Australian Sailing’s Annual General Meeting will be held in late October, and state Member Yachting Associations (MYA) and affiliated clubs may consider nominating candidates for election.
There are three elected director positions being dealt with at the 2025 AGM. Firstly, the vacant position created by Mal Page’s resignation to take on the CEO role, and then Australian Sailing’s President Shevaun Bruland and Australian Sailing director Richard Hudson whose 2 year terms are finishing, and both of whom are understood to be seeking nomination and re-election.
Australian Sailing uses a Nominations Committee appointed under clause 20.5 of the Australian Sailing Constitution. The Nominations Committee is required under clause 14.3(e) to approve the eligibility of any director being nominated for election. Australian Sailing can advise that Shevaun Bruland and Richard Hudson have received the Nominations Committee’s approval and are eligible to be re-elected.
Australian Sailing has a policy position that the Nominations Committee is to identify the skills and diversity needs of the Board and that it should assist with the search for new directors. On reviewing the geographic and gender diversity gaps created by the directors leaving the Board, the Nominations Committee has identified that the Board is seeking new directors from NSW, QLD or Vic and either gender, to ensure the board composition remains at 4/5 gender split.
As always, there is a requirement for an excellent understanding of the sport and strong recognition and support from the constituency, and elevated core skills of governance, leadership, strategy and engagement. This year the skills being sought in nominees for election this year are in order of priority:
- Sailing’s High Performance program
- Government and Brisbane 32 Organising Committee access and influence
- Digital and Marketing
Regard should also be given to this advice when considering nominees for election. The Nominations Committee will assess and approve eligible candidates for election at the AGM.
Nominations for election will naturally be handled in accordance with the constitution. In constituencies where clubs affiliate with Australian Sailing directly, it is the affiliated club which is a Member of Australian Sailing and eligible to nominate the candidate. In states and territories where the Member Yachting Association is the affiliated Member of Australian Sailing, nominations can only be made by the MYA.
- In NSW, Tas, SA and ACT clubs affiliate directly with Australian Sailing and are the Members eligible to nominate candidates for election. Voting for a nominated candidate is made by the appointed delegate of a Regional Advisory Committee at the AGM.
- Yachting Vic and Yachting QLD are transitioning from MYAs to direct affiliation by clubs. The Members eligible to nominate candidates for election (the MYA or the clubs) will depend on where that process is at when nominees are called.
- Yachting WA and Yachting NT are the Members eligible to nominate candidates for election from their regions. Voting for a nominated candidate is by the appointed delegate of YWA and YNT at the AGM.
In all cases, the CEO will write to the Members which are eligible to nominate candidates for election and invite nominations.
Click here for information about Australian Sailing.
Click here for Australian Sailing’s Strategic Plan.
