Kate Roffey

[Watson11 2,217]

The judgement was an interesting read.

My only conclusion is that we are currently in season 3 of “War of the Worlds”, and Kate’s letter to members was written in one world, and the Court case happened in an alternate reality.  

[Satyriconhome 10,340]

Everybody seems to be forgetting, Lawrence of Aggrandisement was nominated and he didn't get enough votes, then did a Trump and claimed it was rigged.

Passionate about the club my [censored], he has cost the club time and money.

[titan_uranus 24,656]

23 hours ago, Dr Don Duffy said:

Good to see the board cheer squad out in full force. 

Disingenuous email from Roffey.

Let’s have a look at the balance sheet since the Peter Jackson-built team roared to premiership glory in 2021.

Looking first at the Peter Lawrence score, he sought to bring the constitution within cooee of 21st century governance principles. He did at least cause term limits for directors and electronic voting to come into being. 

In the current matter, he did ask the board to amend the provisions of the election rules that were poor governance. When they refused he commenced proceedings in the Federal Court. Should never had come to this, but they then proceeded to jettison 4 out of 5 of the offending provisions as the case proceeded. So why did they spend hundreds of thousands maintaining a defence against the indefensible? Our money, Ralph. That was after blowing another small fortune in the Supreme Court on a previous matter that had a poor prognosis of success. Again, we got to the same outcome that could have been achieved without the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of our dollars. 

Turning to the board’s record, apart from the above, we were told that our home base in the MCG precinct is a “non-negotiable”; any questions about progress on this were met with “Can’t talk, commercial in confidence”. After kicking that can down the road at various AGMs we pop up with the “Let’s go to Caulfield” idea. 

And at the AGM we were told that our next Strategic Plan would be out in February. Crickets on that front as we move to September. This is a board and senior management that only reacts when it gets a metaphorical cattle prod to its body, and then claims proactivity in getting to the result that they are forced into. After spending lots of our money. 

Yes, All Hail Roffey and Pert. Personally I cheer for the footy love of my life, the Dees, not board members who over the journey have been “here today, gone tomorrow”. 

There's no doubt Roffey's email was disingenuous. It's Christian Porter-esque, to be honest, and insulting to members as a result. 

Over the last few years I've generally found myself disapproving of Peter Lawrence's actions. As much as you and his other supporters on here seek to characterise his push for change as noble and in pursuit of best practice, it has always, and IMO reading the judgment clearly remains, also in push of his selfish desires. 

However, the judgment makes relatively clear enough that the club ultimately couldn't resist most of what he was asking for, because the majority of his proposals were clearly fair and reasonable. For that, the failure to work this out prior to litigation is a failure which sits as much on the club as anyone else.

At its core, I continue to think that his selfish desires got in the way of a better and more important message. Even with what should be considered largely a success, I doubt he would ever be elected to the board, and I think that's something he should accept responsibility for.

Related to that, I noticed the following parts of the judgment:

1. The judge accepted that the board acted bona fide and without collateral motive, balancing the club's interests against Peter's. That is contrary to what I believe Peter has argued, and what I know some on here have argued (i.e. that the board had ulterior motives, designed to protect them or their boys/girls club)
2. Peter persisted with the litigation because he wants the club to allow candidates for election to be able to go on radio and TV and give interviews in which they are permitted to disparage not just the current board, but members, players, the club at large and other candidates. The club's board and governance is important, but not important enough that we should be having candidates running a Trump v Harris style debate in public, bringing the club to the forefront of the media where we've been spending far too much time of late
3. Both the club and Peter were faintly criticised by the judge for comparing the club's rules to other club's. The judge made it clear that is irrelevant. 

There's no doubt the club's election rules are in a better place now than they were 2 years ago, and for that Peter deserves credit, but the ends do not always justify the means.

PS: there's also no doubt the board has failed in a number of its own KPIs (so to speak). The home base situation is a debacle.

[FreedFromDesire 662]

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

However, the judgment makes relatively clear enough that the club ultimately couldn't resist most of what he was asking for, because the majority of his proposals were clearly fair and reasonable. For that, the failure to work this out prior to litigation is a failure which sits as much on the club as anyone else.

Excellent post. I don't have a dog in this fight, I can see the reasonable issues and argument raised on both sides. On the above though, I would just raise this quote from reporting on the proceedings:

“Mr Lawrence’s dogged efforts to persuade the MFC to change its election rules and practices have already resulted in the MFC adopting many of the changes to the club’s rules along the lines of those for which he contended,” Justice O’Callaghan said.

Mr Lawrence said those changes addressed some, but not all, of his concerns.

Perhaps I'm reading into that too much, but that does come across in a way where perhaps the club had attempted to reasonably satisfy Mr Lawrence's fair requests but maybe he wasn't happy with just 'some'?

To be clear, I'm not arguing on the board's behalf, I have my own reservations about certain things with the current board, but more just saying that the failure may not be on the club in that regard?

[Satyriconhome 10,340]

12 minutes ago, FreedFromDesire said:

Excellent post. I don't have a dog in this fight, I can see the reasonable issues and argument raised on both sides. On the above though, I would just raise this quote from reporting on the proceedings:

“Mr Lawrence’s dogged efforts to persuade the MFC to change its election rules and practices have already resulted in the MFC adopting many of the changes to the club’s rules along the lines of those for which he contended,” Justice O’Callaghan said.

Mr Lawrence said those changes addressed some, but not all, of his concerns.

Perhaps I'm reading into that too much, but that does come across in a way where perhaps the club had attempted to reasonably satisfy Mr Lawrence's fair requests but maybe he wasn't happy with just 'some'?

To be clear, I'm not arguing on the board's behalf, I have my own reservations about certain things with the current board, but more just saying that the failure may not be on the club in that regard?

He will only ever be satisfied if he gets on the Board. Wonder if he is a fan of Trump. I would never vote for a supporter who takes my Club to court

[FreedFromDesire 662]

Just now, Satyriconhome said:

He will only ever be satisfied if he gets on the Board. Wonder if he is a fan of Trump. I would never vote for a supporter who takes my Club to court

I don't think those kinds of comments are very helpful. Peter is a human, and a passionate supporter who has contributed to the club financially in a significant way as far as I understand. Whether you agree with his process or not, going on the attack against him doesn't improve our unity as a club, and I would assume that would be one your gripes with his actions thus far.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,120]

On 22/08/2024 at 16:47, Satyriconhome said:

He only wants what he wants and sulks and pouts when other members don't agree.

I don't mind other posters on here having differing opinions, I just want to be allowed to have mine.

I appreciate you, Saty, but far out, do you have any self-awareness? 

[Cranky Franky 1,838]

11 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

He will only ever be satisfied if he gets on the Board. Wonder if he is a fan of Trump. I would never vote for a supporter who takes my Club to court

Typical comment from someone running a protection racket for the "Old boys & girls closed shop"

[whatwhat say what 22,218]

It will certainly be interesting to see what his next course of action will be

[BDA 22,306]

11 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

He will only ever be satisfied if he gets on the Board. Wonder if he is a fan of Trump. I would never vote for a supporter who takes my Club to court

MMGA Make Melbourne Great Again! 

[Satyriconhome 10,340]

8 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

Typical comment from someone running a protection racket for the "Old boys & girls closed shop"

Not me Cap'n, just don't like somebody who won't accept the umpire's decision

[Superunknown 4,074]

34 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

He will only ever be satisfied if he gets on the Board. Wonder if he is a fan of Trump. I would never vote for a supporter who takes my Club to court

The frequent reference to Trump is quite odd and oft misused I think. It’s generally unhelpful.

[dees189227 12,234]

Anyone know what she said in tonight's presidents dinner

[Cranky Franky 1,838]

Has Peter Lawrence got a GoFundMe page because I would donate to help pay his legal costs

[Dr Don Duffy 76]

14 hours ago, Satyriconhome said:

Wonder if he is a fan of Trump. 

Paraphrasing US election VP candidate Tim Walz: “Weird post!”

[Satyriconhome 10,340]

1 hour ago, Dr Don Duffy said:

Paraphrasing US election VP candidate Tim Walz: “Weird post!”

The whole Peter Lawrence situation is weird, he got nominated, didn't get the votes, had a sulk, took the club to court, didn't win, sulked, wants to ask 'us' for his support, if he doesn't get it he will sulk again no doubt, if he wants to waste money, give it to charity. They might name something after him, that is obviously something he needs to make his life complete.

I just find him rather sad.

[The Demon Duck 56]

I believe my 72 years on this planet, including 51 years teaching, qualifies me to be a fair judge of character.

And so, having met and conversed with Peter Lawrence on a number of occasions, I concur with the views of old55, that Peter is "capable, intelligent, empathetic, generous and passionate."

As for the president, my only personal experience with her is when she failed to respond to a letter I wrote, but to me she is ever present in good times , but notably absent otherwise.

I believe she and her board have run a shamefully "closed shop" at election times, resisting all reasonable reforms urged by Peter until generally legally or otherwise coerced to concede, culminating in this week's self obsessive and misleading "victory lap" email.

My regard for the CEO was also diminished by his infantile and obsessive display at the AGM.

As for the board's successes since 2021, precisely what have they achieved?

I know Peter is ever present at at the Demons AFL, VFL and AFLW games, all over Australia,  but how about the board?

I have no objections to those who reasonably disagree with Peter's actions, but I say do not doubt his motives, and the vitriolic abuse by some is symptomatic of those who have not met him, made themselves aware of what he's about, nor are interested enough in our club to care..

Somebody on this forum has asserted that Peter will never achieve board status, but I say "don't bet on it!"

When the Kate Roffeys and Gary Perts of this world have moved on, Peter Lawrence will still be in there pitching, for the Red and the Blue he loves and for which he has already sacrificed so much.

Interesting times await.

[Demonland 70,326]

NB: We have heard from the CEO on radio last week and via a letter to the members.

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

5 minutes ago, Demonland said:

NB: We have heard from the CEO on radio last week and via a letter to the members.

It’s incredible how Media representatives don’t check simple things, before blabbing off

He’s right about Roffey though, i haven’t heard a single word out of her for over a year. No doubt she will be all over the AFLW…

[Swooper Northey 456]

Kate disappoints me. From a supporters perspective, I think she's been an absent leader. When she does appear publicly, I feel she lacks a certain humility and some of her comments are off key. Leaders need to stand up in good times and bad.

[The heart beats true 17,824]

19 hours ago, BDA said:

MMGA Make Melbourne Great Again! 

I’d support any candidate who wants to build a wall around the MCG and keep Collingwood supporters out.

[Rossmillan 585]

4 hours ago, Satyriconhome said:

The whole Peter Lawrence situation is weird, he got nominated, didn't get the votes, had a sulk, took the club to court, didn't win, sulked, wants to ask 'us' for his support, if he doesn't get it he will sulk again no doubt, if he wants to waste money, give it to charity. They might name something after him, that is obviously something he needs to make his life complete.

I just find him rather sad.

Really?

It seems to me all he wanted was a reasonable chance to put forward a case to the voting members as to why he would be a better candidate.

He was not given that chance.

I don’t know the bloke, but it sure seems like all he asked for was a democratic election process.  
 

I read the judgement and it sure seems like his requests were fair and reasonable.  

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

10 minutes ago, Rossmillan said:

Really?

It seems to me all he wanted was a reasonable chance to put forward a case to the voting members as to why he would be a better candidate.

He was not given that chance.

I don’t know the bloke, but it sure seems like all he asked for was a democratic election process.  
 

I read the judgement and it sure seems like his requests were fair and reasonable.  

You are probably right, but his modus operandum absolutely sucked 

[WalkingCivilWar 39,264]

42 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

He’s right about Roffey though, i haven’t heard a single word out of her for over a year. No doubt she will be all over the AFLW…

Yes, she will.

Something wrong with that?

[george_on_the_outer 7,434]

6 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

You are probably right, but his modus operandum absolutely sucked 

Unfortunately there was no other option.  Despite numerous implorings from members, including at last years AGM, the Board would not engage, and so the only option is through the legal system. 

Where they firstly had the legislative requirements of Corporations law shown to them in no uncertain manner, and then secondly withdrew their opposition to Peters amendments and changed the voting rules in 4 out of 5 situations prior to the judge deciding on the 5th.