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How much do I need to Pay? $20 per year. Payable 1st March every year plus a 5$ joining fee. If membership is applied for after 1st December the following year is free. In addition, there is an automatic levy of 3 Units per month on all members. This goes mainly to the hard-working committee, who keep things running smoothly. Please take the time to read carefully through this CODE of ETHICS. In joining Bee Barter LETS Orginisation, you're promising to abide by every one of its clauses. LETS is fun but this part is serious, because we are showing trust in allowing you into our community 1. The preference is for trading to be in LETS Units, but where people need to charge cash, a maximum of 50% cash for the labour component is acceptable. For the materials and travel component 100% cash may be charged. 2. A membership number is issued to every financial member of Bee Barter LETS Orginisation. A family need have only one membership. Non-members may trade on another’s card (eg: as a house-hold) but are encouraged to join in the spirit of fairness to the membership. 3. Members acknowledge the principle of "a fair day's work" and hence shall not seek to bargain unreasonably when trading in the system. 4. Members charge for their goods and services an amount equivalent to what they would be prepared to pay for a similar service. As a guide to estimating a suitable charge the dollar charge for a similar service may be considered. 5. Members accounts will be deducted monthly with a Unit administrative cost. This is to cover expenses to operate the Bee Barter LETS Orginisation. 6. Except for the administrative cost, a member is the only person who can authorise Units to be taken from that member's account. 7. Members who have a disagreement seek help from a counsellor in the resource list, paying equal shares of the fee. 8. Members are responsible for advising any details of their trading to any appropriate Government Department or instrumentality, which may require such details. (e.g. Australian Tax Office, Centrelink). This will not be undertaken by, and is not the responsibility of the Management Committee. 9. It is a member's responsibility to be satisfied as to the trading status and qualifications of other members. The Management Committee accepts no responsibility for the quality of work or declared level of skill of any member. 10. Members understand that the Management Committee is not responsible for providing indemnity for members trading with each other. 11. Members receive regular newsletters and resource lists throughout the year. The newsletter and resource list are confidential and for current members' use only. However these papers may be shown to non-members for promoting LETS and encouraging prospective members to join. 12. Members leaving Bee Barter LETS Orginisation attempt to do so with a zero balance. For assistance in achieving this they should contact any member of the Management Committee. 13. The debit/credit limit is 500 Units in the first 12 months of membership. Longer standing members with a valid reason must approach the Management Committee for permission to exceed this amount. 14. Members wishing to preserve the continuity of their membership must pay their annual subscription on or before the renewal date each year. Members still un-financial one month after that date will be removed from the membership list. 15. Members wishing to cease trading for a period of time exceeding one year may seek leave of absence in writing from the Management Committee. If granted leave of absence the member will not be charged a joining fee on renewal of membership. The normal annual renewal fee will be charged. 16. It is the responsibility of all members to ensure the transaction sheets are forwarded to the Account Coordinator for processing. Public Liability Insurance Bee Barter LETS Organisation has not paid for PL. The purpose of PL is to protect the organisation against members of the public (and members of Bee Barter LETS Organisation) suing them as a group, against negligence or carelessness (but not deception and fraud). But we can't afford the premiums. In Queensland, if you don't own property, you are not required to have PL insurance, whether you are incorporated or not. Some other systems invoke the "Yellow Pages" defence, and argue that, like the Yellow Pages, a LETSystem is nothing more than a list of contacts, and so cannot be sued for anything. Legal Liability Insurance The above is not to be confused with Legal Liability insurance, which is usually part of a normal householders building and contents insurance policy. This provides cover against being sued for damages by guests or the person delivering your mail. Insurance companies sell you this cover along with fire and general insurance. It has little to do with LETS Do we have to pay tax on units? Generally no. The Commissioner for Taxation has to date exhibited no interest in taxing LETS anywhere in Australia. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) knows all about us, of course. There is a ruling, IT 2668, which explains their attitude. It is available free of charge; about six pages, or on-line. They call us a “community-based countertrade Orginisation. Although Centrelink have not given anybody an unequivocal statement, as far as we are aware there has never been any threat that LETS income will ever be counted. Certainly Centrelink's regular interrogations never mention income in alternative currency, although they inquire in great detail about assets and trusts and rentals and bonds and cash at hand. You can be sure that the Centrelink gnomes are as well aware of countertrade organisations as those in the Tax Office
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