In 2005 I took on the role of Secretary and Executive Director of the
ACA. I felt at the time that I had a lot to offer croquet
administration in this country and derived a great deal of enjoyment
and satisfaction from the work. Following an Executive Committee
decision later that year that I felt had excluded my input into the
decision-making process, and faced with having to implement that
decision (as the Executive Director), I took what I considered to be
the only honourable course of action and resigned from the Executive
Committee. In the following weeks I entertained a number of
suggestions from players around the country to run for the ACA
Presidency, but decided to withdraw from the ACA political arena.
The misrepresentation, by some, of the events leading to my
resignation certainly didn't help the situation.

Over the past two years, and particularly over the past six months, I
have spent a great deal of time considering the state of governance
in Australian croquet and regretting the lost opportunities for open
and genuine debate about the future of croquet in this country. It
is a source of great sadness that players in Australia are
discouraged from voicing opinions on ACA matters, and that there is
little confidence that the ACA will treat suggestions from senior
players (e.g. players' meeting recommendations) with the
consideration that they deserve. It is also a source of great
sadness that some players with much to offer are actively discouraged
from standing for office because they are considered 'unsuitable' by
some. This should and can change.

Accordingly, I have decided to nominate for the Presidency of the ACA
(currently held by John Fransen), and have asked Bruce Fleming to
nominate for the Vice-Presidency (currently held by Max Murray). My
previous experience of the Executive Committee taught me that being a
lone voice does little good, and Bruce's contributions to an ACA
Executive will be invaluable. I don't know if John and Max are re-
nominating.

On the 20th of November the CAQ approved our nominations (all
nominations must come from a state association), and I understand
that the paperwork (signed by CAQ President Judy Fowler) is now en
route to the ACA.

I would like to stress that this decision has been a long time
coming, and is not a response to recent discussions on the Nottingham
email list. It is a response to what we believe to be systemic
problems in Australian croquet administration and a desire to see an
end to the closed culture in the ACA.
We are under no illusions. This will likely be a difficult campaign
- neither Bruce Fleming nor I are popular with some of those who like
to think that they run Australian croquet - but somebody has to start
the change process.


Bruce Mitchell