2024 Report: President

What a year 2024 has been!

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the current committee for their unwavering support and dedication to AMC over the past seven months.

Last year presented numerous challenges, particularly due to actions taken by the previous committee. Unfortunately, a coordinated effort was made to discredit me, leading to a vote of no confidence. This decision, which took both myself and the remaining committee members by surprise, was unconstitutional. Following this, the departing committee members sought legal representation without informing the entire committee—another breach of constitutional protocol. Legal advice confirmed their violations, resulting in their resignation from the committee and the AMC Association. Subsequently, I was reinstated as President.

During this difficult time, I was truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from members and non-members alike, through phone calls, messages, and emails. Your encouragement meant the world to me, and I am deeply appreciative.

In the aftermath, an interim committee was formed with dedicated members stepping up to ensure AMC’s stability—some of whom continue to serve on the committee today.

Since then, we have discovered that AMC has not been compliant with Fair Trading regulations since 2019, financial reports had not been submitted, and the outdated 2015 constitution required significant updates to align with current requirements. Additionally, over the past four years, there have been multiple disruptions in key committee roles, particularly the Secretary and Treasurer positions, which have seen frequent turnover. This has resulted in gaps in record-keeping and a lack of continuity for incoming committee members. The Public Officer role had also not been properly filed with Fair Trading.

Despite these challenges, we have made great strides forward. Thanks to the hard work of committee and subcommittee members—Joy Allen, Marcus Kroek, Shannon Davis, and Lou Szymkow—the constitution has been successfully updated. Additionally, our Policies and Procedures have been revised, with special thanks to Joy Allen and Lou Szymkow for their contributions.

Our financial records from 2019 to 2024 have been audited annually and will be available for review. These reports will be formally submitted to Fair Trading in due course. I’m pleased to report that AMC is in a strong financial position, with 504 financial members.

To ensure we continue providing value to our members, AMC membership includes Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance coverage, and we have now incorporated copyright protection as well.

Regarding OPD obligations for 2025, the Attorney General’s Office has not yet provided a confirmed date. We will notify members as soon as this information becomes available, which we expect to be soon.

In terms of member engagement, our Member Support Forum will be reinstated once the necessary website plugin is implemented. In the meantime, we will continue to provide support through our private Facebook page. Regional meetings are active in most parts of NSW and other states, with events listed on both our Facebook page and website.

Our monthly free education sessionshave been well-received, and recent updates to website SEO have resulted in a higher ranking on Google searches for marriage celebrants—an excellent benefit for our members.

Leadership Updates

As communicated via email and the Member Support tab on the AMC website, we have updates regarding leadership roles:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Remaining committee members

We are always looking for passionate members to join the committee—if you’re interested, we’d love to hear from you!

Stakeholder Engagement with the Attorney General’s Office

Every six months, the Marriage Celebrants Section of the Attorney General’s Department holds a Stakeholder Meeting, attended by association representatives, celebrant network groups, and more recently, RTOs. I have represented AMC at these meetings for the past two years, with the most recent session held in late November last year. These meetings have become increasingly productive, providing an opportunity to raise key issues on behalf of our members.

At the most recent meeting, I put forward two important discussion points:

1. Making it compulsory for celebrants to join an association for ongoing support and education.
2. Ensuring no exemptions from OPD after appointment, as ongoing professional development serves as a vital refresher of knowledge and best practices.

Moving Forward

AMC continues to progress, with exciting initiatives and added membership benefits on the horizon. We remain committed to providing value and support to our members, ensuring that we all thrive as professional celebrants.

Thank you for your ongoing trust and involvement—we look forward to a fantastic year ahead!