Update from the EWA Board to Members
The EA Administration process is moving along, with the next creditor’s meeting being held 14th July 2020. At this meeting, a few important resolutions will be voted upon.
Yesterday KordaMentha released their report into the administration of Equestrian Australia.
The Administrators report has made it clear that the votes of Victorian, Tasmanian, South Australian and New South Wales will not count because our members are no longer creditors with EA. Having renewed your membership, you are now members of “Equestrian Australia in Administration.”
This means that 73% of Equestrian Australia’s member base will not have a valid voice in the future of the sport.
To be clear:
- Clause 2.5.2 (Page 6) states that: “Members of EA whose membership period expired on 30 June 2020 no longer have a claim in the Administration” therefore EVic, ESA, ENSW and ETAS members’ votes will only be used for the purpose of understanding their views, they will not formally count.
- Only Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory members will get a vote, representing only 27% of the member base.
- KordaMentha and the remaining 4 EA Directors are denying votes to Vic, NSW, SA and TAS based upon a technicality. This is not fair or equitable and we are fighting to ensure your views count are represented.
Once again, EWA is looking for your support and asking you to either register to attend or nominate the EWA Board’s Chair, Ron Fleming, as your proxy.
Resolutions 1-3 are in regards to the financial remuneration to the administrators, and EWA will be voting FOR to 2 and 3, but AGAINST to Resolution 1. We believe the Administrators have proceeded with work outside their scope, which the members should not be charged for.
Resolutions 6,7, 8 and 9 are in relations to the administration itself, and EWA will be voting AGAINST to 6,7,8 and FOR to 9.
Resolutions 4 and 5 are the ones that most members will be the most interested in- the two proposed DOCA’s (Deed of Company Arrangement). The DOCA chosen will decide how EA will proceed in the short term, as it looks to create genuine and lasting governance reform. It is important to note that a DOCA is NOT the final governance structure for EA, but the framework to move forward with member consultation, modelling and costing of the various models being proposed and discussed, before a final model is proposed in some months’ time.
Good governance restructures and lasting governance restructure must be done over time with methodical processes. It needs proper and correct consultation with members, committees, and all stakeholders. This is our chance for genuine change, and to create a positive future for our sport. EWA Board welcomes this opportunity.
It is for this reason that we will be voting to support resolution 4, the DOCA proposed by the state branches, and voting against resolution 5, the DOCA proposed by KordaMentha. The KordaMentha DOCA is not supported by 5 out of the 6 states, and at the SGM the constitutional amendment is likely to fail, which could conceivably result in EA being liquidated. This is NOT an outcome we desire.
The DOCA’s themselves can be read in full here:
KordaMentha’s DOCA: https://kordamentha.com/getmedia/0c568cb1-0a9c-4720-9dcf-31ffca03a333/200706-Report-by-Administrators-kc-edits.pdf
The State Branch’s DOCA: https://engage.equestrian.org.au/option-d/
The statement put out by the EWA board clarifying our position on voting rights, including the “one member, one vote” model proposed, which is central to the two DOCA’s, can be read here: https://www.wa.equestrian.org.au/news/changes-voting
EWA would like to stress that we strongly believe that the “one member, one vote” model proposed will significantly disadvantage the members in smaller states, including WA. The DOCA proposed by ETAS, ENSW, EVIC, ESA and EWA is, we believe, the only fair, representational, methodical, and equitable way forward for EA and our members.
Whilst the administrators indicate that the AOC, FEI and Sport Australia may not support the Branch DOCA – this is an opinion only. The proposed interim directors’ first duty will be to meet with those various bodies to ensure they understand the democratic process proposed, and begin a close consultative relationship as we move forward. This is consistent with other National Sporting Associations in Australia. Again, it’s important to stress that no National Sporting body in Australia currently has a “one member, one vote”.
You will have received emails from EA/ KordaMentha earlier with a letter including your unique code and a link to an online portal to more easily register your proxy. It will have been sent to the email you have listed on your membership file. (Check your junk folders!)
If you wish to nominate Ron Fleming as your proxy, you will need the following details:
Ronald Fleming
EA Number: 8002457
[email protected]
T: (08) 9296 1200
If you support EWA and want to retain our voice at a national level please go online now and give your proxy our Chair Ron Fleming.
If you have any questions, please email the above address with the subject line “Question regarding Proxy vote” and it will be forwarded to Mr Fleming and/ or the Board to respond to.
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