ACCOUNTANT

The St Vincent de Paul Society has lent the hand of support to Australians experiencing disadvantage for over 175 years. Almost 35,000 members and volunteers dedicate their time and talents to this important work in communities across the country. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia is united in its spirituality and management through the International Confederation of the St Vincent de Paul Society (The Rule, Part II, Art. 1.1). National Council is instituted by the International Council General (The Rule, Part III, Art. 15) and follows the international and Australian statutes outlined in the Rule.

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia (‘the Society in Australia’) is governed by The Rule which embraces the principle of subsidiarity such that decisions are made as close as possible to the level where activities are performed ensuring local circumstances are taken into consideration (The Rule, Part I, At 3.9).

The Society in Australia consists of the National Council and six State Councils and two Territory Councils that together assist the Society’s members carry out good works.  

The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia Inc.

Under The Rule, the National Council is the Society’s superior council in Australia (The Rule Part II, Art. 1.6). National Council authorises the legal entities that operate in Australia in the name of the St Vincent de Paul Society.  Each of the Society’s nine councils in Australia are registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC).

Each Council deploys a corporate body that allows the Society to conduct its business within the laws of the land.  This governance framework sees Society Members following The Rule and the Objects contained in their respective civil constitutions.  Civil constitutions are subservient to The Rule except where legislation requires a corporate body to abide by a jurisdiction’s legislative and regulatory requirements.

National Council and some of the state and territory councils have established and control separate subsidiary bodies corporate to assist in the good works of the Society.  Each subsidiary entity is registered with the ACNC.

National Council, each State and Territory Council and each subsidiary entity has its own safeguarding policy and procedures as required by law. National Council’s safeguarding policy is a cornerstone of the organisational culture of providing a safe and secure environment for children and vulnerable adults when they come into contact with the Society in Australia.

National Council is responsible for ensuring each council has safeguarding policies and procedures in place and that all Society Members, volunteers and employees follow the Society’s safeguarding policies that apply to them.  Compliance with the legal requirements applying to safeguarding policies and procedures in each state and territory is the responsibility of the relevant State and Territory Council.

National Council meetings provide a forum for State and Territory Councils to report on their safeguarding activities and to discuss and consider national safeguarding policy directions which ensure best practice is achieved  across the Society in Australia.

National Council is an active member of the SSVP Oceania Partners Forum which involves the National Councils in the Oceania Zone. The Forum is committed to support culturally appropriate initiatives designed to ensure safeguarding practices are implemented at the local level.