In #15 of our series on the roles within AUSIT that keep the organisation going, the Victorian Branch Treasurer, Ken Nagato, tells us what the position entails; and this position is currently vacant in several branches, so if it sounds like something you could do too, don’t hesitate to put up your hand – just click on your branch to volunteer:
Hours per month:
2
Voluntary?
Yes
AUSIT member for:
3.5 years
Time in this role:
2 years
Other AUSIT roles to date: treasurer of the Organising Committee for the 37th AUSIT National Conference, and the AUSIT representative at NAATI’s Victorian Regional Advisory Committee meetings (since March 2025)
Q1: What does being a branch treasurer involve?
To be honest, it’s not a complex or overly time-consuming role. I receive quarterly summary reports from the National Secretariat outlining event income and expenses, which I review and present at our committee meetings. When expenses arise for branch events, I arrange for reimbursement forms to be sent to the National Secretariat’s Accounts and the National Treasurer. Lastly, I prepare and present the financial report at the branch AGM. That said, when the committee discusses future events involving non-typical expenses – such as costs (beyond presenter fees) for PD events – I’m the one consulted, so I need to know or find out what we can and can’t do.
Q2: What skills or qualities are needed in this role?
You need to be good with numbers. Excel skills are handy too. You also need to be comfortable making financial decisions for the committee, though the amount of money that we handle at the branch level is limited. While you discuss things with the other committee members and may need to consult with someone at the national level, you – not the others – should be able to say yes or no in the end.
Q3: Why did you decide to take in on?
When I joined the committee, I was thinking I would stay as an ordinary committee member (non-office bearer) for a while. However, the previous treasurer decided to step down in that year. The time commitment in this role didn’t seem as onerous as in the other office bearer positions, so I thought, ‘Why not?!’
Q4: What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking on this role?
As I mentioned previously, of the positions on a branch committee, this role requires the least time commitment. If you are considering joining a branch committee but you’re not sure if you have enough time to commit (obviously each comes with certain responsibilities), treasurer may be the role for you.
Q5: How has being in this role contibuted to your personal and/or professional growth?
This role led to my role on the organising committee for the 37th AUSIT National Conference [Melbourne, 2024]. I had never been involved in organising such a large event. We were a compact, close-knit committee and, while organising a national conference wasn’t the easiest task, I had great experiences and formed close relationships with the other committee members, at a personal as well as a professional level. Just being on the branch committee has contributed to my personal and professional growth. I joined it when I was studying for my Master of Translation and Interpreting degree at RMIT, which definitely fast-tracked my networking in the industry. Being on the committee is voluntary and can sometimes be tricky to balance with your personal and professional lives, but it’s definitely worth it!
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