The strata committee (previously called the executive committee) is elected by the owners corporation to make day‑to‑day decisions about the scheme. Under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and the Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment Act 2025, committee members have clear duties and must act honestly, fairly and in the best interests of all owners. Below are common questions about committee roles, elections and meetings.
The strata committee acts on behalf of the owners corporation between general meetings. Its members are elected at each annual general meeting (AGM) and can consist of one to nine people. The committee can make decisions on day‑to‑day matters but cannot exercise functions restricted to the owners corporation (e.g. changing by‑laws, raising special levies). Members must act with honesty, fairness and due care and diligence, and in the best interests of the owners corporation.
From 2025, all committee members will be required to undergo government‑approved training (details to be finalised) and will lose their position if they fail to complete it.
Individuals can be elected if they are: (a) owners of a lot; (b) nominees of a corporation that owns a lot; or (c) non‑owners who are nominated by an owner not standing for election.
Proxies, co‑owners nominating someone already nominated, and strata managing agents are generally not eligible. Nominations must come from financial owners (levies paid up).
At each AGM, the chairperson declares all committee positions vacant and calls for written or verbal nominations. The owners then resolve the number of committee members (between 1 and 9; odd numbers are recommended to avoid deadlocks).
If nominations exceed positions, a ballot is conducted: each voter uses a ballot paper to select up to the number of positions available. Ballot papers must list the voter’s name, capacity (e.g. owner, company nominee), date, lot number and nominees. Results are tallied and announced at the meeting.
The owners corporation decides the number each year, but it must be at least one and no more than nine members. Odd numbers (e.g. 3, 5 or 7) are common to avoid tied votes. In schemes with a sole owner or two owners, the committee may consist of all owners.
After the committee is elected, its members vote among themselves to appoint a chairperson, secretary and treasurer. The chairperson presides over meetings and ensures orderly conduct; the secretary handles notices, agendas and correspondence; the treasurer oversees financial matters such as levy collection and expenditure reporting. In small schemes, the same person may hold multiple roles.
There is no statutory requirement for how many committee meetings must be held. In practice, committees meet whenever decisions are needed. The secretary can convene a meeting at any time. If one‑third of committee members request a meeting in writing, the secretary must convene it. All committee members must receive notice (preferably by email) at least 72 hours before the meeting in large schemes or 3 days in others, and the notice must include the agenda.
A quorum is present when at least half of the committee members are present (in person, by audio‑visual link or represented by a proxy). All committee members must be given at least 3 days’ notice and the notice must be displayed on the notice board or provided to each owner. If there is no quorum, the meeting may proceed but resolutions are treated as committee recommendations and take effect 7 days after notice is given unless more than half the members object.
For general meetings (including the AGM), a quorum is reached when either: (a) at least one‑quarter of people entitled to vote are present (in person or by proxy); or (b) persons entitled to cast votes totalling at least 25 % of unit entitlements are present. If a quorum is not achieved within 30 minutes, the chairperson may declare those present constitute a quorum and the meeting can proceed.
The first AGM must occur within two months of the end of the initial period. Thereafter, an AGM must be held every year, normally between 11 and 13 months after the previous AGM. For example, if your first AGM was held on 13 May 2002, subsequent AGMs must occur between 13 April and 13 June. Large reforms introduced from 2025 impose penalties on developers and original owners for delaying the first AGM and failing to provide documents to the owners corporation.
Minutes must record the resolutions, not discussions. In large schemes, copies of minutes must be given to each owner and committee member and displayed on the notice board; in small schemes, they must either be posted on the notice board or supplied to each owner if there is no notice board.
Minutes must be sent within 7 days of the meeting and remain displayed for at least 14 days. From 2025, committee decisions and records may be inspected by NSW Fair Trading, which now has enforcement powers to issue compliance notices.
When nominations exceed the number of positions resolved by the owners corporation, a ballot is conducted. Voters receive ballot papers on which they list their name, capacity, date, lot number and the candidates they wish to elect. Voters can vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies but are not required to fill all slots. Ballots are counted and results announced at the meeting. Tie‑breakers may require a second ballot or lot draw.
The Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment Act 2025 introduces a statutory duty requiring committee members to:
Breaching these duties may lead to removal from the committee or orders from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). addition, committee members will have to undertake mandatory training (once implemented). Owners should also be aware that the new legislation empowers NSW Fair Trading to investigate committees and issue compliance notices for failures to maintain common property or abide by the Act.