New VFF president wins with just 580 votes

Dodgy internet, confusion and a struggle to obtain postal ballots appear to have dramatically curbed voting in the Victorian Farmers Federation elections. See how many farmers voted.

Incoming VFF president Emma Germano wants to restructure the VFF and double membership. Picture: Aaron Francis

JUST 580 votes won Emma Germano the presidency of the Victorian Farmers Federation last week, representing less than 10 per cent of its membership.

Details obtained by The Weekly Times show just 940 of the VFF’s 6000 members, who represent about 4500 farms, voted in the VFF presidential election, with Ms Germano’s rival Leonard Vallance receiving 324 votes.

Up to 2500 members have voted in hotly contested presidential elections in the past, but poor internet access, confusion over nominee numbers and the struggle to obtain postal ballots appear to have dramatically curbed 2020 voting.

Traditionally the VFF has sent out postal ballots to all members, with electronic voting only offered as an alternative.

But this year the VFF board, which included both candidates, decided to fully embrace electronic voting, with postal ballots only offered on request.

A VFF spokesman said “members who did not have access to internet or were otherwise unable to vote electronically could submit a request for a postal ballot by phone or email to the VFF or direct to Link Market Services via the online election portal”.

But Ouyen farmer and VFF life member Ian Hastings said it took him three goes to get on to the electronic voting system.

“It was not good,” Mr Hastings said. “I’ve got friends who don’t have email and thought they’d get a postal ballot.”

When told of how few VFF members voted, Mr Hastings said “holy s…t, that’s ridiculous”.

Another VFF heavyweight, Murtoa farmer Leo Delahunty said he found the electronic voting system was “very ordinary”.

“It was difficult, and despite my age, I’m reasonably good at technology,” Mr Delahunty said.

“I only voted at president level, because as I moved through the bios and everything I thought ‘I’m not wasting hours on this. It’s easy to talk about technology, but it has to be practical.”

The VFF refused to reveal the number of members who voted in this year’s elections, but told The Weekly Times it “far exceeded voting numbers for recent VFF elections”.

However when former VFF president Peter Tuohey was first elected in 2012 there were 2500 votes cast.

Ms Germano said she was “excited they (VFF members) have voted for change”.

She said one of her first acts would be to appoint a CEO, complete the VFF’s strategic plan and in the longer term double membership.

“I’m sure that strategic plan will talk about restructure,” she said. “Everyone says ‘Emma’s going to abolish commodities’ … but they will continue to exist.”

Ms Germano is managing director of her family’s mixed farming operation at Mirboo North producing irrigated crops, sheep and beef and a market garden to supply an on-farm retail outlet.

The VFF’s new vice-president Danyel Cucinotta is a third-generation Victorian caged-egg farmer, whose family operates a Werribee egg farm, onsite cafe and deli.