In this month’s podcast we talk about financial decision-making in registered organisations, and the practical steps you can take to meet the expected standards of conduct in your organisation. We also discuss how organisations can promote good governance. 

The ROC has a complaints handling process to manage and fairly resolve protected disclosures, taking into account the information provided by the whistleblower, the registered organisation concerned and other sources. Listen to our first episode for 2022 to find out how eligible disclosures are managed behind-the-scenes, including real-world examples and best practice tips to inform an investigation.

Our final podcast for 2021 is about the annual return of information, which needs to be lodged with the ROC by 31st March 2022. This podcast will help you to get on the front-foot as you prepare to lodge your annual return early next year.

As 2021 comes to a close, we talk to the ROC’s Executive Director, Chris Enright, about the latest compliance issues involving registered organisations and office-holders as well as the ROC’s priorities for the year ahead. Note: The Digital Classroom will be available on the ROC website from 30 November.

This month we talk about transparency in registered organisations and the practical steps you can take to promote engagement and participation by members.  We share good governance strategies to help registered organisations promote financial transparency, including through record-keeping procedures and the management of disclosures. 

It’s essential for registered organisations to know who their related parties are. It’s relevant for financial reporting and also your disclosure requirements under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (the RO Act). In this month’s episode of ROCpod we explore the compliance requirements about related parties.

In this month’s podcast we explain the statutory duties of office-holders and share tips about how organisations can support their officers to act ethically and comply with their duties. We also discuss contemporary examples of how the Courts have enforced them.

This month, Commissioner Mark Bielecki reflects on recent matters from corporate Australia where governance practices have faced public scrutiny. While the analysis has largely focussed on conduct outside of our jurisdiction, Commissioner Bielecki explains the transferrable lessons relevant for registered organisations and their officeholders.

Some reporting units must act now to rotate their registered auditor. Do you know when your reporting unit is due to rotate your registered auditor? In this month’s podcast we talk about the auditor rotation requirement under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 and provide answers to the most frequently asked questions.

In our latest episode of ROCpod we talk about how the ROC assesses financial reports and the tools available to improve compliance performance. We also identify the common non-compliance issues with prescribed information for elections and share how registered organisations can support an efficient decision-making process.  The episode uncovers some common roadblocks to processing a lodgement, and the education resources that can help to avoid errors and delays.

The ROC’s approach to compliance and enforcement starts with providing education and assistance, including tools and resources to help with compliance and offering tailored assistance to organisations and branches. We routinely work with organisations to strengthen their systems and processes to prevent future breaches of the law. Where serious non-compliance has not resolved via alternative processes, the ROC has pursued a small number of matters in the Federal Court. We discuss what the...

In our latest episode of ROCpod we discuss how leaders of registered organisations can model ethical behaviour and encourage people to speak up against misconduct. The ROC’s Executive Director Chris Enright shares his experience of handling whistleblower matters and provides strategies and examples to assist organisations to effectively resolve matters themselves. 

Elections are again underway, after they were suspended in 2020 due to safety concerns with COVID-19. Organisations interested in conducting their own elections (instead of using the Australian Electoral Commission, which is the default position under legislation) have approached the ROC for guidance and we have assisted them to navigate the process. In our latest episode of ROCpod we discuss the challenges and offer practical solutions to them, including how a registered organisation can...

Registered organisations often engage with multiple regulators at one time. For example, most organisations require the assistance of the ROC and the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to fill their office positions through elections.  If your organisation is considering a rule change, listen to the podcast to discover how the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and the ROC can provide advice and assistance to you throughout the process. In our latest episode of ROCpod: Talking with the Registered...

Our final episode of ROCpod for this year is an instalment of our Good Governance in Practice series about managing conflicts of interest. Officers of registered organisations have a responsibility to carry out their duties in good faith and in the best interests of the organisation. A personal interest may come into conflict with this responsibility. However through good governance, organisations can identify and manage conflicts of interest. In our latest podcast we draw on examples of...

Our latest episode of ROCpod features a conversation with the Registered Organisations Commissioner Mark Bielecki. He reflects on the challenges of this extraordinary year, and the compliance achievements of registered organisations. Don’t miss out on hearing about the key priorities for registered organisations in 2021, and how we can help you achieve voluntary compliance.  

Officers of registered organisations play an important role in the running of their organisation, and they are influential drivers of good governance. It is essential that all officers have the knowledge and tools to carry out their functions and responsibilities under their organisation’s rules and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (‘the RO Act’). An induction program is a structured way of providing new officers with much of the information and support they need to be...

The Registered Organisations Commission is committed to educating registered organisations about financial and other responsibilities and engaging with them to provide practical tools to help with compliance.  In our latest episode of ROCpod we shine a spotlight on the tools that can save organisations time and money when complying with the Fair Work (Registered Organisations Act) 2009.  Our materials have been carefully designed to simplify the compliance requirements of the RO Act. We...

Meetings are an essential part of running a registered organisation. They are the place for decision-making, sharing information, asking questions and solving problems. The Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (the RO Act) requires the rules of registered organisations to govern how certain meetings are conducted in organisations and branches.  However, effective governance practices for conducting meetings go beyond the requirements in the RO Act. In this episode of ROCpod we...

To ensure that federally registered organisations are accountable to their members and function democratically, the regulatory scheme governing them requires that office holders in organisations  and their branches must be elected. The majority of elections for office holders in federally registered organisations are conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission through arrangements made by the Registered Organisations Commissioner and in accordance with the regulatory scheme. In this...

Proper decision making and good record keeping can protect the registered organisation, its officers and its members. They are equally important to ensure that registered organisations are transparent and accountable to their members. There are a number of records that registered organisations must keep under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (the RO Act). However, good governance practices may go beyond the requirements in the RO Act. To assist people in registered...

In our latest podcast episode we take listeners on a behind the scenes tour of the ROC. We speak to staff representing the investigations and compliance, financial reporting, and education teams to get an insight into the work they do to assist registered organisations, their branches and officers. You meet some of the people who work with registered organisations to: Resolve compliance issues in advance of inquiries and investigations Respond to whistleblower disclosures, including...

The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting significant challenges for the community, including registered organisations, as physical distancing and other measures require us to work in different ways. In this episode we explore some of the issues we know registered organisations are navigating at this time, and discuss the help and assistance available from the ROC. Please note that we have changed our podcast schedule in order to respond to the emerging concerns and issues of our stakeholders. We...

In this episode we are joined by the Registered Organisations Commissioner Mark Bielecki and the Executive Director Chris Enright. We discuss the ROC’s approach to the regulation of registered organisations in Australia, and reflect on how the regulation of organisations has evolved over time.

In this episode, we take a closer look at the obligation for organisations and branches to lodge an Officer and related party disclosure (ORP) statement. Since this requirement came into effect in 2018, the ROC has consulted with registered organisations to provide tailored advice about how to prepare the ORP statement in compliance with the RO Act. This episode features a discussion between three members of staff who have been directly involved in the assessment of ORP statements. In this...