Four state SPASA bodies to incorporate into one entity
The four state Swimming Pool and Spa Association bodies that form SPASA Australia are recommending their members vote to transition into a single national entity.
This will have the effect of de-incorporating the existing state bodies as they form into one national body, SPASA Australia.
The members of SPASA Queensland, SPASA South Australia, SPASA Victoria and SPASA Western Australia will be provided with a set of motions to consider outlining an ‘in principle’ agreement to support the formation of a single entity.
The state members will be asked for their approval at the upcoming AGMs or through other inclusive correspondence, with the timeline seeking to have the transition completed by January 1, 2017.
On February 10 and 11, 2014, SPASA Australia’s board members met for a strategic development workshop to determine the best association structure for the industry representative bodies. The outcome of the meeting was a set of unanimous motions that satisfied each state’s requirements to transition into an all-inclusive single entity national association. These motions have been adopted by the boards of SPASA South Australia, SPASA Western Australia, SPASA Queensland and SPASA Victoria.
Involvement of other parties
SPLASH! understands that for the past several months, discussions had been held between the representatives of SPASA Australia, the Swimming Pool and Spa Alliance, the state bodies and the Swimming Pool Retail Association Australia, discussing how the industry as a whole could move forward.
Also during that time, the SPASA state bodies had been working closely together and had been considering how SPASA Australia could best develop.
While the decision to incorporate might seem to isolate the Alliance, SPASA Australia President Lynley Papineau says it is merely the first step and that the eventual aim is for all parties to come together.
The other associations’ responses to this announcement are covered in a separate article.
“As far as we’re concerned at SPASA Australia, we first needed our members to accept in principle the formation of single entity before we could move forward,” says Papineau.
“We certainly have a vision for this to be a single entity national body and we hope that will include the Alliance. It’s early days yet – what we’ve been able to announce today is a significant strategic shift in the way we do things, but there’s still work to be done and due diligence to be carried out. The first step is to go the members and get their approval and support before we go on,” she says.
“We are interested in an all-inclusive approach and any other industry bodies that are interested or could possibly align then we are happy to talk further.”
There will be a transitional arrangement for the assets to be dealt with and they will be looking to engage a consultant to do the due diligence and make sure each of the states’ current needs are met while establishing the new structure.
New structure
“What we’re really trying to achieve is a grass roots approach focusing on sector needs – for a very long time we’ve been state focussed – and look at what the sectors need and look at developing objectives so we can deliver results to those sectors,” Papineau says.
“It will go of the state members for their acceptance.”
“We’ve got to put the past behind us, and this is a move towards repairing some of the fractures in the industry and developing a structure that will take us 10 to 20 years into the future.”
The new structure will do away with the traditional state focus, to concentrate on three industry sectors:
1. After Market/Retail
2. Pool/Spa Builders
3. Manufacturer/Supplier
Each of these sectors will meet to identify the key areas of concern and establish a set of objectives and key deliverables to recommend to SPASA Australia. These recommendations will form the framework for the strategic direction over the next 12 months.
Meeting at SPLASH! on the Gold Coast
It is proposed that an initial “grass roots” member meeting will take place at SPLASH! on the Gold Coast in July 2014. Thereafter the members will meet via teleconference.
“We’re trying to get all the different sectors to come together at SPLASH!,” says Papineau. “As the SPASA Australia Awards of Excellence are being held at SPLASH!, it makes sense to hold it there, especially as many experienced and knowledgeable members attend the show.”
The Swimming Pool & Spa Association of NSW Ltd has been invited to participate in the process.
“We have an open communication with the Alliance and we hope for that to continue,” she says. “We’re excited at the opportunity.”
For more information: Download the SPASA Australia document.
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