ARLC reform postponed until at least 2019

The ARL Commission will remain at eight seats for at least a year following a vote against constitutional reform on Monday.

Todd Greenberg (left) and Peter Beattie

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg (l) and ARLC chairman Peter Beattie are promising greater transparency. (AAP)

The Australian Rugby League Commission has abandoned plans for constitutional reform after a meeting with NRL club chiefs on Monday.

ARLC chairman Peter Beattie said he would re-visit talks in a year, leaving the commission at eight seats with Peter V'landys and Amanda Laing appointed to take up the two vacant spots.

Canterbury were among three parties who voted against the changes in a meeting at Rugby League Central that lasted just 20 minutes, however Beattie insisted the reforms weren't dead.

"Obviously there were some disagreements about the advancement of constitutional reform. It was a 15-3 vote but the feeling in the room was a positive one," Beattie said on Monday.

"You can disagree (about) it being an ugly fight, and it wasn't.

"It was actually done with goodwill. Of course there was some disappointment but it was done with goodwill. I've indicated that we will re-visit constitutional reform within a year."

It was widely tipped that the NRL clubs would have a combined two representatives on the commission, while the NSWRL and QRL would get a seat each.

However, the vote meant the commission remains unchanged, and that both state leagues would instead be members of the financial audit committee.

QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher and NSWRL chief financial officer David Nissen are on the board.

"As we've signalled to you before, (NRL CEO) Todd Greenberg and I will be releasing the quarterly statements, the financial statements, releasing decisions of the board," Beattie said.

"There is an openness and transparency coming. We want NSW and QRL at the table, at the financial audit committee.

"They won't be there as observers. They'll be there as full members of the committee. So everybody will know the true finances of the NRL."

Laing is a former general manager of Nine Entertainment, and has been credited for her role in the NRL's most recent broadcast deal with the Nine Network.

"I said to you: know the next commissioner would be a woman - I honoured the first commitment that I gave publicly to deliver a woman," Beattie said.

"But all that is on merit."

V'landys has also garnered plenty of respect as the long-time chief executive of Racing NSW.

"(V'landy's) got good respect across the political divide," Beattie said.

"His experience that he runs racing will be of assistance to us."

Meanwhile, Greenberg also confirmed that talks have begun with broadcasters on the possibility of staging next year's NRL season-opener in the United States.


Share

3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world