Southport Bowls Club bar manager made redundant after boardroom stoush at Gold Coast institution

A TURF war has broken out at the Gold Coast’s oldest bowls club after its popular bar manager was retrenched, leading to four board members resigning in protest

A TURF war has broken out at the Gold Coast’s oldest bowls club after a popular bar manager was made redundant, which has led to numerous resignations and accusations of a “coup”.

Patty Muntz, who has worked at the Southport Bowls Club for the past six years, was retrenched following a boardroom stoush.

According to senior club members the justification was financial.

However, the move has seen the membership erupt in anger, with some members saying that justification was a joke.

The shock move comes as the club, a Southport institution since 1914, prepares for its busy period including the Pan Pacific Masters Games next month.

Southport Bowls Club house director Chris Brace resigned in protest after bar manager Patty Muntz was made redundant.

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Four board members, including marketing manager Scott Harris, house director Chris Brace, women’s president Sue Legge, and property director Adriaan van der Lee have resigned in protest after the vote, with one calling it a “coup” by senior board members.

“It was a long hard thought-out coup. They blindsided the whole committee,” he said.

“They are saying it is financial (but) that is b******.

“They already had her resignation and her (redundancy) cheque written out before the meeting.”

The ex-board member, who did not want to be named, said the club had been going well financially.

Southport Bowls Club was founded in 1914.

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He alleged the redundancy was the result of friction between Ms Muntz and another senior staff member.
“When Patty took over the club it was doing $16,000 a month and now it is up to $40,000.”

He said the complaint about financial difficulties was a red herring.

“They said they had no money but two days after they made Patty redundant they sent an email out to casual staff offering a job for 30 hours each week.”

It is understood that two casual bar staff have refused to work at the club after Ms Muntz was retrenched.

Club secretary Jan McMaster, when contacted for comment, said “things are going well and everything is fine”.

“We are just looking at our business model, changing in order to meet commitments around income and expenses,” she said.

Chairman Graeme Mee did not return calls.

Ms Muntz declined to comment.

This is not the first time the club has complained of financial difficulties.

Billionaire Harry Triguboff has been credited with helping to save the club from closure after intervening with generous donations.