Just Bloody Vote In The Fitness Australia Board Of Directors Elections
This is not a blog about who to vote for in the Fitness Australia Elections but rather a blog to say “Just Bloody Vote!”
Throughout the 1990’s and the 2000’s more often than not, there were NO elections for the industry peak bodies because no body was interested in representing the industry.
To me absolute delight this year Fitness Australia have 10 candidates for the Board of Directors. So not only is there an election on this week, it will be HOTLY contested.
I must confess I don’t know:
- Alexandra Anderson
- John Smith
I also haven’t had a lot to do with:
- Tim Boman
However, I do know:
- Chris Hicks
- Mark Stitt
- Susan Kingsmill
- Kristen Green
- Meredith Littlefair
- Andrew Simmons
- Justin McDonell
But don’t panic, I am not telling you who to vote for “Just Bloody Vote!”
There are too many challenges in the fitness industry for you to sit on your hands and have no say in who should be directing the industry that produces you an income, pays your mortgage or provides you with so much passion.
Each candidate has some exciting platforms on why you should vote for him or her. Some have reached out to me to further expand their platform to the electorate.
This was a proactive effort from them, which impressed me and flattered me. And this was available to any candidate all they had to do was send their platform to me.
Read why you should vote for:
I have no vested interest or prefer any one candidate over the other. Again, I stress “Just Bloody Vote!”
From what I am aware, the only people who can vote are registered fitness businesses.
I do feel (and have always felt) this is a mis-representation of the industry as a whole, with the majority of Fitness Australia income coming from the registration of fitness leaders and yet they don’t get a vote!
Seems weird to me but it is in the constitution!
So if you don’t like it, then vote for the candidate that you think may have the intestinal fortitude to re-write the Constitution so you do have a say, as a registered professional.
I think this is the most important vote to date for Directors of the Board of Directors for the peak body of the fitness industry. The Board currently has education providers, representatives from chains of clubs and there are no women on the current Board.
Consider carefully who you vote for and like I said:
“Just Bloody Vote!”
From the Fitness Australia website:
Voting is simple:
1. Visit www.votingservices.com.au/fitness
2. Login using your Fitness Australia registration number and inputting your postcode
3. Cast two votes for your elected candidate
Justin is the Managing Director of Active Management, which he began January 2004. He offers coaching to businesses worldwide in everything from start up and design to marketing and sales systems. Justin also facilitates four Australian and New Zealand ‘fitness industry roundtables’ events, which allows him to see a huge cross section of business models.
Thanks for the reminder JT! Just voted 🙂
Great post JT and good points all round. Thought your readers would benefit from a little history on the whole voting member thing bound in the Constitution.
As Fitness NSW Chairman in 2007 you would recall that when all the state/territory associations merged to become Fitness Australia Limited only one, Fitness WA, was primarily a ‘professional association’. All the others were industry associations where businesses were the constitutional members not individual professionals. So, when all the Board got together to merge it was made clear the new single national association should be an industry association to cater for the majority.
It is true that registered exercise professionals are the majority stakeholder in Fitness Australia’s current business model from a revenue perspective. It is also true that the organisation’s work in enhancing professional credentials, research to support professionals and services that support professionals are the majority expense to the organisation as well. For example, we receive over 4000 phone calls per month of which 90% are professionals looking for support, advice and services.
The issue of voting has been catered to somewhat with the implementation of a sole trading business registration category for exercise professionals who combine their personal REPs credentials with business support services in one easy transaction. This also affords the individual a constitutional vote.
There are nearly 800 professionals in this category today and if they all exercised their vote, as you have promoted, their views and vision would be the will of the new Board without question giving the limited votes available to the “big end of town”. There is a perception that Fitness Australia is governed by large chain organisations. There are more sole traders and independent clubs registered with Fitness Australia.
Appreciate you promoting the election which is excited given the numbers and quality of candidates. Now all the candidates need is the support of their industry. Over to you…