2015 Brisbane Lions Board Elections - Democracy comes to town Dec 17th

[wantok]

God let's hope no Lions Board ever tries to do what Carlton are trying to do now - introduce a mandatory vetting of Board candidates by a Board sub-committee. How about that for democracy? (More than a bit similar to what China does in Hong Kong - which is what the protests are about by the way).

In case anyone is interested here is the link to the article:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...nomination-panel/story-fni5f5nx-1227142566576

Sorry to drag up the war but Angus Johnson thought this already applied. I am sure he stated that if anyone would like a seat on the Board or who felt they could do better they were welcome to send him their resume. Completely lost any smidgen of respect I had for him on hearing that.

 

[Last of the Roys]

Finally filled in my voting slip.

I ended up voting for: Lethal (of course); Mick Power; Andrew Wellington; Ross Thornton; and James Kliemt.

The last one I struggled with - Peter McGreggor vs. James Kliemt. I think the biggest thing to get my head around were the words of Leigh Matthews himself.

But in the end, with everything I have read and heard, I thought:
- besides hi CV, McGreggor has not put forward any great case as to why he should be on the Board, whereas with James there is an opportunity for a real link to our core supporter base;
- Despite McGreggor being from Melbourne and an old Fitzroy supporter, James is probably better placed (along with Ross Thornton) to help the Club support / grow our Melbourne supporter base;
- at the moment I think the Club is getting back on track - as much it can from the depths we have plunged - from a financial experience perspective, especially with more AFL equalisation funding coming, Greg Swann as CEO and Andrew Wellington, Mick Power and Bob Sharpless as directors. The case for keeping McGreggor is therefore less persuasive.
- What the AFL, and more importantly, the likes of Leigh Matthews think about the need for Board stability is definitely an argument in favour of keeping McGreggor.
- However, it is probably still unlikely that both Ross Thornton and James Kliemt will get elected. I think even a sizeable protest vote that almost boots out a sitting director would be a good reminder. And if it happens that they both do get elected, then the AFL will just have to suck it up and deal with it.

Not sure how many people out there still haven't cast their votes, but they need to be received by the KPMG returns officer by 5pm December 15 (so just over a week away).

 

[Hollow Knight]

Yeah I love Lethal to death but I am perfectly capable of deciding who to vote for without his input. I know his election is a dead certainty (no complaonts here!) but he could have shown some more respect for the process by at least using part of his bio to talk about himself.

Couldn't find a compelling reason to give McGregor a vote, so I didn't.

On a side note, I expect more from Brisbane based directors than simply being "fans" of the club and don't think anything is different for ones based in Victoria. A candidate who simply thinks putting the word "Fitzroy" in their bio is enough of a claim to the throne gets no support from me.

 

[MacMum]

Has Ross Thornton said what and how he plans on doing more for the Fitzroy supporters down here?....and how he plans on being a studious and active Board member from down here with his business interests and all?

 

[Lionguy]

Finally filled in my voting slip.

I ended up voting for: Lethal (of course); Mick Power; Andrew Wellington; Ross Thornton; and James Kliemt.

The last one I struggled with - Peter McGreggor vs. James Kliemt. I think the biggest thing to get my head around were the words of Leigh Matthews himself.

But in the end, with everything I have read and heard, I thought:
- besides hi CV, McGreggor has not put forward any great case as to why he should be on the Board, whereas with James there is an opportunity for a real link to our core supporter base;
- Despite McGreggor being from Melbourne and an old Fitzroy supporter, James is probably better placed (along with Ross Thornton) to help the Club support / grow our Melbourne supporter base;
- at the moment I think the Club is getting back on track - as much it can from the depths we have plunged - from a financial experience perspective, especially with more AFL equalisation funding coming, Greg Swann as CEO and Andrew Wellington, Mick Power and Bob Sharpless as directors. The case for keeping McGreggor is therefore less persuasive.
- What the AFL, and more importantly, the likes of Leigh Matthews think about the need for Board stability is definitely an argument in favour of keeping McGreggor.
- However, it is probably still unlikely that both Ross Thornton and James Kliemt will get elected. I think even a sizeable protest vote that almost boots out a sitting director would be a good reminder. And if it happens that they both do get elected, then the AFL will just have to suck it up and deal with it.

Not sure how many people out there still haven't cast their votes, but they need to be received by the KPMG returns officer by 5pm December 15 (so just over a week away).

I faced the same decision (locked in Lethal, Power, Wellington and Thornton, final decision was between McGregor and Kliemt) but have gone the other way. Agree that McGregor hasn't done or said anything that particlarly convinces me, equally, haven't seen anything particularly negative. Figure I'd give him the benefit of the doubt in order to try to get 2 Melbourne-based Directors on. Also, I don't particularly like the idea of ending up with only one member (Power) having been on the Board for more than a year - change/renewal is positive, but having 6 sets of L-Plates around the table can't be ideal. Plus, McGregor's been endorsed by Lethal (who actually knows him, as opposed to the rest of us). Good enough for me.

 

[dlanod]

I don't particularly like the idea of ending up with only one member (Power) having been on the Board for more than a year - change/renewal is positive, but having 6 sets of L-Plates around the table can't be ideal.

Not that it'll make a difference, but Sharpless has been on the board for over a year now and only a year and a half less than McGregor. He's just not up for election this year.

 

[Lionguy]

Not that it'll make a difference, but Sharpless has been on the board for over a year now and only a year and a half less than McGregor. He's just not up for election this year.

Fair call. Out of interest, do we know when Sharpless is up for election? Is it next year?

 

[dlanod]

Fair call. Out of interest, do we know when Sharpless is up for election? Is it next year?

I believe so. IIRC it's a two year grace period for specialist directors.

 

[Fatcat08]

I believe so. IIRC it's a two year grace period for specialist directors.

Biggest load of bullshit i've ever seen. How someone can be in position for two years without a member vote is beyond me. Even worse that it can be the chairman.

 

[Lionguy]

Biggest load of bullshit i've ever seen. How someone can be in position for two years without a member vote is beyond me. Even worse that it can be the chairman.

Couldn't agree more. I have some sympathy with the concept of 'expertise directors' being appointed for a limited period, but the Constitution should be changed to make it clear that the Chairman must have been elected by members.

 

[Skoob]

I faced the same decision (locked in Lethal, Power, Wellington and Thornton, final decision was between McGregor and Kliemt) but have gone the other way. Agree that McGregor hasn't done or said anything that particlarly convinces me, equally, haven't seen anything particularly negative. Figure I'd give him the benefit of the doubt in order to try to get 2 Melbourne-based Directors on. Also, I don't particularly like the idea of ending up with only one member (Power) having been on the Board for more than a year - change/renewal is positive, but having 6 sets of L-Plates around the table can't be ideal. Plus, McGregor's been endorsed by Lethal (who actually knows him, as opposed to the rest of us). Good enough for me.

Not criticising your choices (they are yours to make and I respect that), but I don't understand the need/desire to have 2 Melbourne/Victorian based board members.
My posting history will show that I completely respect and embrace our Fitzroy heritage, and even without that, view Victorian representation and presence as very important, but 2? This is still now a Brisbane team/ Brisbane company that desperately needs, first and foremost, Brisbane involvement. We have the likes of Leigh Matthews and even our CEO, Greg Swann, who are well recognised and respected Victorians, even if they now live up here. To have 2 board members based in Melbourne/Victoria is surplus, in my opinion. We have people who are well aware of the landscape and history, as well as the commercial importance of Victoria; I just don't see the value of 2 'on the ground' there instead of another working in our home city/state.

 

[T Rick]

Couldn't agree more. I have some sympathy with the concept of 'expertise directors' being appointed for a limited period, but the Constitution should be changed to make it clear that the Chairman must have been elected by members.

Not sure about the dogma on this...I would have been very happy if someone such as Lethal was parachuted onto the Board to replace Angarse as Chairman a couple of years ago.

 

[Crusha]

Votes are in.
Well James K ...... you just became the "Top Weight" in this race ..... you're now carrying Crusha to the post ......... (with 4 mates).
(Don't forget your weightlifting belt)

 

[Hollow Knight]

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2014-12-16/thornton-elected-to-board

Candidates in BOLD re-elected/elected.

Leigh Matthews – 1,318 votes
Mick Power AM – 1,247 votes
Andrew Wellington – 1,173 votes
Peter McGregor – 1,117 votes
Ross Thornton – 667 votes

Filipo Di Bella – 375 votes
James Kliemt – 330 votes
Julie Greenwood – 243 votes
Christopher Raleigh – 134 votes

 

[Hollow Knight]

Looks like Lethal's plea for stability was endorsed by the members.

Congratulations to Ross Thornton on his election - two Victorian representatives on the board is not a bad thing at all. Ross set some lofty targets - excited to see what he has planned.

Commiserations to those that missed out and respect for putting your hands up.

Thus ends our first real board election in a long long time. Hopefully members remain awake now and ensure that board members live up to their charge. Our club has a long road back and expectations are rising. No board member should ever feel comfortable from this point forward.

 

[Davemonkey]

Congratulations to the new and returned board members. Commiserations to all of the others and there are at least two on that list I would have liked to have seen on the board. Nonetheless accountability returns. This is a good thing.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I believe so. IIRC it's a two year grace period for specialist directors.

Watch who you're calling special.

 

[T Rick]

I assume the newly constituted Board elects the Chairman...any chance of this being Lethal in 2015?

 

[Hollow Knight]

I assume the newly constituted Board elects the Chairman...any chance of this being Lethal in 2015?

Wouldn't have thought so.

 

[T Rick]

Comment: Lethal received 1318 votes (and Mick Power 1247). On the assumption that 99.99% of participating members voted for Leigh Matthews, it surprises me how few eligible members actually bother to vote. On this basis 95% of voters gave Mick Power a vote.

 

[Skoob]

Comment: Lethal received 1318 votes (and Mick Power 1247). On the assumption that 99.99% of participating members voted for Leigh Matthews, it surprises me how few eligible members actually bother to vote. On this basis 95% of voters gave Mick Power a vote.

That's a very important point. Even if there was 20% of voters who didn't vote for Leigh, that's a disappointing number.

Bad luck to James (and the others I guess, though James would be the one of those to miss out that I would have voted for). I guess a relatively late putting up of the handwould have had a big impact. I hope James Kliemt continues to campaign and make himself known to members next year and has another crack.
As others have said, the main thing is to not rest on these, our laurels, and continue the member participation and vigilance.

 

[James Kliemt]

As expected it was going to be pretty tough for me this time around. Congratulations to Ross, he was a very worthwhile candidate. I really hope he can help build some bridges to the Fitzroy community.

Huge thanks to everyone who voted for me this time around...and to those that didn't, you don't get rid of me that easily.

 

[POBT]

To be honest, I'm surprised that Thornton didn't win by more. Name recognition, a demonstrable Fitzroy connection and the prior endorsement as part of the Fresh Start team.

I think that the results is a big show of faith for Matthews in particular and the board (and club) more generally. Stability is a good thing in a lot of respects.

Let's hope this starts a tradition of competitive elections. To all the candidates - thank you for showing that you care about our club.

 

[MacMum]

I've asked before, but what exactly has Ross Thornton said he will do to improve relations with the faithful down here?

 

[T Rick]

I've asked before, but what exactly has Ross Thornton said he will do to improve relations with the faithful down here?

MacMum, I am not sure it is about what Ross Thornton or any other candidate says "he will do for X members...". Ultimately, whoever is elected must bring to the table expertise (rather than some political agenda) and using Ross as an example, he is a successful businessperson, has a Fitzroy connection and importantly some football knowledge. The last thing the Club needs is a half a dozen "presidential style candidates"...we need a team with complementary skills and expertise and a passion for the Club. Hopefully, Ross adds to the mix...