[Centres] Statement from the Directors of RDA (NSW)

Wed Apr 12 15:07:07 AEST 2023

Centre Secretaries

Please find attached Letter from Heather Baker in response to the email below from the Board of Directors 

Kind Regards

Lucy Pentony

Office Coordinator 

Riding for the Disabled Association (NSW)

Quad 1, Level 2, 8 Parkview Drive

Sydney Olympic  Park  NSW 2127

(PO Box 710 Sydney Markets NSW 2129)

Ph: (02) 8736 1256

Email:  <mailto:stateoffice at rdansw.org.au> stateoffice at rdansw.org.au

Web:  <http://www.rdansw.org.au/> www.rdansw.org.au

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Joseph Orland <joseph.orland at telstra.com <mailto:joseph.orland at telstra.com> >
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2023 at 00:30
Subject: [Centres] Statement from the Directors of RDA (NSW)
To: RDA (NSW) Centres <Centres at rdansw.org.au <mailto:Centres at rdansw.org.au> >

Centre Secretaries.

The Directors who are listed at the end of this email have requested that I send this message out to all Centres.  This message relates to the upcoming election for Directors to the Board of RDA (NSW).  The following concerns are worthy of careful consideration by Members of RDA (NSW).

One thing that many of the current directors want to ask Centres is whether Centres are prepared to have certain changes introduced to the operation of RDA (NSW) and, as a result, whether they are prepared to contribute the substantial additional fees that they would be expected to pay towards the operations of RDA (NSW) from what they are paying now if those changes are introduced to the operation of RDA (NSW).

This is a very important question that each Centre has to consider in order to be prepared to identify the potential consequences.  The choice of candidates who will be successful in the current round of elections will determine if RDA (NSW) either:

1.    stays as it is now, a volunteer-based organisation which has, as its main aims, the provision of therapeutic horse-related activities for those who have a disability, or

2.    becomes a company which has the making of profits as its main aims – in effect, becoming a commercial horse-riding business which is tailored for those who have a disability.

If the second option is chosen, information that has been advised to the Board by an external organisation more than a year ago indicated that substantial additional annual costs will have to be incurred by RDA (NSW).

While RDA (NSW) operates through 34 Centres, the organisation, in the overall scheme of things, is a relatively small organisation.  This increased level of expenditure on wages and related on-costs for paid staff to do what directors do now on a voluntary basis is not considered to be warranted.

The Board has become aware that there are elements in the organisation that want to shut down some small Centres so that the organisation can concentrate on the larger Centres.  

One of the reasons given for this is that the smaller Centres do not make much money for the organisation.  This was an actual statement made by one of those who, it is reasonably understood, is involved in the current move to change RDA (NSW) and its Centres.  The Board is aware that there are those who are involved in trying to lobby for like-minded persons to be elected onto the Board in the current round of nominations, presumably to achieve this result.

The RDA (NSW) organisation does have large Centres, but many Centres are small to very small.

While RDA (NSW) operates in a business-like manner, the Board also understands that, in addition to potentially closing the smaller Centres, those same elements are involved in wanting RDA (NSW) to change so that RDA (NSW) is converted to what may be better described as conducting a business.

RDA (NSW) directors, in addition to their roles as directors, are also volunteers, each having a particular portfolio and/or tasks, as well as being available, in their capacity of directors, to help Centres as may be needed.

Under what the Board understands is being aimed at by those who want to change the role and structure of RDA (NSW), is that directors become what may be described as “fly in, fly out” persons who attend Board meetings using reports which have been prepared by paid employees of the company.

The volunteer work that is now done by directors will then be done by the paid employee(s).

The independent information referred to above which has been provided to the Board is that each such employee will cost approximately $200,000 with on-costs.  There would need to be at least one and up to three full-time employees if the tasks of the current directors are taken over by such employees.

There is also the potential issue of additional office accommodation and on-costs which, like the substantial costs of wages, are not needed under current arrangements.

Those additional costs can only be met by RDA (NSW) greatly increasing the fees that it charges to Centres.

If the smaller Centres are closed down, this further increases the financial burden on the remaining Centres.  What is worse is that it will also leave many of our riders from those smaller Centres without the very important support and services that these small Centres are able to provide to their local communities.

The decision is now up to the voting Centres to choose between these two options:

1.    Maintain the current reason for existence of RDA  (NSW), along with the current structure and role of RDA (NSW) as a volunteer organisation which has, as its main aim, the provision of therapeutic horse-related activities to those who have a disability, with these services continuing to  be provided by volunteers at relatively little cost to the riders, or

2.    Change the structure and method of operation of RDA (NSW) by:

a.    Closing the smaller Centres if they do not make much money for the organisation;

b.    Employing high-cost staff (including substantial on-costs) to do the work that volunteer directors do now;

c.     Centres (and therefore riders) facing substantial increases in fees to cover these additional costs;

d.   Producing a significant upheaval to the original concept and philosophies of RDA (NSW) and its ideals; and

e.	Centres potentially having to justify their operations and fund-raising activities to a company that appears to have, as its main aims, the making of money.

The decision is that of each and every Centre to choose the future that they want for RDA (NSW).

Does your Centre want to put riders or profits as its main aim?

For, and on behalf of, the Board of RDA (NSW),

Allan Burton,

Jenny Cameron,

Tracy Lucas,

Joseph Orland,

Jan Pike,

Clarry Quirk,

Olwen Smith,

Ian Travers

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