No strike by Aussies but action expected
The Australian Netball Players' Association ( ANPA) has called off its proposed strike, despite not getting its way.
Netball Australia ( NA) hasn't re- appointed Kathryn Harby- Williams to its board, as the players had demanded.
The ANPA says they've decided to not boycott this weekend's Super Netball games, but have resolved some form of protest will occur.
It says the protest will seek to continue to shine a light on the real issue of independence and governance on the board.
The ANPA had canvassed the idea of striking from Super Netball games, making themselves unavailable for Diamonds duty and forming a rebel competition if Harby- Williams didn't retain her position.
“I'm sure the players want to play and I'm sure they are concerned about the fans,” NA director Geoff Parmenter said after the annual general meeting in Canberra.
The ANPA lobbied this week for Harby- Williams to be re- elected, stating in a letter to NA chair Paolina Hunt that she was the most- qualified candidate.
It was their non- negotiable position she be re- elected and if that didn't happen the players would lose confidence in the people entrusted to select the NA board.
They were angry former board chair Anne- Marie Corboy was dumped at a special general meeting called by the member organisations last week, describing it as an inexcusable lack of judgment.
They wanted independent directors who were not aligned to member associations.
Cheryl McCormack, Marcia EllaDuncan, and Susan Comerford were yesterday appointed to the board of directors, following the vote at the AGM.
McCormack and Ella- Duncan will commence three- year terms, with Comerford appointed for one- year, filling a casual vacancy caused by Corboy's removal from the board.
Ella- Duncan and McCormack are former Diamonds representatives and Comerford is on the Netball SA board.
“We are confident that our board of directors has a dynamic combination of experience,” Hunt said in an NA statement. “Now that the vote has been determined, we are ready to move forward collectively and focus on creating the best outcomes for our sport.”