Bendigo: Chairwoman Carol McKinstry set to survive push for removal
A dramatic push to oust the Bendigo Football-Netball League’s long-serving chairwoman appears doomed after crucial backing evaporated before Monday's vote.
A push to remove Bendigo Football-Netball League chairwoman Carol McKinstry at a special general meeting next week is almost certainly going to fail.
The Weekly Times has seen correspondence sent by Strathfieldsaye to other clubs indicating its stance not to support the ousting of the long-serving chairman, stating she was entitled to remain to see through efforts to lure news teams to the competition and wasn’t deserving of being “frogmarched” from her role.
It also requested clubs call off the meeting because the vote would fail without Strathfieldsaye’s backing.
Strathfieldsaye president Luke O’Keefe declined to comment when contacted on Wednesday.
Professor McKinstry is prepared to step down from the top job she has held for a decade, but wants to remain on the board.
A 75 per cent majority of the league’s nine clubs must vote in favour for Professor McKinstry to be removed at the special general meeting, but without Strathfieldsaye’s backing the move fails with Sandhurst and Broadford also in the chairwoman’s corner.
Professor McKinstry wants to follow through moves of bringing in new clubs to replace Kyneton and Maryborough, which have gone in last two years, and Gisborne, which was blocked from leaving and joining the Ballarat league in 2026.
A special general meeting is scheduled for Monday with clubs asked to vote: “(That) Carol McKinstry be removed as an honorary member of the BFNL board immediately in order to create space for new leadership, new strategic direction, stronger collaboration and improved communication with clubs”.
The league’s annual meeting is being held in mid-January and two other board members, Sam McGee and Andy Walker, who have been on the board a similar length of time to Professor McKinstry, are standing down, opening the door to a major reset with a host of fresh faces.
