Press Release: AusREPs to be elected to the Board of Directors
Constitutional changes allow Registered Professionals to be elected to the Board of Directors
In a historic decision, Fitness Australia members and its Board of Directors have today unanimously voted to have AusREPs from the Australian Register of Exercise Professionals represented on the Board for the first time, the decision coming out of a Fitness Australia special general meeting in Sydney.
The modifications to the constitution are in line with Fitness Australia’s plan to reach out to the wider community by encouraging more Australians to be more active more often.
CEO of Fitness Australia, Barrie Elvish says “The creation of a new category of AusREP Member Directors demonstrates Fitness Australia’s goal of ensuring all member interests and concerns are represented at board level, and that Fitness Australia has a balanced and diverse Board that better reflects its membership structure and stakeholder groups.”
“The effect of these changes is that Business members are now not the only membership class entitled to vote at general meetings or to elect directors to Fitness Australia’s board – AusREP members will have the same rights as Business members.”
The changes alter the structure of Fitness Australia’s board of directors by ensuring that the major membership categories of Business members and AusREP members are represented, and that over time the board is composed in a way that represents contemporary community expectations with respect to diversity.
The amendments provide that elected directors (AusREP member directors and Business Member Directors) must comprise at least 50% of the total number of directors. This demonstrates Fitness Australia’s commitment to ensuring that its two major membership classes (Business members and AusREP members) are represented on the board and that the board has people with complementary skills and experience to enable Fitness Australia to achieve its objects.
Applications for positions on the Board will be open on Wednesday 2nd October, with newly elected Board members will be in officially appointed at Fitness Australia’s Annual General Meeting in November 2019.
Download the revised Constitution of Fitness Australia Limited
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.