April 11, 2013
The South Burnett Tourism Association has backed away from oblivion at its rescheduled AGM, voting instead to elect a new executive and adopt a bold, new vision which will see it focus on local projects with greater member participation.
At a special general meeting held at Mulanah Gardens near Inverlaw on Wednesday evening, 17 SBTA members voted to elect Bernie Cooper from Crane Wines as President; Michael Beohm from the Wondai Hotel and Cellar as Vice-President; Graham Archdall from Nanango’s Burnett Business Centre as Treasurer; and Shona Divljak from Yallakool Tourist Park as Secretary.
They also voted to embrace a plan outlined by Mr Cooper that the SBTA move to become more locally focussed, project-based and participatory.
“We need to focus and work locally but lobby and influence broadly,” Mr Cooper said.
In a speech that won strong support at the meeting, Mr Cooper said he believed the root cause of low attendances at SBTA meetings in recent years was that members felt they weren’t being involved in the group’s decision-making.
Mr Cooper said he came from a corporate background that was focussed on achieving outcomes, so if he was elected he’d be pursuing a management style of leadership.
He wanted SBTA members to become actively involved in the organisation’s decision-making.
He also wanted them to take up part of the workload so they could see their own ideas and efforts move from concept to reality and be rewarded for their work.
Mr Cooper also said he wanted the SBTA to “redefine its role” from one that relied on the Regional Tourism Organisation to handle all aspects of tourism marketing to a group that took charge of its own local tourism promotion and marketing efforts.
Outgoing President Cathy Davis told the meeting that some people blamed the Regional Tourism Organisation and the 2011 merger with Toowoomba Golden West for the group’s problems, but she thought this was unfair.
“The RTO hasn’t done anything to us the SBTA hasn’t allowed to happen,” she said
“We need to exert more local control.”
Mrs Davis said that although she had recently recommended the organisation be dissolved, in the last week the SBTA had received nominations for all its executive positions and now had a future.
The meeting was chaired by facilitator Bill Jackson who encouraged all members to have a say on their vision for the organisation.
South Burnett Regional Council’s Economic Development Manager Phil Harding also attended to explain the role of the Council’s recently formed South Burnett Directions advisory committee.
Mr Harding outlined various ways the SBTA could interact with South Burnett Directions.
After a short coffee break at the conclusion of the special meeting, the group then moved into its Annual General Meeting where it accepted reports from the outgoing executive and then elected its new executive team for 2013-14.
The group also passed a special formal vote of thanks to outgoing President Cathy Davis, who they said had led the organisation through a “particularly difficult period” over the last two years.
The SBTA’s next meeting will be held at Captain’s Paddock Vineyard in Booie from 6:30pm on Wednesday, June 12.
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