Here is the letter, it has come to me via an anonymous tip
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Hi,
My name is Maurice O'Shannassy and as some of you might know I am running for a position on the Board on the Casey ticket. I thought I would answer a few questions that people have been asking me. I have always been a mad Tiger fan and since returning from overseas in 1997, have been a member of the President's Club and then Jack's Club since its formation a few years ago.
At the outset, I would like to say that when the vote is over, I sincerely hope that we can all join together to help bring the Tigers to glory again - whatever the result. I have been saddened to see some of the bitterness in this election. I am very much up for vigorous debate but it appears that at times it has gone well beyond that.
Anyway, here we go:
1) What skills do you bring to the club?
I am the Managing Director of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (Australia) and have been since 1997. (I have been watching the "bizarre" exchanges on this and I am happy to clear up any misconceptions). I am therefore in charge of running a company significantly bigger than the Richmond Football Club. I have also spent a considerable part of my career investing in and analysing companies from all around the world. Furthermore, I have worked on five Federal Budgets when I worked for the Treasury in Canberra in the early eighties.
The point of this is that I have extensive experience in managing a company and in particular the budgetary and financial aspects of businesses. I have seen and experienced all the permutations between revenue and expenditure that can affect profits. I think I have a good handle on what needs to be done in the situation in which we currently find ourselves. I have seen it before - many times!
I have also spent many years on the Board of our industry body, IFSA. I have spent a number of years as Chairman of IFSA's Marketing and Distribution Committee. The IFSA Board is mainly made up of Chief Executives from the major companies in our industry.
The importance of this point is that I strongly believe that if you are on a board for a length of time, then you should accept a degree of responsibility for the performance of that board. In particular, if you are on, or are Chairman of a committee of that board, then you accept even greater responsibility for the performance of that particular aspect of the Board's activities.
That is what I bring. I will take responsibility for whatever role I am given. Clearly, at this point it will be related to finance and corporate governance. Let's make one thing absolutely clear. I will approach the role as if it will be me that will be canned if things go wrong. My experience in business (and everyting else for that matter) is that unless people approach a task with that attitude then you get less than optimal performance. I cannot guarantee there will not be mistakes, but I can guarantee that you will get highly skilled and experienced people who will take responsibility for their actions.
2) Why join the Casey ticket?
Basically, I think that what I call the "new" Board has made more good decisions in the past six to nine months than had been made in the the previous 20 years. You know of all the changes. People have put their hand up and admitted mistakes, recruited needed skills to the Board and made substantial changes in every area of the Club. The financial plan for next year is exactly what is needed in our situation. We are definitely on the right track. I think we need to build on that, not make another set of wholesale changes.
3) Surely the current Board should take responsibility for the mistakes?
Off course, to an extent. Both tickets have a number of current or past long serving Board members and a number of "new" members. (That is, counting the Board members appointed over the past year as new) Both Tickets therefore share some responsibility for past failures. What is important to me is which ticket can take us forward to glory. I have outlined above why I think the Casey ticket is the appropriate ticket.
4) What is your relationship with Clinton and Charles?
I know Clinton very well and am a friend. I also know Charles well - we come from the same industry and have had business dealings together.
I would like to think that people judge me on my credentials.
That is probably enough for now and I am happy to answer any questions.
Regards,
Maurice
