Hmmmmmmm. From your ongoing comments about the board and the AGM's Red. Does this mean you don't believe we've managed to achieve anything over the last ten years? Like no debt, new facilities, 100,000 plus members, two flags n general overall awesomeness.
Just askin like
Firstly to verify LRR's post. It was voted on at the 2017 AGM as this Rhett Bartlett post from the time shows.
For those who maybe unaware, the club has confirmed to me that the AGM vote is for BOTH the 5% threshold change AND the life membership - premiership change.
You CAN'T vote no for one, or yes for the other (or vice versa).
Your one vote encapsulates BOTH topics.
If anyone is interested in a long, long read through past history there are a few threads on all these related topics in the 2nd and 3rd pages of the Off-Field board.
To answer the above post directly.
I strongly believe that the club, board, admin, staff and players have achieved possibly the strongest results in not only Richmond, but maybe AFL history, given the competitiveness, complexities and limitations of an AFL regime that openly pushes an "equalisation" model.
I started supporting Richmond about 1965 when we first started on that golden era.
I was present at the 2004 AGM, along with thousands of other members, that came about in a very poor time for us when we were actually insolvent (only being saved by an AFL guarantee of our debts according to the auditors). This was the very reason why I shook hands with and congratulated Maurice O'Shannassay and Rob Dalton for their efforts at the AGM. I did not forget where we had come from and those two directors were integral to that recovery.
Despite my statement above I do not accept that the "ends justify the means".
Richmond as a sporting club was a member based organisation devoted to excellence in it's competition.
The changes in 2011 (having 1/3 of directors "appointed") started the rot IMO and have continued regularly to diminish the power of members to direct the club ever since with the 2016 and 2017 changes (EGM limits, term limit exemptions, etc) the low point. As an aside I would mention that in 2016 at the same time as the EGM threshold was first mooted so was, in the final change, the ability of members to place an item on the AGM agenda. Applying the Corporations Act, 5% of members are now required to support any motion to be put to the members.
Outside of the constitutional changes I am also appalled at some of the things that have been done including staged resignations, biased elections and secrecy about the appointment of directors.
I look around the world and see a disturbing tendency towards dis-empowering members. In both NFL and Premier League we now have a model where largely un-elected boards make all the decisions. Those clubs are mostly privately owned but the operation are very similar.
We are really not members IMO, we are now shareholders and season ticket holders.
While I have taken a lot of heat for my views (including being called a "F**wit" to my face at the AGM) I really have few regrets and in fact have gained a lot, especially meeting and talking to Dr Joe Garra, Staphen Mayne, Simon Wallace and Peter Casey.
To a large extent the "horse has bolted" IMO. The damage is done and cannot be undone.
So I really don't want to debate this further but I would advise that judging by the fact that we still don't know what the mooted constitutional changes are going to be this year, it's gunna be a doozy that will generate plenty of heat.
To Marlion, sorry your thread has been so heavily distracted. You deserve better.