The ANPA Annual General Meeting was held by ZOOM video conferencing on Sunday, July 28 at 8pm AEST, 7.30pm in South Australia and 6pm in Western Australia.
Meeting started at 8.10pm.
Agenda:
Attendance: Chris Schutz, Gary Browell, Frank Hayes, Brad Turner, Matt Hay, Fred Frendo, Dennis Murphy, Jamie Ramsey, Jeff Krahenbring, Shayne Lau, Terry Adler, Peter Tripoli, Werner Zimmer, Warren Osborne, Malcolm Talbott, Bob Grant, Eddie Kloprogge, Dave Sandhoff, Dwight Wyatt, Kurtis Wyatt, Jim Burns, David Pridham, Gavin Pearce, Richie Darling.
Apologies: Matt Wyatt, Dave Spencley, Clinton DeBoni.
NOTE: The 2023 minutes and all the reports below were posted on the ANPA Website ahead of the meeting with participants asked to read them beforehand rather than officers reading them during the meeting. Participants acknowledged they had read the reports.
1. Reading of Minutes of 2023 AGM.
2. Matters Arising from 2023 AGM Minutes.
MOTION: That the minutes be accepted and no outstanding issues be noted.
MOVED: Gary Browell. SECONDED: Warren Osborne. PASSED,
3. Report by the President.
4. Report by the Secretary.
5. Report by Treasurer and production of ANPA financial statement for 2023-24.
Appointment of Auditor. Dickinson’s Accountants, 2/3908 Pacific Highway Loganholme, Qld. Approved by Committee.
7. Reports by Ring Coordinator, Membership Coordinator and National Show Coordinator.
MOTION; That the reports be received.
MOVED: Bob Grant. SECONDED: Werner Zimmer. PASSED.
Werner Zimmer noted that there appeared to be a lot of rings left over from last year and that it appeared this would happen again this year. Chris Schutz said it was hard to gauge ring sales from year to year. Gary Browell pointed to the change in policy a few years ago when extra rings were added to those ordered by clubs to round up to the nearest whole number to take into account new members and avoid having to re-order rings. Warren Osborne noted the comments in the Ring Coordinator’s report about the engraving fading on some 2023 light blue rings. He said black engraving would make it easier to read the rings. Chris said this had also been discussed by the Committee and Brad Turner would take it up with the supplier.
8. Appointment of Membership Coordinator (vacant), Ring Coordinator (Phillip Cleghorn) Election Supervisor (Dave Spencley), National Show Coordinator (Frank Hayes), Newsletter Editor (Brad Turner), Public Officer (Gavin Pearce). Approved by Committee.
MOTION: That the appointments be ratified and that priority be given to the appointment of a new Membership Coordinator.
MOVED: Eddie Kloprogge. SECONDED: Bob Grant. PASSED.
Elections: Frank Hayes was nominated and seconded for the Victorian Committee prior to the March 1 deadline and becomes Vice-President. Nominations received before the July 26 deadline were President: Chris Schutz nominated by Fred Frendo, seconded by Gary Browell. NSW Committee: Dennis Murphy nominated by Steve Pithers, seconded by Mal Davis. Jamie Ramsey, nominated by Kevin Gambell, seconded by Steve Pithers. Fred Frendo nominated by Mal Davis, seconded by Kevin Gambell. Victorian Committee: Mark Tung nominated by Chris Shannon, seconded by Alan Hill. Malcolm Talbot nominated by Mark Tung, seconded by Stan Metsios. Tasmanian position on Victorian Committee: Matt Hay nominated by Brian Leedham, seconded by Paul Belcher. Ai its meeting on July 21 the ANPA Committee moved that the nominees should be declared elected at the AGM and that an election be held for the position of NSW Vice-President.
MOTION: That the nominees are declared elected and that a ballot be held for the position of NSW Vice-President:
MOVED: Gary Browell. SECONDED: Kurtis Wyatt. PASSED.
10. Announcement of National Awards: Due to the cancellation of the Geelong National a Meritorious Service Award was presented to Steve Pithers by NSW Vice-President Fred Frendo at the PFS Annual Show on June 30. A second award will be presented and announced in August.
MOTION: That the awards be recognized and ratified.
MOVED: Gary Browell. SECONDED: Terry Adler. PASSED.
11. Announcement of the next National Show: Mark Tung (Vic) told the Committee the Melbourne and Geelong clubs intended to put in a bid for the 2025 show, to be submitted in the next three months. Mark said the 2024 entry numbers had exceeded expectations and said about 2500 entries had been expected. He said the organising committee had a back-up plan to hire a marquee. He said the committee had also started looking at alternative larger venues in locations such as Bendigo, Cranbourne and Shepparton.
MOTION: That the meeting supports the Victorian clubs in making a bid on this basis for the 2025 National.
MOVED: Fred Frendo. SECONDED: Bob Grant. PASSED.
Frank Hayes said the pavilion and facilities at Shepparton Showgrounds were outstanding. Eddie Kloprogge commented that it should be mandated that three tiers of show pens should be the maximum allowed, with two tiers the preferred option. This was agreed in general discussion, with Bob Grant saying that two tiers had long been accepted as the best set-up.
12. Ring prices and membership fees for 2025. The Committee voted to retain the ring prices at 35 cents each to clubs and leave the membership fees as their current level. Note: The ring colour for 2025 will be fluorescent green with dark engraving.
MOTION: That the rings prices and membership fees remain unchanged for 2025.
MOVED: David Pridham. SECONDED: Dave Sandhoff. PASSED.
13. Honorariums for Committee members: President: $350, Newsletter Editor: 3 x $300, Membership Coordinator: $500, Ring Coordinator $500, Secretary $1500, Treasurer $500; National Show Coordinator $300. Approved by Committee. Note Brad Turner, Chris Schutz and Gary Browell have declined all honorariums until further notice.
MOTION: That the honorariums approved by the Committee be ratified.
MOVED: Dwight Wyatt. SECONDED: Eddie Kloprogge. PASSED.
14. Other matters arising from the ANPA Committee meeting.
a. Due to rising print production, postage costs and limited contributions the ANPA Newsletter will be produced three times annually from 2025. Brad Turner said he would recommend a publishing schedule to make sure an issue was produced well in time for National show material.
b. ANPA has progressed a project to make the Australian Book of Standards available by sections through the website, which had a merchandising capacity. Investigations are also underway about producing the entire publication to meet one-off demands. Brad Turner is working with the website designer on bringing the project to fruition and will report progress. Ther German Modeneser Standard will need to be added.
c. Mark Tung has purchased 17 items in each of two shirts and a fleecy top (total 51 items $2143.50) images are included in this document. It was planned to sell the item at the National. The committee moved that Mark be recompensed and that the sale of the items through our website be investigated as part of the Book Standards project. Charges for each product and an approximate mailing cost be established. All proceeds to ANPA.
d. At last year’s AGM a motion was moved and passed that ANPA give $10,000 to each hosting club for a National. This was before legal costs started. The following motion was put to the committee and seconded.
ANPA may pay National hosts up to $10,000 on the basis of venue hire costs and large associated costs such as labour and security on the condition a projected profit and loss statement is provided with the bid document, and full accounting is provided within a month of the event, at which time the balance of the grant will be finalised. The grant to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
MOTION: That the proposal be adopted.
MOVED: Brad Turner SECONDED: Richie Darling
This item led to considerable discussion around ANPA’s historical and recent contributions to the National, which was originally seen as a way for host clubs to boost their bank accounts and was sought after. In the early 2000s Golden Cobb was promoting its pigeon feed and started to contribute $2500 to two shows as well as seed for exhibits. When this sponsorship ended former President David Lewis was able to sign pellet producer Lauckes Mills for two or three years for a similar amount. By this time venue hires and other associated costs were beginning the sharp climb we see today and ANPA agreed to help offset costs with a $2500 contribution. ANPA also paid for gifts and show dinners for judges, as is still the case. Last year ANPA made a one-off grant of $10,000 to the Ipswich club for the hire of the new showground centre. Shayne Lau proposed an alternative motion that ANPA cap grant to hosts clubs at $5000 and would need to justify any additional further significant grant requests to the ANPA Committee. Bob Grant said the grant could be capped at $10,000 if it could be proved necessary and justified.
MOTION: That National show hosts clubs receive an up-front grant capped at $5000 from ANPA and that any further requests for a significant funding needed to be justified to and approved by the ANPA Committee.
MOVED: Shayne Lau. SECONDED: Frank Hayes. PASSED.
General Business:
Motion 1: Moved by Chris Schutz on April 6 and supported by 10 committee members: That the PMV1 vaccination mandate put in place in 2013 be removed and that people show birds at their own risk and that ANPA recommends that all fanciers take responsibility for their own birds and that vaccination is strongly recommended. This was supported by the majority of the Committee. Mark Tung (Victoria) felt strongly that the mandate should remain in place because PMV1 was the only virus that could kill all birds owned by a fancier, unlike other viruses.
MOTION: That the PMV1 mandate be removed and replaced by a warning to vaccinate from 2025.
MOVED: Chris Schutz. SECONDED: Eddie Kloprogge. PASSED.
Frank Hayes said he had spoken to the Dandenong club who supported this motion and the Twin Cities club which originally brought the suggestion to the Committee also supported the change.
Motion 2: Motion to update and alter clauses in the ANPA Constitution. Moved by Brad Turner on April 3 and supported by 11 committee members: That clauses in sections 4, 7, 11, 12 and 13 be amended. The details of and rationale for of the proposed changes were included in the AGM notification to members and is on the ANPA website. This was supported unanimously by the Committee.
MOTION: That the amended clauses be included in the Constitution.
MOVED: Brad Turner. SECONDED: Jamie Ramsey. PASSED.
Frank Hayes noted a minor change needed to be made to amendment 1 dealing with membership (point 4 of the Constitution) to say.
Proposed amendment 1: c) When the membership is not paid for more than one financial year (e.g.: April 1 2023 to March 31 2024) it shall be considered lapsed and the individual or club must re-apply as a new member and the membership shall then be subject to the approval of the EXECUTIVE committee. Rationale: Clarity is needed on this due to a suggestion a person who has not paid membership for some years is an unfinancial member indefinitely rather than a non-member after dues were not paid.
Update on WA litigation. A mediation meeting is scheduled for August 21. See comments in the President’s Report. Eddie Kloprogge said as the matter was before the court discussion should not take place at this stage. Werner Zimmer said he had noticed more members than usual not adding their email addresses to their applications and thought some people no longer wanted their addresses listed publicly but he wasn’t sure if this was the result of some emails sent to all members regards this issue.
Update on National Show results project from Gary Browell. The project to compile all the national show reports was a lot mor cumbersome than I thought it would be. The biggest problem I encountered was that of obtaining copies of all the show reports. I wis h to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Steve Pithers who was able to supply a large number of reports and Colin Campbell for his ongoing support of the project. I had made some progress and had created two spreadsheets on for shows pre 2000 and another for shows from 2001 to date. I had entered over half of the reports in the spreadsheets and went into detail the years entered in the files but somehow the files are no longer on my computer. The good thing is that I have all the reports and a very early version of one of the files with two years from the 1980s so all is not lost. The project is ongoing and I anticipate it will be completed before the net AGM.
MOTION: That the report be noted.
MOVED: Gary Browell. SECONDED: Fred Frendo. PASSED.
Motion of thanks to outgoing committee member. Brian Leedham (Tasmania). Approved unanimously by committee. Also approved by the AGM.
Matt Hay (Tasmania) said it was disappointing to lose Brian, who would have sought re-election if that State had the 15 members mandated in the Constitution. He said Tasmania was in a different situation to mainland States as it was smaller and less populated. This had seen it have its own Vice-President and Committee in some terms, but not in others, although it had a very active and well-supported Meander Valley club. He said sometimes Tasmania had 20 members and at other times 12. He suggested that some alternatives be looked at to ensure the State had its own representation instead of at times becoming part of the Victorian committee. He reiterated that he and Brian were equally passionate about supporting ANPA and yet one had to stand aside. Bob Grant said he agreed with Matt and suggested that one possibility was that the number of members needed to be eligible for its own Vice-President to 10. This was also supported in general discussion by members. Brad Turner said it would require a change in ANPA’s Constitution and that he would start the process so it could be brought to the 2025 AGM. Matt Hay also thanked ANPA for a $500 grant which would allow the club to fly two interstate judges (Phillip Cleghorn and Ron Pollock) to judge the Meander Valley annual show.
Jeff Krahenbring said ANPA should consider providing awards to agricultural shows to promote the hobby at the grassroots level and get the general public interested. Bob Grant said perhaps this could be done for agricultural shows that requested such support. Shayne Lau said such an initiative would best be coordinated through the State Committees of ANPA. Werner Zimmer said he felt it was the responsibility of all-breeds clubs to organise support of agricultural shows rather than the national body.
Chris Schutz thanked those present and closed the meeting at 9.50pm.
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