Author Topic: AFL ready to add woman to board  (Read 2621 times)

Offline Tiger Spirit

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AFL ready to add woman to board
« on: February 08, 2005, 10:46:28 AM »
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."

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/02/07/1107625135527.html?oneclick=true
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Offline Tiger Spirit

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Re: AFL ready to add woman to board
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2005, 10:47:52 AM »
Quote
But Geelong president Frank Costa echoed the concerns of several AFL club chiefs. "Why do we need to expand it?"

And that’s exactly my question too.

Couldn’t the current Board set up be viewed as a flawed system if it doesn’t have the ability and know how to do the job it is entrusted with?

Maybe they’re being forward thinking and I’m being narrow minded, but if they need to extend the Board in order for the Board to do it’s job properly then doesn’t that say something about those on the Board now?  And so the AFL would seem to have more to worry about than just needing to find a woman to appoint to the Board.

Wouldn’t a proactive Board just go out and investigate the areas they believe need improving?  Just like any other well run Board.  Or are they expecting that a new female Board member will fix things for them?

Surely if the current AFL Commission is open minded enough to recognise that it needs to improve in certain areas, then the current Board has all it needs to look after those areas of concern.  Otherwise the appointment of a female, or anyone else, won’t be enough to solve anything.  And where does it all end?  Will they then also decide that a child should go on the Board to so that they are fully represented too?
 
If a suitable female candidate nominates and is elected then well and good.  But as Frank Costa says, why change for the sake of change?

And rather than looking to extend the Board to include a female candidate, I’d be seriously questioning the position of some of the current Board, if that’s their way of dealing with things.

Just to highlight the point, let’s say that a team is 1-9 after 10 rounds of footy.  And all of a sudden the coach of the down trodden team puts forward the idea that his team should be able to have 20 players on the ground at the one time (while all other Clubs still have 18), just so that they can be competitive.

How would you suddenly feel if you were a supporter of that Club?  Amongst other things, would you be worried about the direction your Club was going in and the leadership of your Club?

And although the circumstances are different, isn’t the principle the same?
« Last Edit: February 08, 2005, 11:37:51 AM by Tiger Spirit »
Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.  --Martin Luther

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Offline cub

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Re: AFL ready to add woman to board
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2005, 12:16:27 PM »
If they want representation Lets also have a Gay male a Gay women like tiger spirit said a child - and my cat loves watching the football bouncing around the screen and if we have a cat why not also a dog - Fakren political correctness gone mad  :banghead

No offence to women if one was to nominate when there is a position vacant and had the best credentials of any candidate ok fine.

Political correctness these days just gives me the absolute fukcen sh&*ts  :banghead

Offline mightytiges

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Re: AFL ready to add woman to board
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2005, 12:25:43 PM »
You would have thought if they really wanted to improve the commission then one of the commissioners would be replaced rather than adding an extra position. I agree TS, they seem to be saying what we have now is inadequate but no one currently there is replacable. That's why it comes across as tokenism.    
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Re: AFL ready to add woman to board
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2005, 03:44:44 PM »
WTF For ??????