VFF board backs down on delay to elect a new president
Farmers’ calls for the Victorian Farmers Federation to rethink its “unconstitutional” decision to delay elections have been answered, with a new promise to hold elections by December.
THE Victorian Farmers Federation board has backed down in its bid to delay replacing current president David Jochinke until February next year, despite his term expiring last month.
The board had tried to defer the election, citing coronavirus restrictions, but finally caved in to pressure from farmers and within the board to follow the VFF constitution.
The constitution states “elections will take place at a date specified by the board in line with the term of office for the president and the vice president (two two-year terms)”.
Mr Jochinke’s four years came to an end in July.
The push to get the elections back on track came from Orbost beef and dairy producer Chris Nixon, who said the delay to February was unconstitutional and that everyone had to get on with life, given coronavirus restrictions were likely to remain in place for some time.
He said VFF board members had been “kidding themselves” if they thought Victorians were going to be free of coronavirus restrictions by February and last weekend began collecting the 100 signatures he needed to call for an extraordinary general meeting to get elections rolling by at least November.
The pressure worked, with the VFF board meeting yesterday to announce it would now run elections by December.
Mr Nixon said it was a partial win for common sense and democracy.
However, he said he would be writing to VFF chief executive Steve Sheridan to remind him that once the board had announced the election, the constitution states an election must be held within 60-90 days, which is mid-November not December.
In a statement emailed to members today, the VFF board stated it would send out further details on the election, which would be held in December, “once all necessary arrangements are in place”.
Mr Jochinke has previously resisted moves to hold an election earlier than February, saying running a postal ballot was like taking the VFF “back to the 1800s”.
This is despite postal voting being regularly used in federal, state and local government elections.
Mr Nixon had previously dismissed the voting delay as a “sham”, saying the VFF needed to get on with it.
As of this week kthere are two candidates standing for president.
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