Edition 81| 18 May 2007


Vote ‘Yes’ to SSA’s new Constitution

Dear SSA Member and Stakeholders,

I am pleased to confirm that a Special General Meeting of SSA will held in Sydney on 4 June 2007. At that meeting, you will be asked to approve a new Constitution.

This is a very exciting time coinciding with remarkable athlete achievement and marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation and focus across all aspects of your sport

For the past two years, the Board of SSA has been committed to a new Constitution. It now unanimously recommends that Members vote in favour of the new Constitution, thereby putting in place a governance and accountability structure designed to best serve members and the sport.

The new Constitution has also been endorsed by:

          • SSA’s major funder, the Australian Sports Commission (‘ASC’); and
          • collectively, by SSA’s State and Territory Associations (‘Associations’).

Further, SSA will enter into a Services Contract with the Associations to ensure that activities currently undertaken by them will continue. This will also provide an important operational relationship between the parties.

Members who are unable to attend the SGM are strongly encouraged to complete a Proxy Form to ensure they are represented. This can be faxed to SSA on (03) 9696 2399.

For further information Members can refer to the SSA website www.skiandsnowboard.org.au or telephone the office of SSA on (03) 9696 2344. In the meanwhile, a summary of the key issues is set out below.

Dean Gosper
President
Ski and Snowboard Australia

 


BACKGROUND

SSA Members will be aware that for the past year or so SSA has been involved in an Independent Governance Review at the request of the ASC. The Review has been typical of the many reviews of National Federations undertaken by the ASC.

In summary, the Review concluded that SSA should be restructured under a Unitary System rather than the current, State based system. In particular, SSA should be responsible exclusively for competitive snowsports in Australia from entry level through all stages of the athlete pathway.
 


A UNITARY SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE FOR SSA

For historic reasons, SSA’s current governance structure has given a high weighting to the influence of States. Today, however, SSA is almost entirely funded by the Federal Government according to a criteria based on international sporting outcomes. Accordingly, because SSA is to focus on competitive snowsports at all levels and on achieving success at the elite level, it follows (given that it is a geographically-concentrated, small sport) a unitary structure is the most appropriate.

Importantly, the Associations will continue to play a key role in the athletes’ pathway up to the sub elite level, through their Services Contract with SSA.
 

THE NEW CONSTITUTION

The new Constitution is available on SSA’s website, www.skiandsnowboard.org.au. In general, its provisions follow contemporary principles of good governance, providing greater clarity and certainty of outcomes for Members.

Direct Membership Only

Voting Membership of SSA will be exclusively direct. Members will make, annually, a conscious decision to join SSA. That is, there will be no indirect membership by way of being a member of another organisation. This will ensure SSA has a visible membership base with which it can communicate and be accountable. There will, also, be options for SSA Members to become members of their chosen Association.

One Vote per Member

Direct voting Members will be entitled to one vote. While Members may be any age, voting Members must be at least 15 years of age; this being the FIS age.

Board Structure of Nine Directors

The Board of SSA will be nine individuals comprising:

• four elected Directors;
• the Chair of SSA’s Athletes’ Commission; and
• four Directors, appointed by the above five elected Directors. This will ensure a broad, skills based board.
In year one, there will be at least one elected Director from each of NSW, ACT and Victoria. The commencing terms of the Directors will be determined by lot.

Notice provisions

The notice provisions to Members for director nominations and AGM’s are fair and unambiguous and will be by email or post and will always be put on the SSA Website.

Elimination of Director conflicts

Directors will be required to step aside from conflicting positions of office on organisations that are members of SSA at national, regional, state and club level. This will clarify the formal responsibilities of all Directors to act in the best interests of SSA.

Terms of President limited

The total yearly terms of any single President will be limited to four. Naturally, the President will require the majority endorsement of the board annually. Additional terms, will require approval from a majority of Members in general meeting.
 


SERVICES CONTRACT WITH ASSOCIATIONS

In order to ensure operational continuity through this period of change, SSA and the Associations will enter into a Services Contract. This contract will ensure that important activities, particularly those impacting on the SSA Athlete Pathway, currently undertaken by the Associations continue to be provided. The contract will also provide an important operational relationship between SSA and the Associations.

The terms of the contract have been established through a comprehensive consultative process, including a series of workshops. All Associations involved in the athlete pathway have participated, including the Victorian Snowsports Association (‘VSA’).

In addition, and consistent with an appropriate level of transparency, representatives from the Associations, including the VSA, have been invited to attend SSA Board meetings during its period of deliberation on the Governance review. This has proven to be invaluable in reestablishing levels of trust throughout the snowsports community.

In summary, the provisions of the Service Contract provide for Associations to continue all activities in the athlete pathway that they currently undertake including the relationships with State Discipline Committees.

In consideration for these services, SSA will apply 50% of its Membership revenue to Associations for State programmes and activities impacting on the athlete pathway.


TRANSITION ARRANGEMENTS

Following adoption of SSA’s new Constitution, the current Board will remain in “caretaker mode”, through until the next AGM scheduled to occur in September 2007. At that meeting, the election of Directors will be undertaken under the provisions of the new Constitution

Importantly, only Members of SSA under the new Constitution will be entitled to vote. That is, only direct members will be entitled to vote at the 2007 AGM. Individuals will no longer be able to rely on voting entitlement by way of indirect membership via an Association. This will require all prospective Members wishing to have their say to renew their membership DIRECTLY with SSA. To assist, the 2007 / 2008 membership year will be opened immediately following the SGM.


SSA OPERATIONAL PLAN

While a comprehensive operational plan will be a priority for the new SSA Board, it is envisaged that the following structure will be maintained.

• SSA will be responsible for competitive snowsports in Australia from entry level through all stages of the athlete pathway.

• SSA will meet its responsibilities directly or via service contracts with third parties such as the OWI, the various State Institutes of Sport and the Associations.

• The office of SSA will be responsible for, and administer, athlete pathway programmes other than those contracted out.

• Disciplines will continue to be overseen by National Discipline Committees (‘NDC’) which will remain sub-committees of and accountable to, the Board. Draft NDC By-Laws are included in the SGM documentation as a guide. While the detail of activity may vary from discipline to discipline, the core responsibilities of each will remain:

o event calendar preparation;
o technical, judging and coaching training and accreditation;
o advice on sport programme, license and selection criteria;
o liaising with competitive clubs; and
o fund raising.


ATHLETES COMMISSION

While SSA already has an Athlete Representative on its Board, this will in future be by virtue of a position as Chair of the SSA Athletes Commission. The governance structure follows the Australian Olympic Committee guidelines and amongst other things, entitles SSA Olympic Athletes to vote for an athlete representative on the AOC.

The Commission By-Laws are on the SSA Website and are summarised below.

• The charter will be to represent the particular interests of SSA athletes.
• The Commission will be elected annually by registered athletes over 15 years of age.
• Only athletes who have competed at Continental Cup level or higher in the past eight years will be eligible.
• Positions will be available to a male and female in each of SSA’s four disciplines.
• The Commission will elect its own Chairman and will be appointed to the Board of SSA by virtue of that position.


 

 

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