It is not surprising New Zealand Probians have revolted and established their own group, David Tucker explains.
The worldwide Probus (PROfessional and BUSiness) movement was established in the UK in the 1960s and has been in New Zealand since 1974, but Probus has no central international authority.
In New Zealand, Rotary International took over the development of Probus as a very successful community programme, and until recently provided assistance and advice.
Growth of the Probus movement was such that in 1981, a central body for Probus in Australasia was set up, Probus Central South Pacific (PCSP).
The early Rotary instructions to that body were very clear.
It was to be "a service and administration centre, but not a governing or controlling body", and the Probus clubs themselves were to be entirely autonomous; no fundraising, politics or business.
This was the situation when most of the New Zealand clubs joined, and they were polled by Rotary in 2006 and agreed to confirm remaining with PCSP and not form a separate New Zealand-based administration centre.
But in August 2011 the basis on which that decision was made changed.
PCSP, in secrecy, with no consultation, or input of any description from any of the Probus clubs or Probus members (Probians) individually was incorporated under Australian company law as a public company, limited by guarantee.
So now Probus South Pacific Limited (PSPL) is a corporate body with limited liability and is profit-orientated, subject to Australian law and tax liabilities, and no longer a non-profit incorporated body.
Protests through Rotary and directly from Probus clubs and many Probians were ignored, as were other efforts over several years to resolve the problems.
So, after much agonising, a steering committee comprising Probians from clubs throughout New Zealand took the only possible remaining action.
In 2014, Probus NZ Incorporated (PNZI) was established under the New Zealand Companies and Intellectual Properties Acts.
Some 274 of the 420 NZ Probus clubs, about 65%, then left PSPL and joined PNZI.
Now PSPL uses the Probus logo and particularly the word "Probus" (for which they own the NZ trademark) to control Probus clubs.
The PSPL technique is to threaten any Probus club with loss of accreditation from PSPL if it does not comply with the constitution imposed by PSPL. It can then no longer use the word "Probus".
That constitution requires each club to detail its members’ personal details and to pay any capitation fee demanded of it, among other edicts.
No change to the constitution is permitted unless agreed to by the PSPL directorate.
So affiliated clubs are no longer autonomous, as specified by Rotary when first set up.
Probus has been a respected name for elderly citizens’ clubs in New Zealand from 1973, years before a central administration and service organisation was established.
Loss of the name was only one of other objectionable problems.
PSPL is not democratic, and does not claim to be.
Any such suggestion is met by the response: "You are not a shareholder. You are only a member of an affiliated club and have no rights, except through your PSPL board representative."
That could be acceptable, if there was an elected board representative who could communicate with members.
This is not permitted, as he/she was required to sign a board secrecy agreement before being accepted.
To make it worse, his/her election was rigged.
The 2014 election for a PSPL director representing Rotary districts 9980 and 9970 (i.e. the South Island) attracted three nominees from clubs.
The nominating committee (two members each from the PSPL board, Rotary International and local Probians) met as constituted, then voted after lengthy discussion.
A local nominee, not the PSPL-favoured nominee, was elected according to the rules in the PSPL constitution.
This angered the PSPL chairman, who then disbanded the nominating committee and declared the position vacant.
The PSPL board then appointed its own nominee. One of the committee then called it "a clear breach of the democratic governance principles previously accepted by PSPL"; so, no realistic representation at PSPL.Probus clubs are essentially "taxed" by PSPL, as PSPL sets the annual affiliation fee.
There is no consultation with Probus clubs or their members. In 2009 it was $1.15 per head; by 2015 it had risen to $12 per head.
PSPL is able, through the aforementioned constitution, to continue these increases annually to fund its legal costs, its palatial Parramatta office, its well-salaried staff and a purported five-year business plan which included a central database — which raised privacy issues — and travel insurance, which is now available elsewhere.
PSPL’s financial reports were presented only in summary form, and have shown significant losses in recent years.
PSPL’s directors’ liability is limited to $10 each.
Losses can always be made good from increased affiliation fees!
What happened to "no taxation without representation"?
It is not surprising then that the Kiwi Probians revolted and established their own group, with proper elections, and activities limited to what our Probians wanted.
- David Tucker is a past president of the Dunedin West Probus club, and current editor of that club’s monthly newsletter.
