Membership FAQs

Our group has no official legal status, can we still join?

The Corporations Act only allows for individual membership or membership of legal entities.
Individual members of your group are very welcome to apply for membership. If an individual is joining as the contact person for your group, please include this information on the application form. This helps keep it transparent for everyone.

If your group is a project within another legal entity, that organisation may be eligible to apply for membership. Please see the question on project membership.

Our project is housed within a larger organisation, what membership options do we have?

If your project works to support the objectives of the Alliance, but is part of a larger legal entity with broader objectives, that larger organisation can apply for full membership or associated corporate membership, referring to your work when outlining how it supports the Alliance objectives and designating a contact person within your project. Please note, the application must be signed by a duly authorised representative of the legal entity, not by your project.
If you wish to apply for full membership, the core business of the project must be promoting the health and wellbeing of LGBTI people. When determining the annual membership fee, the assessable income will be that of the specific LGBTI project, and not that of the legal entity housing it.

If the organisation/legal entity contains more than one LGBTI project it cannot have multiple memberships for the respective projects, but should refer to all relevant projects when applying for membership.

If the organisation/legal entity is not willing or able to join the Alliance, individual members of the project are very welcome to apply for membership as an Individual Associated Member. If an individual is joining as the contact for your project, please note this on the application form.

I work for an organisation that is already a member of the Alliance, can I still join as an individual?

As far as the Alliance is concerned, yes, if you wish to you can apply for Individual Associated Membership. However, we suggest that you consult with your manager and human resources department to ensure that there is no breach of your employment conditions or potential conflict of interest. We suggest that you also inform your organisation's Alliance contact person as a courtesy.

Download the application form for individual members.

I work for an organisation that is a member of the Alliance, what does that membership mean for me?

You are able to participate in Alliance networks and working groups as an individual as well as to contribute to your organisation’s internal processes for inputting into the Alliance’s work.
When your organisation joined the Alliance it designated a contact person. They are our ‘door’ to your organisation. For example, we send them general information from the Alliance to pass on by what ever processes your organisation decides on. They are also responsible for gathering input from within your organisation to send to us when we seek input into submissions, etc. They should be your first point of contact with the Alliance.
In addition to that kind of input, you can work directly within Alliance structures, by joining or initiating a Network on a specific topic area, and/or contributing to particular Alliance activities. You can find out more about ways to get involved here. You will need to register to access the members-only parts of the Alliance website and participate in these groups. You do that by completing this form. Your organisation’s contact person will be asked to confirm your eligibility, so it might take a few days before you can be registered as a user.

I am the designated contact person for my organisation. What does that mean?

Every member organisation needs to name one person as the main contact for the Alliance. You are the Alliance's ‘door’ into that organisation. As a rule, when the Alliance communicates with the member organisation, it will contact you, and it is your responsibility to pass that information on within your organisation as appropriate, by what ever processes your organisation decides on. You are also responsible for gathering input from within your organisation to send to us when we seek input into submissions, etc.
You are the first point of contact for others working within your organisation for anything to do with the Alliance.
When staff or volunteers in your organisation register to use the members-only parts of the Alliance website, we will contact you to confirm their eligibility, i.e. to confirm that they do in fact work for your organisation and that the contact details are correct. We expect you to keep track of these people and let us know if they leave your organisation.
If your organisation is a Full Member of the Alliance, you will also be the person who has the right to vote on behalf of the organisation at general meetings, unless you appoint a proxy.
If your organisation wants to change its contact person, please contact us.
In addition, you can participate in Alliance activities just the same as any other person within your organisation can.

How does my organisation join the Alliance?

Firstly decide whether your organisation is eligible to join as a Full or an Associated Corporate Member. To join the Alliance please download and fully complete the appropriate membership application form and print it. It needs to be signed by two authorised representative of the organisation. Then mail it to the Alliance. You will need to name one person as the main contact for your organisation.

Download the relevant application form: associated corporate member full member

You may be asked to provide further information or evidence to support your application. You will be notified by email or letter whether your application has been accepted and will be invoiced for your membership fee.

What information about members is publicly accessible?

The Alliance is required to keep a register of members in accordance with the Corporations Act (see clause 6.3 of the constitution). It can be viewed by members of the public. It contains the following information for each member: full name, address, date of admission to and cessation of membership. You need to inform the Alliance within a month if any of your details change.

Must an organisation pay the entire annual fee on 1 July?

As a rule the annual fee is due on 1 July, however, there is some scope for the Board to determine that annual membership fees can be paid by instalments or to extend the time for payment of annual fees. If payment of fees is a problem for you, please contact us. If you don't pay your membership fee, your membership may be terminated (see clause 7 of the constitution).

What if I want to stop being a member?

To resign membership you must give notice in writing (by email or letter). Outstanding fees must still be paid. Annual fees already paid will not be refunded (see clause 7 of the constitution)

What if I want to make a complaint?

The Alliance is drafting a grievance policy. In the meantime, please contact the Executive Director in the first instance if you have a complaint. All complaints will be taken seriously.

What happens if a member behaves in a way that is contrary to the interests of the Alliance?

The Board can cancel membership if it considers that continued membership is undesirable in the interest of the other members. This may be because the member has refused to fulfil its obligations, has brought discredit on the Alliance or has disrupted the activities of the Alliance, or because the member organisation is controlled by a person whose interests or whose primary business is, in the opinion of the Board, contrary to the interests of the Alliance or its members. The member must be notified of the complaint against it and is entitled to respond (see clause 7 of the constitution).
We are developing a grievance procedure which will outline steps you should take if you become aware of another member behaving against the interests of the Alliance. In the meantime, please contact the Executive Director if you have any such concerns.

If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, please contact us.

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