THE FINAL touches were put on deal last week that will see start-up grain grower representative body Grain Producers Australia (GPA) as successor to the now defunct Grains Council of Australia (GCA).
The decision of the South Australian Farmers Federation (SAFF) to sign off on the paperwork means the GPA now has a strong position in its battle to become the undisputed grains peak body with rival organisation, National Grains Australia.
SAFF’s decision, reached after some tense negotiations, means there was a unanimous decision from all former GCA members to resign, and for all former directors to resign.
GPA spokesman Pete Mailler, a farmer from the NSW/Queensland border districts, said the constitution of GCA would also be changed to adopt GPA’s constitution and the company’s name would legally be changed.
A new board of directors, comprising Mr Mailler, Victorian grower Andrew Weidemann, WA farmer Barry Large, and non-grower director Jane Walton, with the possibility of two more additions, has been formed to serve until the organisation’s first annual general meeting in March.
Although GPA is following on from GCA, Mr Mailler is confident there will not be a repeat of the mistakes that led to GCA’s downfall, which ended when it was forced into administration earlier this year.
“The model is fundamentally different, and the principles of the GPA are different,” Mr Mailler said.
“While we will be performing the same legislative roles and prescribed functions as GCA, unless the minister responsible decides otherwise, the operation will be totally different.”
He also said, due to GCA entering administration, even though the execution of a deed of company arrangement had gone through, meaning the new GPA will have the same company number as GCA, the new body would not be saddled with any debt.
“We’ve put a proposal to the creditors, who have accepted it, and we’re confident we will start out debt-free.
“By going through the administration process, the old GCA comes out with no debt, and there’s a safe trading environment for us.”
The final obstacle will be for the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) to sign-off on the proposal, which will mean GPA can open a bank account and begin its work in earnest.
“I’ve got advice that this will take a maximum of a week from now,” Mr Mailler said.
Operationally, there are some small seeding funds from SAFF, the Victorian Farmers Federation and Queensland’s AgForce to get the organisation up and running.
Once GPA was up and running, Mr Mailler said it would be a frantic race to woo growers prior to harvest.
“We’re a month behind where we want to be, we need to strike while the iron is hot and before farmers start focusing on other issues.
“We want to establish a membership base to elect the new board by Christmas, and in order to do that, we need to reach out to growers before they are busy with harvest.
“Given the Central Queensland harvest is beginning now, we are conscious we really have to get moving.”
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