The faction trying to force a general election of the Parramatta Leagues Club board includes a raft of property developers, politicians and associates of former board members and has likened a Leagues Club election to the politics of a school tuck shop.
Arguing that it did not matter that a general election would promote factionalism, Councillor Paul Garrad said in an article in today's Sydney Morning Herald: "You are going to always get factions – it doesn’t matter if you have a tuckshop or a club.”
This morning the Herald revealed the names of many of the petitioners who will put forward a motion at the upcoming Annual General Meeting to immediately dismiss administrator Max Donnelly and stage an all-in election.
The Herald wrote: "The four organisers of the petition were: Tony Labbozzetta, a former chairman of the Marconi Club; Tony Beuk, a one-time ALP employee and former Liverpool councillor who is also a director of the Sydney Dragway; Cumberland councillor and former Parramatta mayor Paul Garrard, and Jude Findlay, an associate of former Parramatta Leagues chairman Roy Spagnolo."
"Signatures to the petition included the mayor of Parramatta, Andrew Wilson, and deputy mayor, Michelle Garrard, as well as a number of prominent figures in the property industry, such as Ray Khattar and others associated with developer Dyldam, builder Rony Wardan, and developer Vince Lombardo."
In the article, Max Donnelly stands firm on his desire to appoint an initial merit-based board.
"Trying to elect seven at a time is what created factions... Why wouldn't you want the most high-skilled board that you can have?” he is quoted as saying.
Parramatta Leagues Club CEO Bevan Paul is worried that the petition is being put forward within the context of the massive Leagues Club redevelopment.
"Suppliers and contractors interested in the hotel development, they will be seeking avenues to gain [an advantage when it comes to tendering,” Mr Paul said "So the oversight of the development will require a board that’s completely devoid of any real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest. I think that any conflicts of interest, which have been a problem in the past, can either slow that down or compromise it in some other way.”
1Eyed Eel has been a vocal proponent of constitutional change, with an emphasis on a process that aims to promote the necessary skillsets best suited for running a modern-day Leagues Club board. We will be arguing against a vote for a general election, which we believe will promote more factional warring within the club.
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Comments
There is a very consistent message that comes through from the Tuck Shop mob - that factions are ok.
In the above article, Paul Garrard is quoted as saying:
"You are going to always get factions – it doesn’t matter if you have a tuckshop or a club.”
At the last meeting where Donnelly attempted to get the reform motions passed through, Tony Labbozzetta said the same thing. He said something along the lines that there is nothing wrong with factions, they're just people who share a similar point of view. What crap.
Councillor Garrard even said that the "factions have come together". Hoorah, we've now got this united 'tuck shop faction'.
This is the problem when politicians and old-school club people, want to get involved with running a modern-day business like the Parramatta Leagues Club group. They want to run it like, well I think Garrard may have put it best here, a tuck shop.
You don't run a multi-million dollar business like the Parramatta Leagues Club like a tuck shop. Real businesses don't have factions. They don't have people who meet up, trying to organise voting numbers and campaign funding.
Just like real businesses don't have people forging memberships to give themselves extra numbers to vote at an election. Or stand out the front of the entrance on voting day, marking off the names of 'supporters' who have bothered to come in and vote at an election.
All of those things DO happen in politics and they most definitely do happen in old-school Club elections. Yes, probably even among tuck shops committees. But again, that's the point - running a modern-day Leagues Club group should not involve political savviness or the ability to coordinate an election campaign. It should be about relevant business skills, knowledge and experience. That's how a real business operates.
The fact that the tuck shop faction reeks of politicians and developers and associates of past members, lays bare what the motivations are behind it. And the fact that one of the co-signed was responsible for outrageous racist-laden remarks at the last constitutional election further lessens any pretence it has to credibility.
I will be voting against the Tuck Shop faction and its petition.
Phil a election would be a great disadvantage to you in getting on the board as very few would vote for a person who backed and helped with the campaign of Steve Sharp and his mob get into the power , the very people who ruined the club to the point the club is still suffering today . You posted blog after blog on this site telling everyone how great Steve Sharp would be for the club and very few eels members would vote for a person with such poor judgement , can only imagine what damage your judgement would to the club .
It would be far more advantageous for you to just quietly send Max Donnelly a application and get on the board that way , a election would see you embarrassed and ridiculed for your past and you have given people to much ammunition to use against you . Just looking out for you Phil . Since you wanted to be a smartarse would me the other day I thought I'd rerret the favour .
*rolls eyes* was literally about to lift your suspension and you break the multiple profile rule... hope that little jibe was worth it.
My goodness Phil - this blog would not have any bearing on what I was banging on about back then - would it?
Told you so.
Follow the money trail and who stands to benefit most.
$100s of millions on the line and people are so naive they think this is about the club.
You people have no idea how deep the corruption goes and who is involved.
Please tell us!! Why are you keeping it a secret? If it is as dodgy as you say, tell the world!!!
NFI
Perhaps it’s time for Max to apply for a court order to dispense with our existing constitution in favour of his new one and forge ahead
There is nothing in any proposal to stop a barred board member from being appointed as CEO, so the leader of a faction who is legally barred from being on a board, can have his faction place him in charge of the club
The only way we get a competent start to the rejuvenation of our club is to have the existing Constitution set aside.
There is still too much political heat around doing that. Clubs NSW would baulk at any precedent that allows power to be taken from clubs boards and they obviously represent a massive lobby group, so that's never going to happen particularly around election time.
Your probably right but then Clubs NSW don’t want another investigation into malpractice in a major club, that could erode their political position.
Anyone who thinks a conglomerate of developers and politicians will allow free and fair development of our hotel is just a touch ingenuous.
Sad to say but this crap dosnt go away. Every year it is the same thing. As a supporter i cant see anything positive in a article like this. I know the same thing is happening at most clubs.
Perhaps a performance based salary package for board members is the way to go.
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