AFL ready to add woman to board
By Caroline Wilson
February 8, 2005
The AFL now looks certain to promote a woman on to its commission during the 2005 season despite the reservations of a number of clubs concerned that the push smacks of tokenism.
In a historic move, the club presidents next week are expected to expand the AFL Commission by one to make way for a ninth and female director following a national search for candidates prompted last year by chairman Ron Evans.
Both Evans and his chief executive Andrew Demetriou have been adamant that the competition needs a woman represented at the highest administrative level because of its strong female supporter base and its determination to attract more women and families to the game.
Evans has told club chiefs, who will convene to vote in nine days at the league's annual meeting, that several excellent candidates have been identified. The issue also may be raised at today's commission meeting, the first for 2005.
One contender is 43-year-old West Australian chartered accountant Fiona Harris, whose directorships include a position on the board of Alinta Gas.
AFL sources last night would not reveal the identity of a second, highly credentialled Sydney-based woman in contention for a commission seat.
As revealed by The Age last November, Evans has been determined to get the appointment of a woman commissioner - a move first mooted in 1997 by former AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson - while being unwilling to force the resignation of any members of the current board.
"We think it's long overdue," said Collingwood president Eddie McGuire. "Perhaps expanding the commission is not the best-case scenario but if this is the way the chairman thinks is the best way forward, then we would hate to see a good result prevented by a simple rule."
But Geelong president Frank Costa echoed the concerns of several AFL club chiefs. "Why do we need to expand it?" Costa asked. "My personal thoughts are you don't make change for the sake of change. We at Geelong are very happy with a seven-person board. We find the smaller number more workable and, unless there is a certain skill that these particular ladies have got that is missing around the commission table, we are not sure there is a need for it."
While both Evans and Boston Consulting group's Colin Carter will seek re-election next week and both have indicated they want to serve another term, a clear majority requiring nine of the 16 club presidents would clear the way to expanding the commission.
Should the motion succeed, as is expected, a subcommittee of club chiefs could be appointed almost immediately to work with the commission regarding the appointment of the game's first woman director. AFL commissioners are paid an honorarium of $20,000 a year.
The move would follow the recent appointment of Harvey Norman executive Katie Page to the board of the National Rugby League, a first for that code. Page was to attend her first NRL board meeting this week.
Port Adelaide president Greg Boulton said his club also had reservations regarding the historic AFL move.
"We are considering the issue very seriously but haven't yet reached a position," he said. "As a club, we run very tight and that is something we would consider regarding the AFL commission also."
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