General meetings

A general meeting is a meeting where corporation members are given an opportunity to participate in the corporation’s affairs.

They are a gathering where members can receive information, discuss corporation performance and make decisions about issues within their responsibility. Certain corporation business can only be carried out at a general meeting.  

The purpose of each general meeting might be to address different issues but there are some issues that must be addressed. 

Types of general meetings  

There are 3 types of general meetings:

• the first general meeting must be held within 3 months of registering under the CATSI Act to start good accountability and transparency practices
• an annual general meeting (AGM) must be held every year to report to members on corporation performance and allow them to participate in corporation decisions
• a general meeting can be held any time when there is a need for members to discuss and consider an important matter that cannot wait until the next AGM.

First general meeting  

A corporation must hold its first general meeting within 3 months of registering under the CATSI Act.  

The first general meeting is a good opportunity to make sure everyone understands and agrees on:

• what the corporation is trying to achieve  
• how the corporation will be governed.

The CATSI Act doesn’t set specific business to be conducted at the first general meeting. Your agenda for the first general meeting could include:  

• membership update  
• financial update, such as the receipt and expenditure of funds  
• operations update, for example key staff changes or how strategies or plans are tracking
• planning of projects or initiatives  
• appointing an auditor, when relevant.  

Annual general meeting

An AGM is a gathering of members held once a year within 5 months of the corporation’s financial year ending. It’s an important exercise in board accountability to members.  

The purpose of an AGM is for members to exercise their rights to learn about what happened in the year just gone and make decisions for the year ahead.  

The main business of an AGM is:

• reporting to members on corporation performance and finances
• allowing members to ask questions of the board and auditor, and express their views on the corporation’s governance and performance
• allowing members to vote on matters like the appointment of directors and auditor, and related party transactions.

Other general meeting

Some people refer to other general meetings as ‘special general meetings’ or 'extraordinary general meetings' but in the CATSI Act there are just ‘general meetings’. A corporation can hold a general meeting other than the AGM only if there is an item of business that cannot wait until the next AGM.

Reasons for holding a general meeting separate to the AGM could be:  

• the directors want to decide on major plans or projects and want members’ views  
• members have asked to discuss a particular issue or proposed a resolution
• the corporation wants to change its name  
• the corporation wants to change its rule book
• the corporation wants to wind up.