Being knowledgeable about your club’s obligations to Swimming NSW, Swimming Australia, regulatory and legal bodies is an essential part of running a well-governed club. As an incorporated club, it’s important to ensure you comply with rules, regulations and laws as a part of ongoing governance. If you need assistance or advice from Swimming NSW, please email clubsupport@nsw.swimming.org.au

Governing with Risk in mind

The technical meaning of risk (according to Standards Australia) is “the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives. It is measured in terms of consequences and likelihood.” AS/NZS 4360:1999.

Most people associate risk with negative or hazardous situations. In fact, risks can be both negative and positive.

Here is an example of a negative and a positive risk…

  • Negative Risk: A decline in your club’s membership by more than 20 members
  • Positive Risk: An increase in your club’s membership by more than 20 members

For more information view our Risk Management Policy HERE

There are more resources for Risk Management and Work Health and Safety HERE.

Club Constitution and By-Laws

Each club must have their own constitution which sets out the administration structure of your club as well as member’s rights and liabilities. The constitution sets out the purposes of the club and all of the rules under which it proposes to operate. The club organisation must reflect the way in which the constitution is written.

The constitution defines the rights and duties of individual members and committee members who are elected to run the club on a day to day basis. 

All meetings, swim meets, elections and matters pertaining to your club must be dealt with in accordance with the clauses of your constitution. All club matters can usually be solved by referring to the club constitution.

By-Laws are other day to day rules of your club that are able to be changed at any club committee meeting. Changes to a constitution can only happen at a General Meeting (eg AGM or Special General Meeting).

Constitutions must be sent to the NSW Department of Fair Trading and also SNSW (by uploading to Swim Central).

The club must ensure that they meet the Fair Trading compliance that applies to their operations. NSW Fair Trading is very helpful by phone, email or their website. Click HERE for more details.

The contact enquiry email address that Clubs should send correspondence to NSW Fair Trading is:

registryinquiries@customerservice.nsw.gov.au

If the Public Officer needs to contact NSW Fair trading the phone number is:

1800 502 042