NOTICE is hereby given that the 63rd Annual General Meeting of Parramatta Leagues Club Limited (ACN 000 218 655) (“Leagues Club”) will be held on Sunday 21st March 2021 commencing at 10:00AM at the Cumberland Lounge, Bankwest Stadium, Gate F, 11-13 O’Connell Street, Parramatta NSW 2150.
ANNUAL REPORT
The Annual Report is available for download from our website via the link below:
www.parraleagues.com.au/annual-report-2020
AGM AGENDA
1. WELCOME BY PRESIDENT, PARRAMATTA LEAGUES CLUB LIMITED
Confirmation of quorum and introduction of Directors, Management and Officials.
2. PRESENTATION BY PARRAMATTA NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE
Presentation made by the PNRL Chief Executive Officer, Jim Sarantinos.
3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
To receive and consider the Minutes of the 62nd Annual General Meeting held on Sunday, 16 February 2020.
4. 2020 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
To receive the 2020 Annual Report of the Leagues Club, including the Financial Statements, Directors’ and Auditor’s Report for the 12-month period ended 31 October 2020.
5. TO DECLARE THE DIRECT VOTES OF THE SPECIAL RESOLUTION- LIFE MEMBERSHIP
The Returning Officer to declare the direct votes (electronic and postal) of Special Resolution – Life Membership (set out below) conferring Life Membership to Christopher Jurd.
6. TO DECLARE THE DIRECT VOTES OF THE ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS
The Returning Officer to declare the direct votes (electronic and postal) of the Ordinary Resolutions (set out below) conferring benefits on Directors and Members.
7. QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
In order to provide informed and properly researched responses, Members are requested to lodge questions to the Chief Executive Officer in writing [email protected] or by post PO Box 2428 North Parramatta, NSW, 1750 not less than seven (7) days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Questions received in writing will be answered first in order of being received. Questions without notice will be answered after General Business has been completed.
8. GENERAL BUSINESS
To transact any other business in accordance with the Club’s Constitution.
9. DECLARATION OF ELECTION FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Returning Officer to declare the direct votes (electronic and postal) of the elected Directors for the ensuing three years in accordance with Constitution 1.1, 8, 9.3, 9.5 and 9.6 for election of Directors.
REGISTERED CLUBS ACT REQUIREMENTS
Members are asked to consider and if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions:
1. Special Resolution- Life Membership
“That pursuant to Section 3.2 of the Parramatta Leagues Club Constitution.
a) Approval of the nomination of Life Membership on Christopher Jurd Membership Number #85959, for outstanding and distinguished services to the Parramatta Leagues Club, its subsidiary, Parramatta National Rugby Leagues Club as both Director and player advocate. Chris spent 9 years as President of the Toongabbie Legal Centre providing some legal advice to drop-in clients and set up systems for legal training for practitioners and student volunteers. Chris satisfies all the eligibility requirements of the Constitution 3.2 (a) to (c).
b) The Board recommends for election of Life Membership, Christopher Jurd Member #85959.
The nomination is made by Joy Cusack (Perpetual Member #93493) and seconded by Mark Jenkins (Ordinary Member #131220).”
2. First Ordinary Resolution
“That pursuant to Section 10 (6) (c) & (d) of the Registered Clubs Act 1976:
a) The Members agree to expenditure by the Board of Directors of not exceeding $150,000 for Parramatta Leagues Club Limited until the Annual General Meeting in 2022
for the following expenses subject to approval by the Board of Directors:
i) Meals, drinks, accommodation, entertainment, transport, parking, admission and other reasonable expenditure regarding;
(a) Attending meetings of the Board of Directors;
(b) Entertaining corporate partners, business associates, patrons, councillors, Members of State and Federal Parliament, and other dignitaries and guests in the Boardroom of the Leagues Club, BankWest Stadium or other Venues;
(c) Attending meetings and functions, including community, charity, sporting or worthwhile functions at the Leagues Club or elsewhere, as an official delegate or representative of the Leagues Club including the attendance of partners where required, or appropriate;
(d) Attending rugby league matches of Parramatta National Rugby League team in the National Rugby League premiership competition, and any representative match conducted by the NRL, ARL or NSWRL, in Australia or overseas; including the attendance of partners where required, or appropriate; and
(e) Attending, as an official representative of the Leagues Club or Parramatta National Rugby Leagues Club, at any official pre-season, end of season, or other tour or function.
b) The Members acknowledge that the expenditure referred to in (a) above are not available to Members generally, but only for those who are Directors of the Leagues Club.”
3. Second Ordinary Resolution
“That pursuant to Section 10 (6) (c) & (d) of the Registered Clubs Act 1976:
a) That the members hereby approve expenditure by the Club in a sum not exceeding $150,000 for the professional development and education of Directors preceding the 2022 Annual General Meeting, including meals, travel, parking and accommodation expenses, for:
i) The reasonable cost of Directors attending at the Clubs NSW meetings and seminars.
ii) The reasonable cost of Directors attending meetings of other associations of which the Club is a member.
iii) The reasonable cost of Directors attending seminars, lectures, trade displays, organised study tours, fact-finding tours and other similar events as may be determined by the Board from time to time.
iv) The reasonable cost of Directors attending other Clubs for observing their facilities and methods of operation, in order to obtain knowledge of the gaming and entertainment facilities or to plan future club extensions and to improve the quality of amenities and services to the members of the Leagues Club
v) Attendance at functions with partners where appropriate and required, to represent the Club.
b) The members acknowledge that the expenditure in (a) above are not available to members generally, but only for those who are Directors of the Club.”
4. Third Ordinary Resolution
“That pursuant to section 10(6)(b) of the Registered Clubs Act 1976, the Members hereby:
a) Approve:
i) The following honoraria being unchanged for the period up to the next AGM of the
Club in a sum not exceeding $150,000.
– President – $30,000
– Directors – $20,000
ii) The payment of 9.5% (or current rate) superannuation guarantee levy on behalf of each Director in respect of their honorarium.
iii) Directors receiving only the same offers, discounts or promotions as are made available to employees of the Leagues Club from time to time.
b) acknowledge that the conditions referred to in (a) above are not available to Members generally, but only for those who are Directors of the Leagues Club.”
5. Fourth Ordinary Resolution
“That pursuant to section 10(6A) of the Registered Clubs Act 1976, the Members hereby:
a) Approve:
i) Life Members, Foundation Members and Life Foundation Members of the Leagues Club receiving club apparel, an invitation to Club functions at no cost, attendance to a Life members event and corporate level entertainment at all Eels home football matches, including car parking facilities where possible.
ii) Life Members receiving the same offers, discounts or promotions as are made available to employees of the Leagues Club from time to time.
b) acknowledge that the benefits referred to in (i) and (ii) above are not available to Members generally, but only for those who are Life Members of the Leagues Club.”
By Order of the Board
Greg Monaghan
President
Parramatta Leagues Club Limited
Dated 8 February 2021
Notes to Members:
Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Constitution they must present for inspection their current Parramatta Leagues Club Membership card to gain entry to the AGM.
All voting for eligible Members will be conducted by ballot prior to the AGM.
Eligible Members are those Members who have held Membership of Parramatta Leagues Club for three (3) consecutive years, from 20 March 2018.
If a Membership expires before the AGM, the vote will not be counted. Please check the expiry date of your Membership and ensure you renew before you vote.
Explanatory Notes:
(To be read in conjunction with the Resolutions set out in the Notice of Annual General Meeting).
1) Each of the Resolutions will be voted on separately.
2) To be passed, a Special Resolution must receive votes in its favour from not less than 75% of those members who are eligible and have cast a vote.
3) To be passed, each Ordinary Resolution must receive votes in its favour from not less than a majority (50%+1) of those members who are eligible and have cast a vote.
4) Under the Registered Clubs Act Members who are employees of the Leagues Club are not eligible to vote at the meeting or via ballot
5) Under the Leagues Club’s Constitution, Members who have been members for more than three (3) consecutive years as at the record date are entitled to vote on the Special and Ordinary Resolutions.
6) Proxy voting is prohibited by the Registered Clubs Act.
Special Resolution – Life Membership
The adoption of the Special Resolution – Life Membership is to meet the disclosure requirements of the Constitution. It relates to the conferring of Life Membership on a member who has provided distinguished service to the Club and its subsidiaries.
This resolution ensures a Life Member has all the entitlements, rights and privileges of an Ordinary Member. In addition, a Life Member will be exempt from payment of the Annual Subscription Fee and other fees or amounts payable by an Ordinary Member.
See more information set out in Appendix 1.
First Ordinary Resolution
The purpose of the First Ordinary Resolution is to approve hospitality entitlements for Directors within the Leagues Club. BankWest Stadium and other venues.
The adoption of this Resolution by members will confirm and set an upper limit on the amount to be expended.
Second Ordinary Resolution
The purpose of the Second Ordinary Resolution to approve the expenditure by the Club for the professional development and education of Directors as well as ensuring that Directors keep up-to-date with current Club Industry development and that the Club is represented by selected Directors at the various meetings of Associations of which the Club is a member.
The adoption of this Resolution by members will confirm and set an upper limit on the amount to be expended.
Third Ordinary Resolution
Section 10(6)(b) of the Registered Clubs Act in effect provides that the Leagues Club can pay an honorarium to a Director provided the honorarium is approved by a resolution of those Members who are entitled to vote in the election of the Board.
The purpose of the Third Ordinary Resolution is to approve a total amount of honoraria for Directors, and the adoption of this Resolution by members will confirm and set the honoraria for the coming year.
Fourth Ordinary Resolution
Section 10(6A) of the Registered Clubs Act provides that the Leagues Club can offer different benefits for different classes of Members provided the benefit is not in the form of money or a cheque or promissory note and the benefit is approved by a General Meeting of the Members prior to the benefit being provided.
The adoption of this resolution will confirm the benefits to be received by the Life Members, Foundation Members and Life Foundation Members for the coming year.
Election of Directors
Two positions will be up for election this year to be conducted by ballot.
Nominations for the offices of Director of Parramatta Leagues Club Limited closed at 5pm on Sunday, 31 January 2021 as previously notified on Club Notice Board, website and preliminary AGM Notice.
Appendix 1
Chris Jurd has been a Parramatta fan from about 1956 and used to train cricket on concrete wickets in the old Leagues Club carpark.
He became Secretary of the Parramatta Marist Football Club about 1969 and joined the Leagues Club that year, as he turned 21 in April 1969.
Much of his contact with football was at the Leagues Club, and his great interest was in the Football Club. Leagues Club membership was sporadic, but pretty continual as he kept forgetting to renew!
Chris was a member for much of the 1970s and 1980s but only when he became a Perpetual Member in 1989 that he established an unbroken run of membership to date.
There were several constitutional issues in the 1980s to which he provided advice and support, those issues relating to the relationship between the Football Club and the Leagues Club.
On a number of occasions, he volunteered or was asked for advice on Club issues.
Of principal concern was the status of the Football Club and its reliance on Leagues Club funding. As a consequence, he was the mover of the Motion to transfer the NRL franchise to the Leagues Club.
Subsequently, given the confused and unconstitutional steps taken to ensure that Rugby League could not be overlooked in the growth of the Leagues Club, he drafted Constitutional changes to maintain its supremacy.
Never really keen on standing for an elected office, though when Billy Rayner took ill in 2004, Chris accepted a nomination to be a Director and remained on the Board until 2009. During this period, he continued voluntary duties in advising and where necessary representing players from Harold Matthews through to first Grade in respect of NSWRL or NRL charges. Of significance is that Chris also chaired the Appeals Committee of the Football Club in respect of matters arising from Junior League, Referees’ Association and Convent Schools Competition.
Chris is passionate and always prepared to discuss issues of concern or to provide an opinion or a direction if asked.
In keeping with PLC being a community bases business, Chris also spent 9 years as President of the Toongabbie Legal Centre. Apart from providing some legal advice to drop-in clients he also drafted legal papers on the Fines Act and set up systems for legal training for practitioners and student volunteers.
Chris is a Life Member of the Eels (PNRL).
PRINTABLE PDF CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
How to cast your vote/Your voting material
1. Eligible Members with a valid email address on their Membership have now received their voting material via email from Parramatta Leagues Club Limited ([email protected]) – please check your junk email folder
2. All other eligible Members will receive voting material via post with a postage paid return envelope
If you are unsure of how to vote and would like further information or clarification, please email [email protected]
Voting Online
You may vote directly electronically on the Election of Directors ballot and Annual General Meeting Resolutions by visiting www.votingservices.com.au/parra and following the instructions. The voting website is now open for voting. You will require your Parramatta Leagues Club Membership number and PIN. Further information, including your PIN, has now been emailed to you.
Voting by Post
If you prefer to vote by completing a paper Voting Form, please email [email protected] to request a paper Voting Form to be mailed to your Member address. Please note that the most efficient and effective means to vote is by voting online and if you vote online you do not need to request a paper Voting Form.
Voting Forms can be lodged by post by sending the completed and signed voting form in the reply-paid envelope to Computershare Investor Services Pty Limited, GPO Box 242, Melbourne, VIC 3001. Please note that voting forms must be received by mail or electronically by Computershare no later than 5pm on Wednesday 10th March 2021.