CAVES ACCESS COMMITTEE - CONSTITUTION
Managing Western Australia's locked caves in conjunction with their respective land managing authorities.
1. The name of the committee shall be the ‘CAVES ACCESS COMMITTEE’ and it shall be sknown by this name or CAC.
1.1 The CAC will maintain a post office box and savings bank account. A minimum amount of $50 in the savings bank account will be maintained by the participating caving clubs.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
2.1 To recommend to land management authorities, in whom caves are vested, that trips into all Restricted Access Caves (RAC) Class A which comply with CAC regulations should be approved.
2.2 To ensure the preservation of all Restricted Access Caves (Class A) by minimising the impact of speleologists upon them.
3. The CAC shall be comprised of six (6) people only, consisting of the President of each WA speleological society that is a full council member of the Australian Speleological Federation Inc. (ASF) and a representative of the Dept. of Conservation and Land Management (CALM). The other members of CAC shall be elected by the members of the WA societies designated above at a meeting held on the first Tuesday of May each year. If the lesser positions are unequal, then those positions shall be filled by a member from each club on a rotational basis. Residential positions are to be taken up as of the respective society AGM. All members of CAC must be currently active and experienced cavers.
4. All votes cast at a meeting shall be equal and no member shall hold two votes.
5. A quorum shall be three (3) committee members.
6. To pass any motion there shall be a minimum of three (3) votes supporting the motion.
7. If a committee member is unavailable, he/she shall appoint someone else in his/her stead for a maximum of three (3) months and must advise the other members of CAC.
8. In the event of a resignation or an absence of more than three (3) months, the CAC shall request the relevant society to appoint a person in his/her stead.
9. The CAC members, acting as representatives of their respective societies shall formulate the CAC Constitution (as required), submit it for approval to their societies and approval by the relevant land management authorities and ensure that it is published annually in their respective club newsletters.
10. The CAC shall elect a Chairperson from its members.
APPLICATIONS
The application fee is used to cover expenses incurred while processing a trip application and maintaining the registered address.
11. Only ASF recognised Trip Leaders may apply for access to locked caves under the jurisdiction of the CAC.
12. Trip applications shall be forwarded to the CAC Chairperson at the registered address together with the appropriate fee. Each CAC member contacted will keep a record of trip applications.
13. The CAC Chairperson (as in 12) shall be responsible for consulting the other members of CAC about proposed trips as soon as possible after the receipt of an application.
14. The CAC Chairperson (as in 12-13 above) shall handle correspondence relevant to that application.
15. Any CAC member may vote against allowing access to a locked cave in accordance with the by-laws of this constitution. The reasons for the decision, in detail, must be given in writing to the (applying) Trip Leader.
16. Although the CAC may affirm a trip application to Restricted Access Cave Class A caves, the relevant land management authority provides final approval.
17. All trip applications must be considered with respect to section 2.2 of this constitution.
(Constitution last modified 5/2000)
1. Applications for access to Class A, RAC shall be made at least 1 month before the trip date, later applications may be considered at the discretion of the committee.
2. The fee shall be $10 per application and will be reviewed from time to time at the discretion of the CAC. All moneys must be made payable to the CAC. Application fees are non-refundable.
3. Trip applications must be submitted on the official CAC application form (Appendix 2)
4. A written record of these facts shall be kept by the CAC along with the dissenting reasons (if applicable).
5. Trip participants are encouraged to be members of an ASF affiliated society.
6. After a trip has been approved by CAC any changes in the party shall be at the discretion of the Trip Leader in accordance with the CAC By-laws.
7.
7.1 The CAC shall ask for an explanation in writing of any apparent breach of the Constitution or By-laws.
7.2 Any decision made by the CAC on disciplinary matters shall be unanimous excepting in the case of a CAC member.
7..3 In the event of a CAC member being disciplined, such action as is deemed necessary shall be decided by a simple majority of the other CAC members, subject to the usual appeal should the vote be divided.
7.4 If no decision can be made, it shall be referred to a combined meeting of the ASF affiliated societies of WA. Any member disciplined by CAC has the right of appeal to a combined meeting of the members of the ASF affiliated societies of WA.
7.5 The decision of such a meeting is binding on the CAC.
8. At the May meeting of the ASF affiliated societies, a list of all trip applications received since the previous May meeting shall be tabled. Copies of this list shall be forwarded to the relevant land management authorities.
9.
9.1 Trips into locked caves will be classified as TOURIST or WORK trips.
9.2 A WORK trip may be defined as SURVEYING or SCIENTIFIC. Other work programs may be considered by the committee. Access to locked caves for work trips shall be decided after consideration of the work to be done. Documented results of the work may be requested by the CAC.
9.3 The number of tourist trips into a particular cave or section of cave shall be limited by Appendix 1 of these By-laws.
9.4 A TOURIST trip shall comprise of only one trip consisting of up to the maximum number of persons allowable.
9.5 Members of the public may be included in trips in the ratio as defined in Appendix 1.
9.6 Member of the public is defined as a person who has visited suitable caves under the supervision of the approved trip leader who is leading the trip into the nominated locked cave.
10. Trip Leaders must ensure that all trip reports into locked caves are submitted for publication within two months after the dates of the trip. Failure to submit reports by the due date may jeopardise approval of future trips into locked caves.
11. An application shall be limited to a maximum of two (2) tourist trips
12. Surplus moneys from the CAC account at the end of each financial year shall be used for conservation work within RAC (Class A) caves.
13. The Immediate past Chairperson shall have signing authority on behalf of the CAC in the interim between committee change-oversee.
(Constitution By-Laws last modified 3/1997)