Governance
and legal structure

The CRCWSC is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated and domiciled in Australia in May 2012 (ABN 19 158 409 137), and endorsed as a charity.

The CRCWSC is governed in line with its corporate constitution and the arrangements set out in the Commonwealth Agreement and the Essential Participants Agreement.

Board

Board Directors, as advocates of water sensitive cities, are responsible for establishing and maintaining effective and transparent policies, structures, functions, and processes to ensure the achievement of the CRCWSC’s vision and objectives, and to ensure the CRCWSC company meets its compliance obligations. These are in accordance with both the Commonwealth Agreement and the needs of the participants.

The CRCWSC's constitution provides the rules by which the board governs the company and the Board's Charter sets out the objectives, functions and duties of the board in the discharge of its responsibilities for the performance and strategic direction of the company. The Board currently comprises an independent Chairman and nine directors. The Board meets quarterly in various locations around Australia to provide opportunities to engage with important stakeholders and senior representatives of our participant organisations.

Four Board Committees exist to focus on special activities of the Board. These include:

• Audit and Risk Committee
• Nominations Committee
• Performance Review Committee
• Commercialisation Committee.

The Board is supported by the CRCWSC Executive. A number of other committees   have been established to support effective communication with participants, and to ensure quality research outcomes.

Board Directors 

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee helps to fulfil the Board’s responsibility to exercise due care and diligence in relation to the CRCWSC’s corporate governance, financial reporting, and risk management. The committee holds at least five meetings per year, including one meeting in May to review the Annual Budget and one meeting in September to review the Annual Financial Statements. Committee meetings are attended by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating and Finance Officer, Finance Manager, and annually by the CRCWSC’s auditor.

The Audit and Risk Committee comprises the following Members:

• Kerry Stubbs, Chair
• Peter Betson, Member
• Paul Grimes, Member
• Terri Benson, Member

Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee oversees the nomination and selection of acceptable candidates for director positions and makes recommendations about the Board’s succession plans. The Nominations Committee meets as required to meet its obligations when director vacancies require filling - usually twice a year in March and May.  Committee meetings are attended by the Company Secretary.

The Nominations Committee currently comprises the following Members:

• Cheryl Batagol, Chair
• Sara Harbidge, Member

Performance Review Committee

The Board established this committee in November 2013, and it met for the first time in February 2014 to establish its Terms of Reference and oversee the performance appraisal of the Chairman, a requirement in the CRCWSC Essential Participants Agreement. The Performance Review Committee’s role is to provide advice to the Board about governance responsibilities on matters relating to Board and Chair performance, and to make recommendations about performance targets for the CRCWSC and the CEO. It also oversees performance evaluations of the Board and the CEO, and performance-based remuneration of the CEO. The Committee meets twice a year and additionally as considered necessary.

The Performance Review Committee currently comprises the following Members:

• Cheryl Batagol, Member
• Robert Skinner, Member
• Paul Grimes, Member

Commercialisation Committee

The Board established this committee in August 2015 to support the development of a framework for the management of Intellectual Property (IP), and to provide oversight of its use in elucidating and pursuing commercialisation opportunities to maximise the benefits to the CRCWSC’s Participants.

The Commercialisation Committee currently comprises the following Members:

• Nicholas Apostolidis, Chair
• Peter Betson, Member
• Simon Biggs, Member
• Greg Claydon, Member