion, he should be warned by the referees to cease and desist from the same, if the unbecoming behaviour continues, the referees may disqualify the member from the competition.
(e) All approaches on behalf of the Association to any representative of the media shall be made only by a spokesman appointed by the Council. No person other than such spokesman shall make any comment or statement which purports to be made on behalf of the Association to any representative or any of the media.
(f) No club or member shall seek sponsorship from any source whatsoever without first seeking and obtaining the approval of the Association in order that such sponsorship does not conflict with the interests of the Association. The Council may in its absolute discretion refuse such approval.
(g) Only members may participate in contests conducted by or on behalf of the Association.
(2) (a) All contests and record attempts shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules and Rulings of the International Weightlifting Federation.
(b) No member may participate in any inter-club or inter-State or other weightlifting contest which has not first been approved by the Council.
(c) Competitors’ dress, behaviour and demeanour at all contests and Association activities must be appropriate. At championships and such other contests as may be decided by the Council, a proper lifting costume must be worn.
(d) Competitors must, at all times, handle the equipment provided with care.
(3) The Council shall appoint a Technical Co-ordinator who shall;-
(a) maintain a list of properly qualified referees
(b) be responsible for recommending the appointment of State and National referees
(c) nominate the Referees for Association calendar events.
(4) Members selected to represent Victoria, or competing in competitions conducted by the Association shall wear the Council approved uniform, track suit, T-shirt and lifting costume if such item is supplied by the Association to the member.
(5) No form of advertising in any manner whatsoever except that which is approved by the Council will be permitted at any event conducted by or on behalf of the Association.
(6) The official competitive uniform of the Association shall be as is determined by the Council from time to time.
(7) Referees may disqualify any competitor who is attired in a manner contrary to the Rules of the International Weightlifting Federation or in any manner contrary to these Rules.
(8) The Council shall appoint a record keeper, who shall be responsible for forwarding to the Australian Weightlifting Federation Record Keeper all duly signed claims for National, Commonwealth, Oceania and World records. He shall present to the meeting of the Council a list of claims for State records submitted since the previous meeting.
(9) No claim for a Victorian record will be ratified unless the lift was judged by two qualified State Referees and one Club Referee.
(10) The Rules and Rulings of the International Weightlifting Federation shall be the rules of all weightlifting competitions held in Victoria.
(11) Records shall be recorded in a register kept by the Association.
ALTERATION OF RULES AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSES
29 The rules and the statement of purposes of the Association shall not be altered except in accordance with the Act.
NOTICES
30(1) A notice may be served by or on behalf of the Association upon any member either personally or by sending it by post to the member at his address shown in the Register of Members.
(2) Where a document is properly addressed pre-paid and posted to a person as a letter , the document shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to have been given to that person at the time at which the letter would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post.
REGISTERS AND FINANCIAL RECORDS
31 All registers and financial records, as well as any other records or data which it is expedient to keep in an electronic form, may be kept in such form.
CUSTODY OF BOOKS
32 Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Honorary Treasurer shall keep in his custody or under his control, all books, documents and securities of the Association.
SOURCE OF FUNDS
33 The funds of the Association shall be derived from entrance fees, annual subscriptions, donations and such other sources as the Council determines,
BY-LAWS
34 The Council may make such by-laws and regulations as the Council in its absolute discretion deems necessary to further the purposes of the Association.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
35(1) In the event of any dispute arising under the Rules between:-
(a) a member, or
(b) a member and the Association
the member who alleges such dispute exists, and who desires that the dispute be resolved, must give notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary that he/she is in such dispute, and that he/she has a grievance which he/she requires be resolved by a Grievance Committee pursuant to the Rules.
(2) The notice referred to in paragraph 1 hereof must contain:-
(a) a general description of the dispute
(b) a statement identifying the rule or rules under which it is alleged the dispute arises
(c) the identity of the parties to the dispute
(d) the steps which the member has taken to endeavour to resolve the dispute
(e) the relief to which the member claims to be entitled under the rules.
(3) In the event of the Honorary Secretary receiving a notice from a member pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the President shall, within twenty - one days of the receipt of such Notice, appoint a Grievance Committee to hear and determine such dispute. He shall also supply a copy of the Notice given pursuant to paragraph 1 to the member or members being complained of (in the event that the dispute is between members of the Association).
(4) The Grievance Committee shall consist of the President, one ordinary member of the Council nominated by a simple majority of the council, and three other persons appointed by the President in his unfettered discretion. The three other persons need not be members of the Association.
(5) The Grievance Committee shall meet to hear and determine the said dispute on a date within three months after the appointment of the Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee shall meet at a time and place determined by the members thereof.
(6) The Grievance Committee shall hear and determine the dispute according to the procedure determined as appropriate by the members thereof. The Grievance Committee is not bound to apply any formal rules of procedure, and may adopt such procedures as it considers appropriate in all the circumstances, provided always that it shall act in accordance with the principles of natural justices.
(7) A member who is involved in a dispute which is the subject of a hearing and determination by a Grievance Committee as aforesaid may appoint any person to act on his her behalf in the proceedings before the Grievance Committee.
(8) The Grievance Committee shall hear and determine the dispute, and the decision of that Committee shall be final and conclusive.