When will the AGM be held?

The Club has announced AGM will be held on 13 December 2022.

How can members vote?

Members need to ensure they’ve paid their fees as at 18 November 2022 to be on the “member register” for voting.

There will be electronic and postal voting.

Details of how voting will be conducted will be provided by the Returning Officer who is responsible for running the election to members on 18 November 2022.

When can members vote?

The Club has confirmed voting will take place:

• Voting opens on 18 November 2022 when members will receive the notice of the AGM, voting instructions and candidate statements.

• Voting closes on 9 December 2022.

How many votes do members get to cast?

Voting members will be given the opportunity to:

• Vote for one candidate for the President from a list of two. Hawks for Change has endorsed Andy Gowers for President and encourages all members to vote accordingly.

• Vote for three candidates from a list of five for Director positions on the Board.

Votes are calculated by the Returning Officer and the results will be announced at the AGM on 13 December. 

Who is eligible to vote?

“Ordinary Members” and “Life Members” of the Club are eligible to vote. For an Ordinary Member to be eligible to vote the following apply:

• They must be over the age of 18 years as at 18 November 2022, and

• They must be a current member of the Club who has paid their annual subscription fee. This means that paid-up 2022 members can vote, as can new members who have joined up for next season and paid their fees, and

• They must be registered on the Club’s “members register”.

Therefore, any Ordinary Member, once they have signed up and paid their subscription, is entitled to vote provided they are over 18 years old and are on the Club’s member register. New members should pay via EFT/credit card, as postal payment may cause a delay.

How can the Board improve the process into the future?

For starters, members should be advised at least 21 days before the closure of nominations for the Board (and President) so they can consider if they’d like to put their hand up to support the Club.

The Nominations Committee should not recommend members of that Committee.

The days of finding out by press release who will be making the decisions at the Club should be over. That is good governance.

Can MCC members who select Hawthorn as their preferred club, and AFL members who elect Hawthorn as their preferred club, vote?

Yes, provided they have paid the additional fee to be classed as a Hawthorn member and are up to date with such payments, they will be on the Club's member register and therefore eligible to vote.

Are Hawthorn AFLW members eligible to vote?

Yes, Hawks AFLW members are eligible to vote.

How will you ensure greater diversity on the Board?

In order to help ensure that all voices are heard, Hawks for Change will push reform to the composition of the Board so that it reflects Hawthorn’s membership and community expectations.

Do you want to get rid of Hawthorn’s poker machines for good?

Yes, Hawks for Change believe this is a vital issue. Many other clubs have made the decision to divest from pokies and Hawthorn’s ongoing reliance on revenue from them, given the irrefutable damage they cause, is no longer acceptable. It’s great to see the Club getting out of pokies after this was a big issue in elections in 2021.