National SPASA Australia one step closer after landslide NSW vote

Overwhelming support from SPASA NSW & ACT members has seen the passage of a special resolution to move forward with unification with SPASA Australia.

The agreement of more than 75 per cent of ordinary members present and voting at the March 16 AGM, either in person or by proxy, was required.

The result was more than 95 per cent of voting members agreed with the resolution.

This means that NSW & ACT has joined Queensland in agreeing to move forward with the merger proposals.

SPASA NSW & ACT president Robert Guthrie says that discussions over the past few years regarding forming a single-entity association have been driven by the belief that the common mission for SPASA and the state bodies would be better advanced by ideally having one entity operating across Australia.

“The growing demand for a stronger, unified and collective voice has driven SPASA NSW & ACT to challenge how we are conducting ourselves now and how we may grow in the future under a single entity national body,” he says.

CEO Spiros Dassakis highlighted the historic nature of the vote and the importance for the industry.

“The swimming pool and spa industry is a significant economic contributor for the Australian economy and the importance of a single entity national peak body delivering stronger services and advocacy for operators of swimming pool and spa related businesses is of paramount importance.

“Members will start to see movement in the next few months as discussions progress further, processes are formalised and due diligence is undertaken,” he says.

The resolution stated:

Based on appropriate due diligence as determined by the board, the membership approves the board’s authority to continue collaborating with SPASA Australia and the other SPASA states towards a unified (one) SPASA national model. The purpose is to improve member services and industry value by positioning SPASA Australia as a unified, single entity national body supporting and delivering improved benefit to all members Australia wide.

SPASA Queensland had already voted in favour of the merger process at their 2014 AGM, with the resolution that SPASA Queensland operations transition into SPASA Australia and that SPASA Queensland de-incorporate by 1st of January 2017, or earlier.

SPASA South Australia and SPASA Western Australia boards have expressed support for the national model and will be taking the merger proposal to their members at the upcoming AGMs.

SPASA Victoria walked away from involvement last year.

The historic NSW vote comes after SPASA Australia recently appointed Lindsay McGrath as its executive director.