Governance

Preamble

The Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) has a rich and extensive history of providing technical support to the Australian geotechnical and engineering geology professions, and representation to our affiliated International Societies: the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), the International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG), and the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM). A detailed exposition of this history is presented in the Australian Geomechanics Society 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book published in 2020 and available on this website..

Over the past 25 years, the AGS has consistently increased its membership numbers, implemented the production of four issues of the Australian Geomechanics journal per year, held around 1000 professional development events across seven Australian chapters, convened over 100 chapter symposia, organised a regional conference with the New Zealand Geotechnical Society roughly every four years, hosted major international conferences in 2000, 2014, 2016, and 2022, and delivered professional training courses to its members. The AGS has achieved this largely by operating autonomously and steadily consolidating its financial position. By any measure, the AGS has been a success, and an exemplar among professional engineering technical societies in Australia and across the world.

The Governance Challenge

Despite these successes, the Society’s governance arrangements remained problematic for decades. The AGS had been established in 1970 as an unincorporated society of Engineers Australia (EA). Over time and with increased activity, this status left AGS office bearers personally exposed to legal risk, as the Society was not meant to hold assets or enter into contracts in its own name.

Successive AGS Executives recognised that reform was necessary. In 2000, a constitution suitable for incorporation was drafted and adopted by members, though for various reasons incorporation was not achieved.  Later attempts to resolve governance arrangements with EA did not produce an agreed pathway forward. By the 2020s, it was clear that the Society could no longer continue with an outdated governance structure.

Transition to a New Governance Model

Following an extensive internal review, broad consultation including with Engineers Australia, and legal advice, the AGS membership voted in 2024 to adopt a new and modern governance structure. In early 2025, the Australian Geomechanics Society formally commenced operations as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, under the name Australian Geomechanics Society Limited.

This transition has:

• Provided AGS with a sound governance basis for its operations.
• Delivered appropriate legal protections for its Directors and members.
• Formalised the Society’s autonomy and financial independence.
• Ensured continuity of affiliation with EA and our international partner societies.

Governance Framework

The new Constitution establishes a clear governance framework:

• Board of Directors: Up to seven Directors (five elected by members and up to two appointed). The Board sets policy and strategy for national operations.
• National Stakeholders Group (NSG): Advisory body to the Board, comprising Chapter Chairs, International Society representatives, the Australian Geomechanics Editor, the Company General Manager and Secretariat, and other invited members.
• Chapters: Newcastle; Sydney/NSW; Queensland; South Australia & Northern Territory; Tasmania; Victoria; and Western Australia. Chapters remain vital to the AGS’s grassroots activities and operates within a constitutional framework.  .
• Elections: Conducted via secure online ballot, using First-Past-the-Post voting, open for a minimum of 14 days.
• Financial Year: Runs from 1 January to 31 December, with audited accounts circulated with the Annual General Meeting notice.

International Society Australian Representatives

The AGS is the recognised “National Group” for:

1. ISSMGE – International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,

2. ISRM – International Society for Rock Mechanics, and

3. IAEG – International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment

The ISAR’s purpose is to act as liaison between the AGS and their International Society and to represent their International Society in Australia.

For more information on these roles, please refer to the ISAR Terms of Reference.

The ISAR is elected for a single three-year term in staggered rotation, and each term will start and finish post-AGM (around April annually) of the Australian Geomechanics Society. The first ISAR elected in 2025 for each of the three IS under the 2024 AGS Constitution will establish the staggered rotation:

a. ISAR for ISRM – initial/transition term until AGM 2027

b. ISAR for IAEG – initial/transition term until AGM 2028

c. ISAR for ISSMGE – initial/transition term until AGM 2029

These initial/transition terms may be interchangeable by mutual agreement amongst those three individuals elected to these roles. This agreement must be in writing to the AGS General Manager no later than the start of the AGS National Stakeholders’ Group meeting on 31 October 2025 in Sydney.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The establishment of the new governance model marks the conclusion of a long and careful process that spanned more than two decades. With the new framework in place, AGS now operates with modern governance arrangements, while continuing to deliver its traditional services—technical events, courses, symposia, international conferences, and the Australian Geomechanics journal.

From 2025 onwards, operations are “business as usual” for members, chapters, and partners, but with the confidence that the Society is now on a stable and legally robust footing. Members can be assured that the AGS is well-positioned for future growth, resilience, and continued leadership within the geomechanics profession.

Acknowledgements

This transition was made possible through the sustained efforts of many past and present leaders of AGS. The Society particularly acknowledges the contributions of the AGS National Executives and the National Committee in recent years, culminating in the successful commencement of AGS Limited in 2025.