CATTLE Australia has completed a constitutional review with several changes to its constitution passed at an extraordinary general meeting on September 1.

Amendments passed include the introduction of indefinite director terms, removing the previous limit on how many terms a director can serve, and a simplified nomination process.

Director nominations received after 1 September 2026 now require only two nominators, and the names of those nominators are no longer published.

The constitutional review was conducted internally among paying members, which President Garry Edwards told the Weekly Times this week now numbers in the 600 to 700 range.

The review commenced with a call for written submissions in May 2025, and concluded with an EGM on September 1 following a 21 day notice period.

The review has attracted backlash from some producer groups with concerns over governance relating to the new rules allowing directors to serve indefinite terms, the inability of State Farm Organisations to vote on the recent changes despite representing thousands of producers, and the changes being made through a special EGM rather than the upcoming Annual General Meeting at Cattle Australia’s large Cattle Connect event in October.

In response to Beef Central’s questions for details on the changes passed at the September 1 EGM, Cattle Australia provided the following details the amendments:

Membership: Two membership categories replace the previous three: Voting members (producers, who retain voting rights) and industry members (other stakeholders, who remain informed and have the same rights, but do not vote).

Purpose: The Constitution now sets out Cattle Australia’s role in greater detail, covering levy oversight, farm safety, biosecurity, producer wellbeing and supply chain transparency. This was described as a step that formalised the existing remit, rather than altering it.

Member protections: Provisions governing voting rights and member discipline have been moved from the By-laws into the Constitution itself, providing permanence.

Voting: Online and direct voting are now permitted, without requiring meeting attendance or appointment of a proxy.

Board:

•  Appointed Directors will serve one-year terms
•  Nomination for election now requires only two backers, down from five
•  Appointed Directors may be selected to bring specific industry experience
•  The Board may remove an Appointed Director itself
•  The three-term limit for directors has been removed
•  The Board will meet at least four times per year, up from three
•  Regions have been renamed Northern, Southern and Western, with no change to their boundaries

Regional Consultative Committee: Remains in place. It could evolve into a different form of producer advisory body in future, subject to member approval.  Rules for RCC voting and membership haven’t changed – they stay in the By-laws (practical processes and rules that must follow the Constitution).

General revisions: Plain English drafting throughout, removal of outdated provisions, and provision for a director to act as interim CEO should that position become vacant.

Unchanged

•  Cattle Australia’s role as the peak body for the grassfed cattle industry.
•  Voting rights remain restricted to producers (Voting Members).
•  Future amendments to the Constitution still require 75% support.
•  Levy oversight remains a core function.

Changes strenghten constitution protection for voting rights

In a statement to Beef Central, Cattle Australia said the constitution review proposed stronger constitutional protection for voting rights.

“The CA constitution review proposed stronger constitutional protection for voting rights. 

“The constitution review subcommittee and Cattle Australia Board weighed the changes carefully after a thorough 18 month process that considered engagement from all levy paying segments including SFO representation. 

“Cattle Australia was formed so that producers would have a stronger national voice, with Cattle Australia focused nationally – levy oversight, national policy and representation – with voting rights put in the hands of individual levy payers.

“This was a strong decision made by the SFO group in 2022 as key part of the formation of Cattle Australia.

“Cattle Australia continues to focus on national issues while SFOs continue to engage on state-based issues with Cattle Australia’s support where requested and appropriate. 

“Removing an arbitrary term cap and lowering the nomination threshold both put more power in members’ hands, not less – members decide who leads the organisation, at every election, a level of engagement and transparency that had been requested for over 4 decades.

“SFOs hold a role within the CA consultation system: currently seven SFO’s join the 15 independent regional producer representatives of the Regional Consultative Committee’s 23 seats. A dedicated seat on the Constitution Review Subcommittee was designated for SFO’s, and representation across three Cattle Australia National technical working groups. 

“The RCC is a formal part of Cattle Australia’s governance process, and its input has directly shaped Board decisions on the organisation’s FY2027 focus, its technical working groups and its positions on levy investments through MLA – not a discretionary arrangement subject to unilateral change.

“Cattle Australia is pleased that the recommendation of the Constitutional subcommittee was unanimously agreed by the committee members and the Cattle Australia Board and was supported by the majority of voting members at the Extraordinary General meeting.

“The focus for Cattle Australia is now on completing the Cattle Transaction Levy review and engagement from levy payers on a national basis has been extremely high.”

The constitutional review was the second to be held by Cattle Australia since forming in late 2022.

The first review culminated with an EGM in October, 2023, that also passed in amendments to the Cattle Australia Constitution which paved the way

Cattle Australia to run regionally-based elections for a Regional Consultative Committee (RCC).

The RCC built on the role of the previous Policy Advisory Council, expanding beyond policy to develop strategy around advocacy, consultation of members at a grass-roots level, and engagement of broader society.

“The new consultative process will make the RCC a key body in identifying priorities for Cattle Australia and strengthen our direction through greater engagement with grassroots members,” CA said at the time.

The committee of 23 members was made up of 15 members elected from the RCC subregions and eight State Farming Organisation appointees.

Members will be allocated to a subregion for electoral purposes, based on the postcode for the address they have registered with Cattle Australia.

Nominate for Cattle Australia Board & Regional Consultative Committee

Nominations opened for the Cattle Australia Board and Regional Consultative Committee on Friday, August 26, and close this Friday, September 11.

Nominations are open for two board directors (one each from the northern and southern region), and seven regional consultative committee (RCC) positions in the following regions:

• Region 7 South Australia;
  Region 8 southern Western Australia;
  Region 9 northern Western Australia;
  Region 10 Northern Territory;
  Region 12 northern Queensland;
  Region 13 western Queensland; and
  Region 14 central Queensland.

“Strong leadership and close engagement with the industry are vital to leveraging future opportunities and effectively responding to the challenges we face,” a Cattle Australia statement announcing the upcoming elections stated.

“Play a key role in shaping the future of the grassfed cattle industry. Your participation will make a difference for grassfed cattle producers across the nation in the development of Cattle Australia strategies and policies for industry representation.”

Nominations will be publicised to members and voting will open on September 14, running through to October 2.

Results will be announced at the Cattle Australia AGM on Friday October 23.

For full details about the nomination process, including eligibility, selection criteria, and nomination forms are available on the Cattle Australia website.