TENSIONS remain high at Victoria’s peak farming body, with three board members quitting their positions earlier this week.
Victorian Farmers Federation egg council president Meg Parkinson, grains council president Craig Henderson and livestock council vice-president Peter Star announced their resignations from the VFF board at the body’s annual conference.
VFF president Emma Germano said in a statement that the board accepted the resignation of the directors, who “have recognised the complexity of their governance responsibilities under the existing VFF constitution”.
“After being recently appointed, these members have responded appropriately to their conflict of duty between the director’s corporate and fiduciary responsibilities, and the perceived expectations of representing some sectional interests,” she said.
“The VFF board can continue to operate in accordance with the Corporations Act. Further, the transformational journey continues as requested by the overwhelming majority of members that seek modern policy and advocacy that matter to all farmers.”
Ms Parkinson, Mr Henderson and Mr Star will remain VFF commodity group representatives despite quitting the board
The resignations come after the VFF board rejected a request by more than 150 members to hold an extraordinary general meeting, which could have led to the entire board being sacked.
Former grains group president and Quambatook farmer Brett Hosking told The Guardian last week members were looking for a “pointier, more proactive VFF”.
“I feel like there is an opportunity here for VFF to be really accountable and really up front with their members, and they just seem to be avoiding it wherever they can at the moment, which is disappointing,” he said.
