ABF Newsletter

Stephen Lester is retiring as editor of the ABF Newsletter after 9 years. We owe Stephen a huge debt of thanks for the wonderful work he has done over this time.

Kim Frazer will edit the next Newsletter while we advertise for a new editor. An advertisement for a new editor has been placed on the web-site and we may take this opportunity to review with the new editor the format/contents of the Newsletter.

2017 ANC

The ABF Management Committee has agreed to a request from the 2017 ANC Committee to hold a Country Butler Championship as an additional once-off category at the 2017 ANC. The Tournament Organiser will announce details in due course. There may also be some fine tuning of the Butler formats, subject to coordination between the ABF Tournament Committee and ANC 2017 Organiser.

Managing Player Suspensions

At the AGM, States were asked to comment on the management of player suspensions at the States/National and club levels and it was agreed that State/National suspensions should apply across all States and Nationally.

The MC was asked to investigate whether the Masterpoint system could be used to support the banning process. As previously advised this is not feasible. A manual process, involving Tournament Organisers and/or NECs, is being implemented and this will be supported by changes to the Tournament Regulations. Communication processes will now be put in place to collect data on all such suspensions.

The consensus from States and Territories is that players suspended at the club level should remain a local club matter.

Management Liability Insurance

This policy has been renewed. Coverage includes The Management Liability Insurance Policy has now been extended to cover The Australian Bridge Directors Association and members, and Bridge Directors who are members of clubs affiliated with the Australian Bridge Federation Inc. Further details are at https://www.abf.com.au/about-abf/insurances/

Media Spokesperson

The MC is delighted to announce that Joan Butts has agreed to take on the additional role of Media Spokesperson. Joan will work closely with David Wawn, our Government Relations Officer and Sandra Mulcahy, our National Marketing Officer to ensure that the ABF speaks with one voice. Joan is intending to take a pro-active view of this role and hopes to use it to raise the profile of bridge in the community.

Seeking Summer Festival Organiser

An advertisement has been placed on the web-site requesting expressions of interest in the roles of organiser for the 2018 Summer Festival onward.

International Team Play-offs 2018

We are starting a search in Canberra and Sydney for a venue for the international team play-offs for 2018, to be held in November/December 2017. Suggestions welcome.

Australian Girls Team

The MC congratulates the Australian Girls team of Renee Cooper, Ella Pattison, Jessica Brake, Kirsty Fuller and Cesca McGrath, Ian Thomson NPC who achieved our best ever result at a World Youth Teams Championships, reaching the grand final and winning the silver medal.

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The Management Committee welcomes feedback and suggestions on the above or other subjects.

The next meeting is the Council Mid-term meeting on 5^th November 2016, followed by the Management Committee meeting on 6^th November, in Sydney. We will issue the agenda and papers in coming weeks. I look forward to seeing all Councillors there.

ABF Management Committee:
Bruce Neill (President), Allison Stralow (Secretary), Roy Nixon (Treasurer),
Dallas Cooper (MC Member), Kim Frazer (MC Member),
Russel Harms (General Counsel), Jane Rasmussen (Executive Secretary).