Girl Guiding in Australia is run by eight different organisations. Seven State Girl Guide Organisations (one for each state/territory) that are often referred to as “SGGOs”. The State Organisations deliver the program to girls and young women.

The national entity is Girl Guides Australia whose members are the State Girl Guide Organisations. Girl Guides Australia is the recognised member organisation of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. GGA has the responsibility to WAGGGS to ensure that Guiding in Australia is conducted in a way that meets the by laws and requirements of the World Movement. To that end, GGA sets national policy and programs to ensure that Guiding occurs successfully in Australia.

It is important to know that whilst the Boards and Structures of each organisation differ in this ‘Federation’ , we share a common set of goals, mission, branding, publications policies, (where nationally appropriate) and at times, resources (income and otherwise).

Girl Guides Australia is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. GGA has a governing constitution which, stipulates  Girl Guides Australia has a governing constitution which stipulates the Board comprises:

• Seven Directors, each being a State Commissioner of each State Girl Guide Organisation (SGGO), or their SGGO Board appointed alternative.
• One Director who is a member of an SGGO and is selected by the GGA Board following a Board managed selection process to fill the position of Chief Commissioner and Chair of the Board.
• Up to two Directors invited and co-opted by the Board to fill gaps in expertise, skills or knowledge on the Board,
• Two elected Directors from the combined membership of all member organisations, and
• One Director who has specialist accounting or financial skills and is selected by the Board with due diligence to fill the position of Treasurer

The Chief Commissioner leads Guiding in Australia.  The Chief Commissioner has a term of three years and appoints Assistant Chief Commissioners to work with her during this time.

The Board of Girl Guides Australia is made up of talented volunteers who are passionate about Guiding, including representation from each State. The Directors of the Board of Girl Guides Australia have a duty to:

• exercise their powers and duties with the care and diligence that a reasonable person would have, which includes taking steps to ensure you are properly informed about the financial position of the company and ensuring the company doesn’t trade if it is insolvent
• exercise their powers and duties in good faith in the best interests of the company and for a proper purpose
• not to improperly use their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company, and
• not to improperly use information obtained through their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company. , There are also a number of sub-committees to the GGA Board, which change from time to time but might include for example, Human Resources, Finance and Risk.

The Board of Girl Guides Australia are supported by 5 Board Committees comprising of:

• Governance
• Guiding (which consist of all the State Commissioners)
• Guiding Operations
• Human Resources
• Finance and Risk

Every year Girl Guides Australia produces

• An annual business plan and budget
• An annual report

GGA Strategic Plans and Annual Reports