CEO Message: New beginnings in the New year
Well, here we are, already at the end of 2024.
The WAFIC team have been busily attending the last line-up of Annual Management Meetings, finalising the end of year submissions and industry meetings.
The meetings are extremely important and a valuable exchange of information, but the back-to-back format over recent months felt a little like a boot camp.
Last week we held the WAFIC Annual General Meeting and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who came along. Importantly, I would like to extend our appreciation to Anthony Haygarth who stepped down as a director at the AGM after six years of service.
We would also like to welcome back Manue Daniels and Matt Benson-Lidholm who were re-elected to the Board of Directors along with Paul Catalano who has re-joined the Board following a period of leave.
At the AGM, our Chair Adele Farina gave a comprehensive overview of the past financial year, highlighting just how much the WAFIC team has tackled during this time.
I spent some time discussing how we will pivot from where we are now to where we want to be as an industry, and the role WAFIC will play on that journey.
We discussed how to shape WAFIC to best serve the industry, and how we wish to enhance grass-root engagement with industry. We discussed the financial pressures facing the association and how we need to diversify to deepen our financial resilience.
Finally, I spoke about WAFIC’s leadership role and our responsibilities to industry as well as the need to set clear goals and objectives for 2025 and communicating these with industry.
Early in the New Year, the WAFIC Board of Directors will be undertaking some focused strategic planning. I am very excited about this opportunity and have high expectations of the outcomes.
Despite the extraordinary disappointment of the failed ARMA process we will head back to the negotiating table to reengage on legislative reform with a new, or returned government, to seek an appropriate, fit-for-purpose outcome.
As part of this process we will certainly be pushing hard for a timely result, as it is simply not justifiable to continue to pour precious GVP funds into a never-ending process that can be flipped on a whim.
This has been a tough year for many in the industry and I’m hoping that you will be able to find some downtime over the Christmas period to relax and restore as we have an exciting year ahead.
With Christmas just around the corner I would like to wish you and your families a safe and happy Christmas. I hope your plates are piled high with delicious, fresh, local seafood and you have time to enjoy the festive season, despite being such a busy time of year.
Merry Christmas
Mel