VFF powerplay: Radical reforms neuter dairy, grains and livestock groups

Radical reforms propose cutting back the power of the Victorian Farmers Federation’s dairy, grains and livestock commodity groups.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano is pushing major changes to the VFF’s constitution that radically reduce commodity groups’ power.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano is spearheading a raft of constitutional changes to the federation, which neuter its commodity groups, divesting them of much of their power.

The Weekly Times understands Ms Germano directed Maddocks Lawyers to draft the reforms, which includes a new clause stating the VFF “board may in its sole discretion establish, dissolve or merge Commodity Groups or any working or subgroups of such Commodity Groups”.

The VFF’s three largest commodity groups – dairy, grains and livestock – would also lose the right to each nominate a board member from within their ranks, under the reforms, as well as control of their finances.

Copies of the constitutional amendments released to commodity leaders today state the number of farmer directors sitting on the VFF board would be cut from seven to four, while the maximum number of specialist unelected directors would rise from the current two to three.

All four directors would be directly elected using a first past the post voting system, open to all members.

The United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, VFF Grains, Livestock, Horticulture and Intensive livestock groups would all lose the right to each nominate a board director, which was originally implemented to ensure a cross-section of representation.

Commodity presidents would be renamed commodity chairs and explicitly excluded from the board under a clause that states “the president, vice president and (two) elected directors are not eligible for those positions if any of those individuals are a commodity group chair or commodity group deputy chair during the term of office of President, Vice President and Elected Director”.

Commodity groups are also set to lose their current constitutional control of their finances.

Clause 7.2.1 (h) of the current constitution that states one of the key functions of each commodity group’s policy council is to “establish the budget for the Commodity Group” has been deleted under the proposed reforms.

The VFF board would also be granted sweeping new powers under clause 11.1.2, to:

ESTABLISH Commodity Groups and working or subgroups of such Commodity Groups, or in its sole discretion dissolve or merge one or more Commodity Groups.

DEFINE geographic areas for the purposes of Commodity Policy Councillor elections.

ESTABLISH branches or in its sole discretion dissolve or merge one or more Branches.

A new Code of Conduct would also be introduced, which would entail “any rules, procedures and restrictions issued by the Board from time to time concerning the conduct of Members or Officeholders of The VFF.

Clause 6.5.2 of the draft constitution states “the Board has the power to remove a member of the Branch Executive in the event of noncompliance with any Code of Conduct or other requirements”.

New members would also no longer have the right to choose which branch they wanted to join, with the VFF’s chief executive making that call.

Ms Germano said the reforms were necessary to “modernise the organisation”.

But commodity group leaders say the reforms were “terrible”.

VFF Grains Councillor Ryan Milgate said that while he was still digesting the proposed reforms, what he had heard and seen to date “went against what the VFF was all about and what it was built on”.

VFF members will be invited to attend an extraordinary general meeting on November 20 to vote on the amendments to the VFF Constitution.

Commodity presidents and council members have been given until July 28 to provide feedback to the VFF chief executive Brendan Tatham.

A copy of the marked up changes to the constitution can be found HERE.

OTHER CHANGES TO BRANCH FUNCTIONS

Dissolving & Merging Branches

CURRENT: 6.19.1 The Board may dissolve or merge one or more Branches subject to consultation with the relevant Branch(s).

NEW: 6.1.1 The Board may in its sole discretion establish, merge or dissolve Branches of The VFF.

Branch finances

CURRENT: 6.4.1 Each Branch shall have available to it to finance its activities an amount calculated on the number of Members registered with the Branch at the prescribed Census Date. And 6.5.1 Each Branch shall be autonomous in the expenditure of the funds made available to it under this Constitution for purposes consistent with The Federation’s objects.

NEW: All references to branches receiving funding deleted.

Branch Secretary and Treasurer

CURRENT: 6.16 & 6.17 Clearly defined roles of the branch secretary and treasurer in administering a branch and its finances.

NEW: Roles deleted

Branch quorum

CURRENT: 6.10.1 The Branch Annual Meeting shall be held at such time and place as each Branch Executive may decide. Six (6) Members of a Branch personally present shall form a quorum.

NEW: 6.8.3 Fifteen (15) Voting Members of a Branch present shall form a quorum.

Branch behaviour

CURRENT: No mention of a Code of Conduct.

NEW: 6.5.2 Each elected individual voted into the Branch Executive shall at all times during the term of the Branch Executive comply with any Code of Conduct and other requirements set by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer from time to time. The Board has the power to remove a member of the Branch Executive in the event of noncompliance with any Code of Conduct or other requirements. 6.5.3 The Board may from time to time set eligibility criteria for election into the Branch Executive.