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By Bret Harris
The ARU will seize on the federal government's push for better governance in sport to start a revolution in the way the game is administered in this country.
New governance principles for sporting organisations released by Sports Minister Kate Lundy could spell the end of rugby's outdated way of running the sport.
The guidelines, prepared by the Australian Sports Commission, emphasise independent governance and best-practice business protocols.
Sources within the ARU indicated there was strong support for a change to the old-fashioned federated body, which is out of step with modern sporting governance such as the AFL commission.
While the ARU is run by a board, the directors are elected by delegates from the states, with a strong bias towards New South Wales and Queensland.
Last December, ARU chairman Peter McGrath said it was time for rugby to consider an independent commission.
The ARU may ask the government to undertake or fund a review into rugby's governance.
The issue will be raised at the ARU's annual general meeting in Sydney next Friday.
"The ARU is currently reviewing the government's announcement regarding best-practice corporate governance and what it means for Australian rugby," an ARU spokesman said.
"We intend to address the issue at our AGM next Friday. Until we have assessed today's announcement and then discussed the issue at the upcoming board meeting, it would be inappropriate to speculate on any course of action that may be taken."
Victorian Rugby Union chairman Tim North said Australian rugby did not need to move towards an AFL-style commission, but agreed rugby needed to reform its archaic voting system, which was weighted heavily in favour of the two major unions, NSW and Queensland.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/pu...-1226334009168
I wish them the best of luck... I really do... it took enough wailing and gnashing of teeth just to get to the current setup.
Good luck with that. It will be near impossible to get the NSWRU & QRU to relinquish their stranglehold. With the VRU apparently toeing the party line there's little hope. Those Vics must be feeling secure about their place in the scheme of things.
The only way they could be dragged kicking and screaming into independant governance would be through political & funding pressure. With three ex-Sydney Uni RFC props among the next government's front bench, again, good luck with that.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Depends on which state can offer the biggest bribe to SA.
(History)