New committee of Wilderness Society elected and focused on renewal

Media release
The Wilderness Society Inc
1 July 2010

Members of The Wilderness Society last night voted in a new Management Committee for the organisation, one committed to ending the internal conflict and taking the Society forward. 

In a re-run 2009 Annual General Meeting, hundreds of members gathered in Adelaide and hundreds more participated by phone across the country to hold an election for the Committee.

The 2009 AGM was required to be re-run after the Tasmanian Supreme Court ruled the previous AGM, secretly held in November 2009 and organised by the former Management Committee, was invalid as it was inadequately notified. The meeting last night was jointly called and organised by all parties within the Wilderness Society, and the outcome represents a binding resolution to a damaging chapter in the organisation’s history.

The newly appointment Management Committee, headed by Honorary Life Member David Mackenzie from WA, has pledged to pursue a vision of inclusive leadership and accountability, governance reform and a renewed commitment to successful nature protection campaigns and grass roots campaigning.

”This result offers a new opportunity for the Society to re-build and get on with the job of protecting Australia’s wild places,” said Mr Mackenzie

 “Despite the internal challenges, the organisation has continued to run effective campaigns nation-wide and has helped deliver new protected areas in Queensland and NSW while building on existing successful campaigns in all other states.”

“We offer heartfelt thanks our members for their resilience through our recent challenges, and for their support and participation in the AGM.”, continued Mr Mackenzie. 

“The message to our members is that the Wilderness Society is back focused on what it does best – strong environmental campaigning – and we  call on our supporters to get active in our campaigns in what is a critical year for the environment,”

“With a federal election approaching and both major parties lacking environmental credibility, we have a unique opportunity and need a strong, unified voice for nature to help deliver environmental outcomes for all Australians.”

The newly elected committee consists of David Mackenzie (Convenor), Stephen Porter (Secretary), Hilton Sentinella (Treasurer), Stephen Lodge, Debbie Dunn, Daniel Beaver, Coral Robinson and Glen Klatovsky.