Board appointments

The ASC Board is the accountable authority under the PGPA Act. The ASC Act provides for between eight and 13 members, appointed by the responsible Minister, and the Secretary of the Department embracing the Federal Sport portfolio.

On 13 December 2018, the Board welcomed the appointment of four new members, including Ms Amanda Laing, Ms Pippa Downes, Mr Kurt Fearnley AO and Mr Andrew Ireland. Further, on 3 May 2019, The Hon. Hugh Delahunty was also appointed as a Commissioner of the Board. With the addition of these new members, the Board has a significant breadth of expertise and experience across a range of areas including sport, government, media, legal, banking, finance, and politics.

In July 2018, Ms Alisa Camplin Warner OAM resigned as a Commissioner of the ASC Board. Her resignation was effective prior to the first Board meeting of 2018–19, and therefore she did not attend any meetings during the financial year.

Ms Danielle Roche’s term as a Commissioner of the Board ceased in May 2019 and Ms Katherine Bates’ term as a Commissioner of the Board ceased in December 2018.

Board members

John Wylie AM — Chair

John Wylie is Principal of investment firm Tanarra Group. He was previously CEO of the Australian business of global financial services firm Lazard; co-founded advisory and investment firm Carnegie Wylie & Company in 2000, which was acquired by Lazard in 2007; and was Chair of investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston in Australia. In these roles, Mr Wylie has advised companies and governments globally for over 25 years.

In addition to his role at the ASC, Mr Wylie is President of the Library Board of Victoria, a Trustee of the Rhodes Scholarship Trust at Oxford University, Director of the Melbourne Stars Big Bash League cricket team, and member of the Melbourne Grammar School Finance Committee. He was formerly Chairman of the Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust, and in that role chaired the MCG Redevelopment Steering Committee for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He is a former board member and Honorary Treasurer of the Howard Florey Institute for Neuroscience and a former Director of CSR Limited.

Mr Wylie holds a Master of Philosophy degree from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a Bachelor of Commerce with First Class Honours from the University of Queensland. He was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2007.

He was appointed to the ASC Board on 10 September 2012 and is also Chair of the ASC Governance and Executive Performance Committee.

Andrea Mitchell

Andrea Mitchell has had a wide-ranging professional and voluntary career in the sport industry.

Through her work with the WA Department of Sport and Recreation in the areas of youth sport, organisational development and regional services, she has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the sport industry and the value of sport to the community.

Ms Mitchell has been President of Tennis West, a Director of Tennis Australia and a Director of the Hopman Cup. She has also served on boards for child safety, people with disability, aged care, and organising committees for international sporting events.

Ms Mitchell was elected to the WA Parliament in 2008 and served on committees and as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Mental Health, Child Protection and Disability Services, before being appointed to Cabinet as the Minister for Mental Health and Child Protection.

Ms Mitchell was appointed to the ASC Board on 15 November 2017.

Andrew Plympton AM

Andrew Plympton has a lifelong passion for sport, particularly sailing, where he has been competing at the highest level for more than 45 years. He has won a world championship and numerous national and state titles in international classes and ocean-racing yachts.

Mr Plympton has held a number of positions in sport administration, including chairman/president of Australian Football League (AFL) club St Kilda for eight years before retiring in 2000. He was the president of Yachting Australia for more than seven years and was elected to the Australian Olympic Committee in 2008. He is currently a director of the Australian Olympic Foundation Limited and is a member of the Audit Committee. He is Chairman of three ASX listed companies, a director of one, and director of an NZX company.

Mr Plympton was appointed to the ASC Board in January 2011 and is the Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

Danielle Roche OAM

Danielle Roche is a former member of the Australian Women’s Hockey team, the Hockeyroos, and won a gold medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

Ms Roche was a Director of Hockey Australia for seven years and holds a Master of Business Administration. She has been an external member of an advisory board to a strategic Government advisory group comprised of Deputy Secretaries and Department Heads of Defence Housing Authority and the Australian Department of Home Affairs and a Chairperson of the National Australia Day Council. She left Hockey Australia to take up a position on the St Kilda Football Club Board in 2012.

Ms Roche has held finance and commercial positions with Telstra and has also been a Director at UBS, a Partner at Evans and Partners, and a Director of a privately owned fraud and risk management business.

She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1997 for her service to sport.

Ms Roche was appointed to the ASC Board on 4 May 2016. Ms Roche’s last meeting as a Commissioner of the ASC Board was 2 May 2019.

Gabrielle Trainor AO

Gabrielle Trainor was a founding member of the Greater Western Sydney Giants and was appointed an AFL Commissioner in 2016.

A former lawyer, journalist and public sector executive, Ms Trainor has served on boards in the public and private sectors for more than 20 years across areas such as sports, infrastructure, urban development, public transport, tourism, construction, arts and culture, Indigenous advancement and welfare.

Ms Trainor was appointed to the ASC Board on 5 October 2017. At the August 2018 Board meeting it was agreed Ms Trainor be appointed as a member of the Governance and Executive Performance Committee.

Jennifer Morris OAM

Jennifer Morris was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Fortescue Metals Group in November 2016. Ms Morris is a former Partner in the Consulting Division of Deloitte, where she specialised in complex large-scale business transformation programs and strategy development. Ms Morris holds a senior position at the Minderoo Foundation as Chief Executive Officer of the Walk Free Foundation and part of her role is leading the Bali Process Government and Business Forum. She has senior corporate governance experience and is a former Director of the Fremantle Football Club and the Western Australian Institute of Sport. She was also the Chairperson of the Board of Healthway, the Government’s peak health promotion body.

Ms Morris was a member of the Australian Women’s Hockey team from 1991 to 2000, where she won Olympic gold medals at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In 1997, she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. She is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of Leadership WA, an affiliate member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a member of the Vice Chancellor’s List, Curtin University, holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Journalism) received with Distinction and completed the Finance for Executives at INSEAD.

Ms Morris was appointed to the Board on 22 June 2015 and is a member of the Governance and Executive Performance Committee. Ms Morris’ tenure on the ASC Board was extended for a further 3 years in December 2018.

Katherine Bates

Katherine Bates is a renowned international cyclist who has represented Australia at the highest levels of road and track cycling. Ms Bates now works in broadcasting and maintains a close involvement with the cycling community at the grassroots and elite levels. Ms Bates has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and has sat on several boards including Bicycle NSW, Cycling Australia Women’s Commission and Cycling Australia Athletes’ Commission.

On her retirement from professional cycling at the end of the 2011 season, Ms Bates turned her passion and knowledge of sport into a new career and is regularly seen on Australia’s major networks including Channel 7, 9, ABC, SBS and Fox Sports News.

In addition to her broadcasting duties, Ms Bates is highly sought after as a motivational speaker, and executive coach, where she applies the lessons and experience of elite sport to facilitate leadership development in the corporate environment.

Ms Bates was appointed to the Board on 22 June 2015 and is a member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Ms Bates’ term as a Commissioner of the ASC Board ceased as at 13 December 2018.

The Hon. Pat Farmer AM

Pat Farmer is a multiple world record holder for endurance running. He has run from the North Pole to the South, and across Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and North America. Mr Farmer served eight years as a Member of Australia’s Parliament, with three years as Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Science and Training.

Winner of ‘Achiever of the Year’ (2000), awarded by Prime Minister John Howard, Mr Farmer has raised millions of dollars for causes during his 20-year running career, including Lifeline, the Cancer Council, Australian Red Cross and Diabetes Australia.

Mr Farmer was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2015 for significant service to the community through fundraising support for charitable organisations, to ultra-marathons and to Parliament in Australia.

Mr Farmer was appointed to the Board on 7 November 2014.

Stephen Moneghetti AM

Steve Moneghetti represented Australia in the marathon at four Commonwealth Games, winning gold (1994), silver (1990) and two bronze (1986 and 1998) medals. Mr Moneghetti achieved three top ten finishes in his four appearances at the Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000). He also attended six World Athletics Championships, winning a bronze medal in the marathon event in Athens in 1997.

Mr Moneghetti was Mayor of the Commonwealth Games Village at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, and the Australian team’s Chef de Mission for the Delhi 2010 and Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. From 2001 to 2010 he served as Chair of the Board of the Victorian Institute of Sport, and also chaired the Victorian state review into physical and sport education in schools (the Moneghetti Report).

Mr Moneghetti is active in the corporate community and is currently a sports consultant with his own business. Mr Moneghetti is also on the executive board of the Victorian Olympic Council.

Mr Moneghetti received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and a Centenary Medal in 2001. In 2014 Mr Moneghetti was awarded an Order of Australia medal for significant service to athletics as a marathon runner, administrator and mentor to young athletes.

Mr Moneghetti was appointed to the Board on 22 June 2015 and is a member of the Governance and Executive Performance Committee. On 13 December 2018 Mr Moneghetti was appointed as the Deputy Chair of the ASC Board for a period of three years.

Pippa Downes

Pippa Downes is a respected Non-Executive Director with over 25 years of distinguished career achievements in the international business and finance sector. Pippa currently sits on the board of the Australian Technology Innovators (Infotrack, LEAP legal software), ALE Property Group, Windlab Limited, the ASX Clearing and Settlement companies, and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Ms Downes is a member of the ASX Disciplinary Tribunal and is a former Director of Swimming Australia and the Swimming Australia Foundation.

Ms Downes has had a successful international banking and finance career and has led the local derivative and investment arms of several of the world’s premier investment banks. Her most recent role was as a Managing Director and Equity Partner of Goldman Sachs in Australia. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Women Corporate Directors and in 2016 was named as one of the Westpac/AFR’s 100 Women of Influence for her work in diversity.

She holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and Bachelor of Science (Business Administration) from University of California, Berkeley. Ms Downes was a dual international athlete having been a member of the Australian swim team and represented Hong Kong at the International Rugby Sevens.

Ms Downes commenced as a Commissioner of the Board on 13 December 2018 and was appointed to the FAR Committee in February 2019.

Kurt Fearnley AO

Kurt Fearnley is a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

His incredible athletics career for Australia spanned five Paralympic Games campaigns, culminating with his wheelchair marathon victory at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

He has won more than 40 marathons, including New York, Chicago and London, and is the 2019 NSW Australian of the Year. In 2009, he crawled the Kokoda track in Papua New Guinea to raise awareness of men’s health.

Mr Fearnley is an icon and advocate for people with disabilities in sport and the broader community. He is a board member of the Australian Paralympic Committee, Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation and member of the International Paralympic Committee’s Athlete Advisory Council.

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018, and the same year received an Honorary Doctorate from Griffith University for his contribution to sport and disability advocacy. He has a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Human Movement from Charles Sturt University.

Mr Fearnley commenced as a Commissioner of the Board on 13 December 2018.

Andrew Ireland

Andrew Ireland is a former AFL player and former highly successful football administrator who was involved with several premierships throughout his career.

Mr Ireland joined the Sydney Swans in 2002 as General Manager of Football before taking over as CEO in September 2009, a role he held until his retirement in December 2018. Prior to these positions, he held the role of CEO at the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions between 1990 and 2001.

Mr Ireland oversaw a strong and successful football program during his time at the Swans, along with outstanding growth in commercial areas of the club. He holds a Bachelor of Science, is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Life Member of the AFL, the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions.

Mr Ireland was appointed as Commissioner of the ASC on 13 December 2018 and is a member of the Finance Audit and Risk Committee.

Amanda Laing

Amanda Laing is an experienced media executive who has worked across free to air television, subscription television, print, digital and video on demand, with particular expertise in the management and exploitation of content and rights, the structuring and negotiation of sports rights deals, and media mergers and acquisitions.

Ms Laing began her media career as General Counsel for ACP Magazines, with responsibility for the legal affairs of its businesses in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and the United Kingdom. She was then Group General Counsel across the magazine, television, digital, ticketing and events businesses of Nine Entertainment. Following the listing of the Nine business on the Australian Stock Exchange, Amanda was appointed Commercial Director and then Managing Director of Nine Entertainment Co. (owner of Channel 9). She was also on the Board of Nine’s subscription video on demand business, STAN.

Since leaving Nine Entertainment in mid-2017, Ms Laing has attended the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and currently consults to Foxtel on strategic media and commercial matters. In March 2018, Amanda joined the Australian Rugby League Commission.

Throughout her career Ms Laing has advised Boards on a broad variety of legal, regulatory and commercial issues and held Board positions with media companies and industry bodies.

Ms Laing commenced as a Commissioner of the ASC Board on 13 December 2018.

The Hon. Hugh Delahunty

Hugh Delahunty is a former AFL player and politician with extensive experience in board governance, sport policy, and professional and grassroots sport.

Mr Delahunty played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League in the 1970s and has played and coached sports including football, basketball, tennis, swimming and golf.

As Chairman of Commissioners at Mildura Rural City Council in 1995 and 1996 he oversaw the amalgamation of three councils and was the first mayor of the restructured Horsham Rural City Council.

Mr Delahunty was elected a Member of the Victorian State Parliament from 1999 to 2014 and served as Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.

He served on the board of VicHealth from 2003 to 2010 and has a wide variety of experience and knowledge regarding regional and rural issues.

Mr Delahunty was appointed to the ASC Board on 3 May 2019.

Glenys Beauchamp psm — Ex Officio

Glenys Beauchamp was appointed Secretary of the Department of Health on 18 September 2017.

Ms Beauchamp has had an extensive career in the Australian Public Service at senior levels with responsibility for a number of significant government programs covering economic and social policy areas. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the public sector and began her career as a graduate in the Industry Commission.

Prior to her current role, Ms Beauchamp was Secretary, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (2013–2017) and Secretary of the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport (2010–2013). She has served as Deputy Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2009–2010) and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2002–2009). Ms Beauchamp has held a number of executive positions in the ACT Government including Deputy Chief Executive, Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services, and Deputy CEO, Department of Health. She also held senior positions in housing, energy and utilities functions with the ACT Government.

She received a Public Service Medal in 2010 for coordinating Australian Government support during the 2009 Victorian bushfires, and has an economics degree from the Australian National University and an MBA from the University of Canberra.

Board activity

The Board met on six occasions in the 2018–2019 period, and also held a strategy session in June 2019.

In addition to a range of governance and compliance responsibilities such as the endorsement of the ASC’s Financial and Performance Statements, the Corporate Plan and the Annual Report, in 2018–19 the Board focused on:

> the future strategy development of the ASC to create a more active Australia and getting more Australians to move more often

> supporting the development of active places and infrastructure and encouraging active communities

> fostering partnerships with industry, government and the education sectors to promote generational change.

The Board also focused on strategies to enable a united and collaborative approach to high performance systems that support athletes to achieve international podium success.

To increase sports’ ability to deliver on strategic priorities and enhance their ability to grow, the Board has continued to focus its efforts on governance reform in sport and working closely with sport to drive accelerated adoption of contemporary, cost-effective governance structures.

The Board continues to retain a key focus on safe and ethical sport while ensuring that the organisation is adhering to national principles for child safe organisations. The Sport Australia Board Child Safe Commitment Statement outlines the strength of this position. The Board has been integral in providing governance oversight for the AIS Site Strategy project, including examining the redevelopment options for the AIS campus which represent the best investment strategy for athletes and sport in Australia.

With a view to improving pathways for talented young athletes, the Board has been heavily involved in seeking investment in a pathways funding program to promote the engagement, progression and retention of women and athletes in regional areas, to implement world leading sports technology to assist athletes on the talent pathway, and to provide mentoring in conjunction with Australia’s greatest sporting achievers.

Table 13: ASC Board meeting attendance

The Minister for Sport, Senator the Honourable Richard Colbeck, attended the June 2019 Board strategy session.

Board committees

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

The ASC Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (FAR Committee) provides independent advice and assurance to the Board on matters relating to ASC financial management and strategic planning, efficiency, physical assets, risk management and all aspects of internal and external audit, compliance matters and NSO finances.

During the reporting period the Committee, chaired by Andrew Plympton, continued to have a focus on reviewing and reporting on NSO finances, reviewing the ASC’s financial statements, reviewing the appropriateness of the ASC’s annual performance statements, monitoring the ASC’s PGPA Act legislative compliance, risk management, cyber security, oversight of the ASC’s capital and infrastructure projects, the Child Safety Implementation Plan, the AIS site strategy and business case, Technology Roadmap project and overseeing the internal audit program.

Katherine Bates finished her term on the FAR Committee in August 2018 and was replaced by Pippa Downes who commenced in February 2019.

Robert Dalton was reappointed as an independent member on 1 May 2019. The FAR Committee met on five occasions during 2018–19.

Table 14: ASC Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting attendance

Governance and Executive Performance Committee

The ASC Governance and Executive Performance Committee (GEP Committee) provides independent advice to the Board on better practice corporate governance for the ASC and NSOs, and on executive performance and remuneration issues.

During the reporting period the GEP Committee:

> managed the performance reviews for both the Sport Australia and AIS CEOs

> provided guidance for the refreshed ASC employee performance management framework designed to incorporate contemporary best-practice thinking and drive excellence across the organisation

> supported the implementation of a refreshed CEO performance framework

> provided ongoing oversight of the Athletes Advisory Committee addressing athlete issues within the high performance sporting community

> further advanced governance reform adoption and implementation for NSOs

> coordinated the independent review of the ASC Board operations

> continued to monitor the Board and ASC senior management conflict of interest process. The GEP Committee met four times in 2018–19.

Table 15: ASC GEP Committee meeting attendance