A conflict of interest occurs when a person’s personal interests conflict with their responsibility to act in the best interests of the Association. Personal interests include direct interests as well as those of family, friends, or other organisations a person may be involved with or have an interest in. It also includes a conflict between a Board/ staff member’s duty to CFMP and a duty that the Board/staff member has to another organisation. A conflict of interest may be actual, potential or perceived and may be financial or non-financial.

Board members, staff, volunteers and contractors must declare:

Actual or potential conflicts of interest that exist at the time of recruitment to a position with CFMP.

• Conflicts of interest that arise during their involvement with the organisation, immediately at the time they arise.
• Notification must be in writing or recorded in a meeting’s minutes. With the exception of any public disclosures that CFMP is legally required to make, all information provided in relation to any declaration of a conflict will be treated in accordance with CFMP’s privacy policies.  
• All contracts with external consultants being engaged by CFMP will include a declaration that no conflict of interest exists.   A Register of Conflicts of Interest will be maintained by the Chief Executive Officer and record information related to a conflict of interest, including the nature and extent of the conflict and any steps taken to address it.

A member of the Board who has a material personal interest in a matter being considered at a Board meeting must not be present while the matter is being considered at the meeting or vote on the matter.

If the personal interest disclosed is not considered material, the Board (excluding the Board/staff member disclosing and any other conflicted Board/staff member) must decide whether or not those conflicted members should:

• vote on the matter,
• participate in any debate, or
• be present in the room during the debate and the voting. 

The approval of any action requires the agreement of a majority of the Board (excluding any conflicted Board/staff member/s) who are present and voting at the meeting.

The action and result of the voting will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting and in the Register of Conflicts of Interest.

Where a conflict is very significant or likely to prevent a Board member from regularly participating in discussions, the Board may consider whether it is appropriate for the person conflicted to resign from the Board.

The President will assess the conflict of interest held by a staff member and determine any action to take.

Required actions to manage the conflict may include:

• contribute to the discussion but abstain from voting or decision making on the matter
• observe but not take part in the discussion or decision making
• leave the meeting during discussion and decision on the matter
• remedial action to remove the conflict e.g. changes of duties.

If the Board has a reason to believe that a person subject to this policy has failed to comply with it, the Board  will investigate the circumstances. If it is found that the person has failed to disclose a conflict of interest, disciplinary action may be take action.

If a person suspects that a Board or staff member has failed to disclose a conflict of interest, they must notify the President (or Deputy President if the matter directly involves the President).

CFMP Board members, staff, volunteers and contractors are required to act in the interests of organisation at all times, and:

• avoid conflicts of interest where possible
• identify and declare any potential or actual conflict of interest
• comply with this policy.

The Board are responsible for:

• establishing a system for identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest
• monitoring compliance with this policy.
• receiving and managing declarations of material interests from Board members and reporting them to the next general meeting of the Association, in accordance with the CFMP Rules of Association.