AusCycling Special General Meeting to Focus on Chair Removal Amid Governance Concerns

A special general meeting (SGM) will be held on April 23rd to vote on a motion to remove Craig Bingham as Chair and a Director of AusCycling, following a formal request from multiple member clubs earlier this year. While initial requests encompassed broader governance changes, legal advice has limited the scope of the meeting to this single vote.

Background and Initial Requests

Over 200 cycling clubs across Australia have engaged in discussions regarding the governance of AusCycling in recent months, culminating in a formal request for an SGM. The request, backed by at least five percent of the voting membership, initially included four motions as reported by Cyclingnews.

Motions Considered and Rejected

AusCycling has confirmed that only one of the proposed motions will proceed to a vote. The motions that will not be heard at the meeting include:

• The removal of Marne Fechner as Chief Executive Officer and the initiation of an open recruitment process for a new CEO.
• The election of Chloe Hosking as a Director of AusCycling.
• An expression of support for the appointment of Chloe Hosking as Chair.

The organization stated that these motions were deemed invalid for constitutional and legal reasons according to a document shared with Cyclingnews.

Voting Process and Club Representation

The SGM is open to all members, but only clubs can vote, or have their votes counted via proxy. Club voting rights are scaled based on membership size, ranging from one vote for clubs with up to nine members to 13 votes for clubs with 780 or more members as detailed in Cyclingnews.

Impact and Future Outlook

The limited scope of the SGM – focusing solely on the removal of Craig Bingham – has raised questions about whether it will address the underlying discontent that prompted the initial request. Bingham’s position as a Director was already scheduled for re-election at the annual general meeting in May, regardless of the SGM outcome. AusCycling has indicated it will provide additional information regarding its performance, governance, and direction in the lead-up to the meeting as stated in a communication to members. The April 23rd vote may offer insight into whether these efforts resonate with the membership.

Governance Conversation

The push for the SGM reflects a broader governance conversation that has been taking place among Australian cycling clubs for several months, with discussions centered on falling membership, volunteer strain, rising costs, and grassroots participation as noted by Chloe Hosking on LinkedIn.

More information on AusCycling news can be found on their official news page.