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ARU Governance Report

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Hugh Jarse

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Ryan09 said:
Hallelujah to this:

Crucial time for Australian rugby

MONDAY is D-Day for Australian rugby.
Former Labor politician Mark Arbib will present his review into the governance of Australian rugby to the ARU board.
Initiated by retiring ARU CEO John O'Neill 12 months ago, the Arbib Report will will be the biggest shake-up in the history of Australian rugby and will bring the game into the 21st century.
Arbib is expected to recommend the ARU move away from its antiquated, federated model of governance towards an AFL-style independent commission.
It is a model that cricket, rugby league and soccer have all considered or followed.
If the ARU does not take this historic step towards modernising its governance, rugby runs the risk of becoming a boutique sport in this country.

Rugby can no longer afford to be administered by a model that belongs in a museum.
The game is strong in the traditional heartland states of NSW and Queensland, but if it is to challenge AFL and even the NRL in popularity, it has to grow nationally.
To do this rugby must be further developed in what are officially referred to as the "other" states and territories - ACT, Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
Securing ARU board approval for an independent commission is only the first step towards governance reform.
The real challenge for ARU chairman Michael Hawker and key directors such as Peter Cosgrove is to convince NSW and Queensland to support constitutional change.
The ARU constitution was written in 1949 and is weighted heavily in favour of NSW and Queensland.
If the ARU approves an independent commission, it will have to be ratified at an extraordinary general meeting of the member unions.
Any constitutional change requires a 75 per cent majority of the member unions.
The member unions have 14 votes. NSW has five, Queensland three and the other states and territories one each.
This means in effect that NSW can veto any proposal.
NSW is the largest member union and it produdces 60 per cent of Australia's players. Why should it give up any power? Power it has held for the entire history of the game in this country.
The answer is pretty simple. Australian rugby needs to modernise its governance to ensure the game grows nationally, not just in the heartland states.
If Australian rugby does not embrace independent governance, the future of the game will be very uncertain.
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This probably deserves a thread of its own.

If NSWRU effectively have the power to veto implementation of any change to the ARU Constitution, do NFJ and the team running NSWRU have the intent to endorse an independent commission, or any genuine constitutional modernisation?
 
Jets

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
It has to be done for the growth of the game. It's a crazy situation that one Union can hold such power over the game.
 
Hugh Jarse

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
^^^^That is good news. Hopefully the rest of rugbydom will also get behind the push for modernisation and put petty provincial pointscoring and powerplays to the past.
 
Jets

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
That's great to hear. You would think that it should have 100% backing, unless Qld have an issue with it. All the other states would want the power base of NSW and QLD taken away. It's a pivotal time in Australian Rugby history, it is almost a perfect storm moment. There is a need for change across the game. The Super teams all seemed to be moving in the right direction. The ARU needs to step into the 21st century and challenge the other sports head on and this can only be done with a change of governance.
 
Hugh Jarse

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Wouldn't be a bad idea to merge them.

Hopefully Cossies Governance Report will recommend more than just an Independent Commission to run the game.

There are governance and structural issues to be resolved from HQ ARU right down to the grass roots Village and Suburban Club's.

The AJRU Strategic Plan f'rinstance seems to be on hold pending direction and guidance from the Cossie Report.
 
Blackers13

Blackers13

Syd Malcolm (24)
Hugh Jarse said:
Wouldn't be a bad idea to merge them.

Hopefully Cossies Governance Report will recommend more than just an Independent Commission to run the game.

There are governance and structural issues to be resolved from HQ ARU right down to the grass roots Village and Suburban Club's.

The AJRU Strategic Plan f'rinstance seems to be on hold pending direction and guidance from the Cossie Report.
Click to expand...
Hugh Jarse said:
Wouldn't be a bad idea to merge them.

Hopefully Cossies Governance Report will recommend more than just an Independent Commission to run the game.

There are governance and structural issues to be resolved from HQ ARU right down to the grass roots Village and Suburban Club's.

The AJRU Strategic Plan f'rinstance seems to be on hold pending direction and guidance from the Cossie Report.
Click to expand...
You are right Hugh, although all the issues you mention emanate from the fractured structure of the game's administration. Sort out the head body then, like the AFL have done, implement systems and standards across the game, with accountablility at all levels.
 
Sully

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member

From pack mentality to working in union

THE Rugby Union Players' Association is prepared to sacrifice its power to nominate current and former players to the nation's rugby boards under a proposed new corporate governance model.
In a sign of the optimism surrounding the planned restructure of Australian rugby, RUPA boss Greg Harris said he and chairman Bruce Hodgkinson were prepared to back, for the good of the game, any recommendations generated by a review of the Australian Rugby Union's corporate governance .
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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...ality-to-working-in-union-20121026-28b2q.html
 
T

TOCC

Guest
organistaions/groups/people never relinquish power without some sort of guarantees that it will be in the best interests. Given that QLD and NSW are the biggest unions in the country they do stand to lose the most, thus they will want to ensure that the ARU has a system/structure in place..

Their are still some significant barriers to overcome, this process will take over 12months..
 
Blackers13

Blackers13

Syd Malcolm (24)
Man on the hill said:
Pls re-read the article - he gives himself a handy escape clause - he says - "I would obviously have to discuss this with my colleagues" - so it wont be his fault it will be someone else's fault!
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You underestimate NFJ. He's a seriously impressive administrator. The quote you pulled would merely be a deference to his board. He is committed to change and hell make sure it happens at the NSW end.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I doubt they will publish the report, not least till all the unions have had visibility on it
 
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