New front opens in Tattersall’s Club battle over whether to admit women as members

As the civil war engulfing Tattersall’s Club over whether to admit women as members intensifies, a new front in the conflict has opened over whether half of all members should approve changes.

Tattersall's Club in Brisbane.

NEW FRONT

Is it merely a change to enhance fairness or a sneaky way to move the goalposts?

As the civil war engulfing Tattersall’s Club over whether to admit women as members intensifies, a new front in the conflict opened late on Sunday.

CEO David Bark dispatched an email to members about a December 10 deadline to vote on a proposed amendment to club rules which would require at least half of them to support any change.

Sounds reasonable at first blush but, in fact, it would make it much harder to push through changes, such as allowing females to join.

INSIDE THE VOTE TO KEEP WOMEN OUT

PREMIER BLASTED OVER TATTERSALL’S CLUB

Backing this effort are at least 40 members opposed to letting the ladies sign up. Among them are such well-known identities as Sir Leo Hielscher, Sir Frank Moore, James Power, Karl Morris, Nick Malouf and Dean Merlo.

Current and former political types are also on board, including Bill O’Chee, Robbie Katter and David Goodwin.

But a club committee has fought back, declining to back the motion after it was received on October 11 and describing it as “deceptive in its simplicity’’.

“Traditionally, only 30-45 per cent of members participate in a vote. Raising the threshold of those in favour to over 50 per cent of ALL members would make it practically impossible to ever change the definition of who can be a member,’’ they said.

Supporters of the male-only status quo returned fire yesterday, decrying the “political games being carried out by the committee’’ and attacking the 45 days it took to notify members of the proposal.

The suggested change “seeks to enhance the democratic process of the club in relation to a matter which has been historically divisive and fundamental to the fabric of the club’’.

“The committee isn’t listening to members, rather it has its own agenda that it is ruthlessly pursuing.’’

COMPOSTING CUPS

Speaking of Dean Merlo, the Brisbane coffee baron amped up his green credentials yesterday by launching compostable takeaway cups and lids.

All 15 of his cafes have started what’s believed to be Queensland’s first such eco-friendly effort, which aims to stop more than three million cups ending up in a landfill each year.

Merlo has teamed up with a mob called BioPak, which makes cups from plants. After use, they can be chucked in the compost bin along with the coffee grounds, food scraps and packaging.

It’s going to cost Merlo a few cents per cup but it’s an expense he won’t be passing on to customers.

The switch is expected to cut Merlo’s carbon emissions by 25 per cent, keep 9.4 tonnes of plastic out of dumps and generate 164 tonnes of compost each year.

“In just eight weeks, your coffee cup becomes healthy worm food,’’ he told us.

That great but, let’s face it, not exactly the most appealing thought as we take our first sip in the morning!

CHANGE OF GUARD

Legal eagle Paul Spiro has been tapped as the new chairman of Brisbane Marketing in a series of appointments unveiled by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk on Monday.

Spiro, who chairs law firm Gadens as well as the Brisbane Festival, replaces bizoid Ian Klug, who oversaw the city’s economic development agency for 12 years.

Meanwhile, Rowland boss Geoff Rodgers will take the reins as chairman of the city’s future fund, the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation, replacing Ted Marchant.

BUYING SPREE

Corporate Travel Management boss Jamie Pherous has just splashed out $650,000 to pick up another 30,000 shares in his embattled company.

It’s his third buying spree this month, taking the total spend to $4.64 million and his stock holding to 20.7 million.

But, as one interested party noted, the acquisitions have increase his shareholding by just 1 per cent. The spend is also far less than the dividends and compensation he took home over the past 12 months.