June Column: ClubsNSW Chair Sallianne Faulkner

What a truly uplifting evening at the recent Clubs & Community Awards held in the Grand Ballroom at the ICC Sydney, showcasing the enormous contribution of our industry. 

It was fantastic to have more than 900 people in the room, including politicians and media representatives, to hear about the high calibre of finalists across the nine award categories.

Congratulations to all of the winners and a big thank you to every club that chose to put in a nomination — as I said on the night, the judges had a monumental task to separate so many very worthy initiatives!

You can find all the winners here, photos from the evening here, and the incredible video packages played on the night here.

Off the back of the recent flood disaster on the Mid North Coast, the night also provided the perfect opportunity to support the rebuilding efforts of the Taree Aquatic Club, more affectionately known as ‘The Sailo’s’. 

In the aftermath of the disaster, the NSW club industry has collectively raised more than $200,000, including directly to the Taree Aquatic Club though the Clubs Helping Clubs initiative and to Disaster Relief Australia to support their clean-up and recovery efforts.

A fantastic effort by all and another reminder of the ways in which clubs are always there to support their local communities. For those still wanting to donate to The Sailo’s, you can do so here. 

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As you may have read on Friday, Dr George Peponis OAM has made the decision to retire from the Board of ClubsNSW and Club Keno Holdings.

George was first appointed to the Board of ClubsNSW in March 2017, taking on the role of Deputy Chair in 2018 and then Chair from 2019 to 2024.

As I noted in Circular 25-124, I’d like to again pay tribute to George for his unwavering dedication and commitment throughout his tenure, during which he guided the Association, and clubs, through some of the most tumultuous periods in the industry’s history, including two COVID-19 shutdowns and a contentious debate over cashless gaming.

His leadership and experience greatly contributed to the strategic direction and governance of ClubsNSW. Our heartfelt gratitude and thanks go to George, and we wish him all the very best for his future endeavours — which I know includes spending more time with his family both here and abroad. 

The Board has appointed Anna Ryan to fill the casual vacancy created by George’s retirement. Anna has served on the Board of DOOLEYS since 2019 and has over 16 years’ experience in the banking and legal sectors.  She is currently Special Counsel at a leading Australian law firm and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2023, she completed the Harvard Business School Company Director Certificate.

On behalf of ClubsNSW I welcome Anna to the Board and look forward to her contributions to the Association.  

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A reminder that the ClubsNSW Annual Conference & AGM is just around the corner, to be held once again at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre from 8 to 10 October.

The event is the perfect opportunity to network with industry peers, hear from fantastic keynote speakers, learn about some of the key focus areas for our industry and attend the Association’s AGM.

We’ve reignited our Clubs Helping Clubs initiative and it’s very pleasing to see the number of clubs who have already stepped up to purchase tickets to the event for smaller clubs to ensure that they have access to the same valuable educational and networking opportunities as the larger clubs.

If you are interested in assisting one of our small clubs to attend this year’s Conference and AGM, or if you are in need of some assistance in purchasing tickets, you can register by clicking here.

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I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at the Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards on 15 July at the Western Sydney Convention Centre at Panthers Penrith.

We had a record number of clubs competing this year, with 200 club eateries involved across the Main, Best Dessert and Perfect Pizza categories.

The Perfect Plate Awards are a fantastic opportunity to drive visitation and showcase the incredible quality and diversity of food on offer these days inside NSW clubs.

I know that our ambassadors Matt Moran, Courtney Roulston and Nathan Hindmarsh continue to be genuinely impressed with the dishes they sample as part of their road trip across the state during the competition. 

If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet for the Perfect Plate Awards Night, they are available here.

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In closing, I know it’s a particularly busy time at the moment for many of you as the curtains fall on the financial year. As always, your Association is here to help, so don’t hesitate to contact the ClubASSIST team on 1300 730 001 should you need any guidance.