no_image_available

Cricket Australia Governance Review Update

Statement by CA Chairman Wally Edwards

Cricket Australia's Board today resolved to seek its State Cricket Association members' approval to begin a transition to a smaller, independent Board.

The present CA Board has 14 Directors from six States, with each State nominating between one and three Directors each.

Today's resolution follows a recommendation to CA's Board late last year from sports governance specialists David Crawford and Colin Carter to consider a range of changes including moving to a smaller, independent Board.

CA's Board today resolved to ask for Member feedback on proposed changes that could lead initially to a Board consisting of six State?appointed Directors plus three independent Directors.

Such a Board could be in place from CA's AGM in October this year. Once achieved, it would represent the most significant change in Australian cricket governance in more than 100 years.

After three years, CA's Board would review the success of the changes and consider then moving to a Board of nine independent Directors, with at least one Director resident in each State.

Today's resolution is published at the end of this release.

Next steps are to:
* Seek Member feedback by the end of May;
* Consider that feedback at CA's June Board meeting with a view of putting a resolution for change to Members for final approval.

Ends

The CA Board resolved that proposed constitutional amendments be provided to CA Members for their consideration and comments by 31 May 2012, with those comments to be tabled before Directors at the June Cricket Australia Board Meeting with the intention of the Cricket Australia Board finalising the resolutions to be put to a special meeting of Cricket Australia Members thereafter:

Stage 1
That for Three Years:

  1. 3 votes for each State.

  2. 6 State directors - 1 director to be nominated by each State without criteria (eg, residency) who may hold dual CA-State/BBL directorships. Up to State Association to make decision.

  3. 3 independently-elected directors proposed by Initial Nomination Committee and approved by 2/3 members.

  4. All 9 directors to hold office for initial 3 years and then lots will be drawn as to the order they will retire/come up for re-election. 2 State appointed directors and 1 independently-elected director will retire at the end of each of years 3, 4 and 5.

  5. CA CEO not to be a CA director.

  6. Initial Nomination Committee for initial 3 independents to be:
    * CA Chairman
    * 2 persons not on any cricket board with appropriate experience
    * 2 State Chairman/Presidents recommended by CA Board majority.

  7. Requirement for a minimum of 2 meetings of CA/State Chairman/Presidents each year.

  8. Reserve Powers (2/3 of member approval):
    * Any decision by CA to remove a State team from the Sheffield Shield, 50-over premier men's competition and premier women's competition.
    * Appointment of an independent CA Director and removal of a CA Director.

  9. Any decision by CA to stage a match at a venue in a State not owned or approved by the relevant State Association will require the approval of that State Association.

Stage 2
That toward the end of the 3-year transition period, unless Members determine to the contrary:

  1. There will be 9 independently elected directors approved by 2/3 Members after being recommended by the Nomination Committee.

  2. At least 1 director will at the time of election reside in each Australian State.

  3. All 9 directors will not be State Association/BBL team directors or office bearers (or members of any committee that in a practical sense functions as a board of directors or ultimate or direct and high-level decision making authority of a State Association or BBL team) during their time as CA directors (a ?State Position?). For the avoidance of doubt, a State Position shall not be deemed to include, of itself, the holding of a delegate's position, a member's position or being a member of a committee other than a committee described in the preceding sentence.

  4. Nomination Committee to consist of:
    * CA Chairman (casting vote)
    * CA Director (elected by majority of CA Board); and
    *2 State Association Chairmen/Presidents, who will for the first 3 years be from where the SA-appointed director is retiring, thereafter as selected by a majority of Directors having regard to, among other matters, the residence of the retiring Directors.

  5. Prior to the end of the 3-year transition period, the CA Board will review and assess the workability, appropriateness, efficiency and overall value of the constitutional changes (i) enacted by the Company on and from the 2012 AGM and (ii) provided for after the end of the transition period under the CA Constitution and will report on such matters to the CA Members for their consideration prior to the 2015 AGM.