Gippsland: League chairman Brett Tessari switches to rival competition in admin role
Soon after being elected for another year in top job of the Gippsland league, chairman Brett Tessari is on the move. See where he is headed.
Victoria
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Gippsland Football-Netball League chairman Brett Tessari has stepped down to take on the paid operations manager role of the neighbouring West Gippsland league.
Mr Tessari, who unsuccessfully stood as the Nationals candidate in the recent state election in the seat of Bass, announced he would be stepping down from the Gippsland league’s top job after one year.
He was previously president of Wonthaggi Power for six years.
Vice-chairman Andrew Livingstone from Traralgon will take over as interim chairman until the board meets to elect a full-time replacement in the new year.
Mr Tessari has also worked in real estate and was mayor of Bass Coast Shire.
“It’s exciting times down here, but it’s also probably a bit apprehensive because the league is going to go under its own administration,” he said.
“But it gives the West Gippsland league a chance to set its own direction.”
He starts in the role early in the new year.
The Gippsland league is the major competition in the region with clubs from Bairnsdale in the east to Wonthaggi, Leongatha, Drouin and Warragul in the west.
The West Gippsland league was previously administered by AFL Gippsland, but leagues across the state have started moving back to running their own affairs rather than by AFL staff in regional administration centres.
The Gippsland league took back control of its administration last year.
The AFL Gippsland Commission made up of independent directors is also in the midst of being wound up.
AFL Gippsland staff including regional manager Cameron McPhan will continue working in the area, but under the AFL Victoria banner.
Northeast Border, Goulburn-Murray, Central Victoria, Sunraysia and Barwon regional administration centres are still in existence.
But Gippsland, South-East, Wimmera-Mallee, Goldfields and Western District are in the process of being wound up.
“While the philosophy of central administration has proven successful in some regions and for some leagues, there are associated risks,” AFL Victoria’s John O’Donohue said.
“It’s acknowledged that in some cases, leagues don’t have capacity to self administer and require regional support which will continue under a services agreement.
“This doesn’t suggest either model is better.
“What it does allow is AFL Victoria management in regions to focus on game development and strategy.
“AFL Victoria has no plans to deregister the five functional commissions and funding remains to all 10 regions.”
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