Runaway Train Going The Wrong Way On a One Way Track: Wilful Blindness.
It is important to differentiate between Gurduwara and Sikh Association of Australia inc (SAA). The Gurduwara is a Sikh Place of Worship open to any religion, caste, rich or poor. SAA is not a Gurdwara, it is a charity organisation.
Preet Singh Dhaliwal works at State Rail. He also calls himself president of (SAA). The SAA is registered as a charity at ACNC website which also provides a list of people named as committee members on ACNC, however his name is not there. In fact there is one name on the ACNC website, and that is Dr Inderpal Singh.
His term of presidency came to conclusion on 21 October 2019. He opened up all management committee seats including president, vice president and chairman of the trustee committee. However, ex office holders cannot exercise any of their functions in their capacity as an office holder.
Mr Harjit Singh Gill retired builder and developer has been appointed by Preet Singh Dhaliwal in his 21 Oct 2019 notification to conduct election of SAA as Returning Officer.
As per SAA constitution returning officer can only be appointed in an Annual General Meeting which needs the committee, which is now defunct as per notification of 21 Oct 2019. To ensure fair election, the returning officer cannot be a committee member who is also up for election himself.
Mr Gill's position as Returning Officer gives him control without any liability. The liability goes to Chairman of Trustee, Treasurer, Bank Signatories and people voting on decisions of SAA. The Returning officer has the least requirements in terms of weeks to keep records of election.
Section 91 Associations Incorporation Act 2009 is clear about
If an association contravenes, whether by act or omission, any
provision of this Act or the regulations, each committee member of the association is taken to have contravened the same provision if he or she knowingly authorised or permitted the contravention.
No doubt this is an example of wilful blindness especially in circumstances where I have been highlighting procedural dysfunction of SAA over one year to responsible person.
