Rovers are organised from a national level downwards, however the day-to-day running of the section is organised at a branch (state) level. Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland are split into Regions which in turn are made up of Units. There are around 3,000 Rovers nationally in about 250 Units. Unlike the other sections of
Scouts Australia, Rovers are self-governing, with Rovers under 26 becoming the leaders of their own section while still taking part in the program. After the Scout Association of Australia's 1970
Design for Tomorrow Report, amongst other changes, their leaders aged over 25 were asked to step back from being Rover Scout Leaders to become Rover Advisers, with the Crew Leaders, Region Rover Council Chairs and Branch Rover Council Chairs taking up the responsibility for their Rovers. The National Rover Council, a group of Rover representatives from each state who coordinate interstate efforts, was founded in 1979 and just like Units, all are under 26 years old.
Local Units A local Rover Unit is run by its members and led by an elected committee. The committee normally consists of a Unit Leader, assistant/deputy Unit Leader, secretary and treasurer and larger Units may also add a fundraiser,
quartermaster, training officer, Venturer liaison/recruitment officer, and other roles. Rovers are young adults and make their own decisions but frequently Units wish to have input and support from people over the age of 25, called Rover Advisers. These Advisers are selected by the Rover Unit, and usually re-endorsed by the Unit annually.
Region Rover Councils The next step in the Rover organisation ladder is the Region Rover Council (RRC). These bodies run Rovering in their geographic areas and are typically based on the same Regions as the other sections of the Scouting Movement. These Regions can also run various Branch events on behalf of the Branch and run their own where all Rovers are invited. The application and practice of RRCs varies between the three states that operate them. In Victoria this level is known as a Rovering community and conduct few if any events and are primarily a social networking function with most co-ordination done at a Branch Rover Council level. Conversely in New South Wales, RRCs generally undertake several regional events a year and support their Units in running events and activities that are open to all Rovers. They operate bank accounts, conduct business, and hold an annual general meeting or annual report presentation. There are currently RRCs in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria which assist the Units in their Region by offering community involvement activities, organising social functions, distributing information, promoting training and the
Baden-Powell Award and many other tasks. The smaller states without RRCs have their Units reporting directly to their Branch Rover Council.
Branch Rover Councils The Branch Rover Council (BRC) is composed of representatives from each of the RRCs (in states that have them) or directly from Units and may also have representatives from sub-committees (for events, property, marketing, motorsport, etc.). This body approves Branch awards, co-ordinates training, liaises with other BRCs and the National Rover Council, develops policies and initiatives and encourages the further development of Rovering and the Rover program. These bodies also communicate with their respective Branch organisations where the whole state is organised and BRCs send their elected members to represent Rover interests. BRC Commissioners and Chairs directly represent Rovers to the wider organisation in this way. BRCs also have a number of sub-committees which organise various parts of Rovering life. These may include: • management committees that run campsites and manage assets and property; • event committees, which organise some of the larger Rover events for Rovers in the Branch; • Rover Motorsport is
CAMS-affiliated but also the responsibility of the BRC; • diversity and inclusion committees that help support members; and • award approval committees for the conferring of Rover awards. Some states have a Lone Rover Unit which accepts members from country or other areas where the nearest Unit is further than practical travel allows, or who cannot attend a regular Rover Unit due to work or other commitments. Currently New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia have 'Lones Units'.
National Rover Council The Australian National Rover Council (NRC) governs Rovering at a national level, by assisting Branch Rover levels, and designs policy to affect Rovering as a whole in Australia. This team works together to develop a strategic plan and then implement this over the course of their elected year(s). They also liaise with the BRC Chairs and the Branch Commissioners/Advisers for Rovers (or their equivalent) in each state to help them with any issues, ideas or help that they may need plus implement any actions or policies that affect the whole nation. The NRC executive is composed of a chair, vice chair, training and development officer, secretary and delegates from each state plus the Scouts Australia National Team as observers, and a representative from New Zealand Rovers. NRC executive members are elected for a one-year term except the chair that serves a two-year term. Additional project and support officers are elected from time to time. The NRC meets as a whole at their annual meeting where each Branch sends a delegation, being their BRC Chair, Branch Commissioner/Adviser (or equivalent) plus two observers, two of these having voting power. The NRC Chair is a member of the Scouts Australia National Team and attends National Team and National Operations meetings and through direct participation at the highest level possible puts the "Rovers view" into Scouts Australia. Rovers is the only section with this direct access. The NRC meets annually, usually in January, following the major event for the year (Jamboree, Venture, or Moot). The conference runs over three days and incorporates state/territory reports, discussions and workshops as well as networking activities. BRC Chairs, their delegates and observers get to meet with Rovers from other states and share their knowledge and ideas and learn from one another. It is also an opportunity for states to put forward papers, plans and ideas to the NRC to be voted upon so the chair can then take the resolutions to the National Operations Meeting. Elections for the year's executive take place at this time too. == Awards ==