NSW Farmers delays fresh vote on reforms

An extraordinary general meeting was proposed to reconsider reforms that narrowly fell short of the 75 per cent of votes required at the recent annual conference (“Heated reform debate”, The Land, July 24, p9).

Initially the discussion was due at a meeting of the executive council in October, but that meeting has been brought forward to September.

NSW Farmers chief executive Matt Brand said the association’s board could not review the reforms and present them within that timeframe.

The extraordinary meeting will now be put back until after Christmas.

Mr Brand said the reforms would “strengthen and streamline” the association and members demonstrated an “appetite for change”, with more than 73pc voting for change.

Executive councillor Graham Brown said pedantry could have held back reform.

“It is unfortunate some of the dinosaurs of the association were so busy dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s we lost the emphasis on the fact (delegates) are voting to represent members.”

Mr Brown said members had “clearly articulated” the desire for change and argued it would be better to reform the organisation now and “iron out” sticking points as they arose.

However, delegates at the horticulture committee’s annual meeting voted to oppose the reforms before the conference earlier this month, which remains a stumbling block.

Hawkesbury horticulture district council representative, Ed Biel, said members of the committee held reservations over the changes proposed for section 29 of the constitution, which governs commodity groups.

Concerns were raised about the impact of reforms on commodity groups’ independence and the way a variety of changes were bundled into a single motion for the conference to vote upon.

“The fact large numbers of changes were grouped made it impossible to support one change without the other.”

Nevertheless, Mr Biel emphasised his opinion “any organisation needs reform from time to time”.

Executive councillor Salvatore Russo said proposed changes to commodity groups, coupled with moves to streamline local representation, would diminish the grassroots’ influence on policy making.

“Proposed changes to section 29 move policy making control from the committees into the hands of the board,” he said.

Section 29.3b currently empowers commodity groups to represent constituents’ views, he said.

Executive councillor Reg Kidd spoke in favour of the changes at the conference.

“People have had the opportunity for months and months to have input (into the reform agenda).

“When you look at change management, the conspiracists come out of the cupboard and look at the negatives.”