How to Join, Resign or Remove a Committee Member

Committee membership isn't fixed for the year

Most committees are elected at the AGM, but life doesn't wait for the next annual meeting. Owners move, resign, become unable to serve, or occasionally need to be removed. How each of these situations is handled — and who has the authority to act — depends on your state's strata legislation, so treat this as a general guide and confirm the specifics for your jurisdiction before making a change.

Nominating and joining the committee

At the AGM

Nominations for the committee are typically called for and voted on as part of the AGM. Eligibility to serve — generally being an owner, or in some states a person nominated by a corporate owner — varies, and some states cap the number of committee positions. Check the eligibility rules before accepting a nomination.

Outside the AGM

If a position becomes vacant during the year, most states allow the existing committee to fill it as a "casual vacancy" without waiting for the next AGM — see below. Check whether your state requires this to be ratified at the next general meeting.

Resigning from the committee

A committee member who wants to step down should:

• Notify the secretary (or chairperson, if the secretary is the one resigning) in writing, so there's a clear record of the date
• Confirm whether their state or scheme rules require the resignation to be tabled at the next committee meeting
• Hand over any documents, keys, access or ongoing tasks they were responsible for before leaving

Resigning doesn't need drama or a formal vote — it's the committee's job afterwards to decide whether and how to fill the vacancy, not the resigning member's.

Filling a casual vacancy

When a position becomes vacant outside the AGM cycle — through resignation, ineligibility, or a member ceasing to be an owner — most states allow the remaining committee to appoint someone to fill it until the next AGM. Typical considerations:

• Check whether your state limits who can be appointed this way (for example, only another owner, or only for a limited period)
• Record the appointment as a motion in the minutes, including the date it takes effect
• Check whether the appointment needs to be reported to or ratified by owners at the next general meeting

If too many positions become vacant at once and the committee drops below the minimum needed to function, some states have rules requiring an Extraordinary General Meeting to elect replacements sooner — check your legislation.

Removing a committee member

This is the most sensitive of the four scenarios and the one where getting the process wrong is most likely to cause a dispute. In general:

• A committee member can typically be removed only through a resolution of owners at a general meeting (not by a vote of the committee itself), though the exact mechanism and threshold vary by state
• The reason for removal doesn't need to be misconduct — it might simply be that owners have lost confidence in how the role is being performed — but the process still needs to follow the legislation exactly
• Natural justice matters: the member facing removal should generally be given notice of the motion and a chance to respond before the vote
• Some states also allow a regulator or tribunal to remove a committee member in serious cases, separate to an owners' vote

Because removal directly affects someone's position and can be contested, don't rely on general guidance for this step — check your state's legislation or seek advice from your regulator or a strata lawyer before proceeding.

Keeping records straight through changes

Whichever scenario applies, the paper trail matters:

• Record the date a resignation, appointment or removal takes effect, not just the date it was discussed
• Update your committee roster and any registers or contact lists straight away
• Make sure access — to meeting records, the compliance register, contractor contacts, correspondence — moves with the role, not with the person who happened to hold it

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating a casual vacancy appointment as informal, with nothing recorded in the minutes
• Assuming a committee can vote to remove one of its own members without an owners' resolution
• Losing track of who currently holds which position because the roster wasn't updated after a change
• Not handing over documents, access or outstanding tasks when someone leaves

How Flex Strata helps

Flex Strata keeps a current committee roster that updates the moment a change is recorded, so everyone can see who holds which role and when it changed. Motions to fill a casual vacancy or record a resignation are captured in the minutes like any other decision, and access to meeting history, the compliance register and documents can be adjusted immediately when membership changes — so nothing is left pointing at someone who's no longer on the committee.