Governance
What Does a Strata Secretary Do? NSW Duties Explained
Just made strata secretary in NSW? Section 43 of the Strata Schemes Management Act lists the job: minutes, notices, the strata roll, records, correspondence and calling meetings. This guide explains each duty, the deadlines that come with them, what a strata manager can take over, and how the role differs in Victoria and Queensland.
· 9 min read
On this pageThe short answerOn this page
The short answer
The secretary keeps the owners corporation's paperwork moving. Under section 43, the secretary's functions include:
- preparing and distributing the minutes of owners corporation meetings, and putting a motion to confirm them at the next meeting
- giving the notices the Act requires
- maintaining the strata roll
- arranging for owners and others to inspect the records
- answering communications addressed to the owners corporation
- convening meetings of the owners corporation, apart from the first AGM
- other administrative and secretarial work
If the owners corporation has a strata managing agent, much of this can be delegated to them. The secretary still needs to know it's being done.
How you become secretary
The strata committee appoints the secretary, along with the chair and treasurer, at its first meeting after the AGM (s 41). Only committee members can be nominated, and one person can hold more than one office (s 41(3)). You stay secretary until the next committee is elected, or until you resign in writing, leave the committee, or someone else is appointed (s 45).
The duties in practice
Minutes
The secretary prepares and distributes the minutes of owners corporation (general) meetings, and puts a motion to confirm them at the next general meeting (s 43). General meeting minutes go to owners within 14 days (Schedule 1, cl 22).
Committee meeting minutes are the strata committee's job. In practice the secretary usually writes them too. They go to committee members, and to owners in schemes of 100 lots or fewer, within 7 days (Schedule 2, cl 17).
Notices and meetings
The secretary gives the notices the Act requires and convenes general meetings (s 43). The big one is the AGM notice, which must go out at least 14 days before the meeting and contain a fixed list of items (Schedule 1, cl 7–9).
The strata roll
The secretary maintains the strata roll (s 43). It records each lot's owner, address for service, postal address and email, plus the scheme's unit entitlements, insurance details and by-laws (s 178). Records made since 11 June 2024 must be kept electronically (s 176).
Keep it current. Notices go to the addresses on the roll, so an out-of-date roll causes problems at every meeting.
Records and inspections
The secretary arranges for owners, mortgagees and others entitled to inspect the records (s 43, ss 182–183). Most records must be kept for 7 years (s 180).
Correspondence
The secretary answers communications addressed to the owners corporation (s 43). Keep copies of everything sent and received, because correspondence is a record the owners corporation must keep for 7 years (s 180).
Strata Hub
The owners corporation lodges its annual information on Strata Hub within 3 months after each AGM (Regulation cl 43). If the secretary's or chair's contact details change, the update is due within 28 days of the secretary or strata managing agent becoming aware of it (Regulation cl 43B).
If you have a strata manager
A strata managing agent only has the officer functions their instrument of appointment gives them (s 54). Many agreements delegate most of the secretary's work. The secretary can still exercise those functions directly (s 54(2)), and should check that:
- notices went out on time and included every motion
- minutes reflect what was actually decided
- the strata roll is up to date
- correspondence is being answered
What the secretary isn't
- The secretary can't make decisions alone. Decisions belong to the strata committee or the owners corporation.
- Records belong to the owners corporation, not the secretary. When you hand over, everything goes to the next secretary. The committee can demand the records within 14 days (s 181).
- The role isn't paid by default. An AGM can approve payment to officers (s 46).
Every committee member, secretary included, must act honestly and fairly, and with due care and diligence (s 37).
Victoria and Queensland
Victoria. The committee appoints a secretary, who can be a committee member or the manager (OC Act s 107). The secretary keeps the committee minutes (s 114), gives notice of committee meetings (s 109) and receives the records when a manager leaves (s 127).
Queensland. Owners elect the secretary at the AGM (Standard Module s 35). The secretary's duties are spread across the module: calling committee meetings, sending the nomination notice before the AGM, receiving owners' motions, distributing minutes, and having the roll available at meetings (ss 16, 54, 71, 86, 113).
Your first 30 days
Where UnitBuddy fits
In UnitBuddy, notices, minutes, the owner list and correspondence live in one place the owners corporation owns. When the secretary changes, the next one gets a login, not a hunt through last year's files.
Further reading
Keep the scheme file in one place the committee and the manager can both open. Features, pricing, or book a tour.