March 2026
Monthly Message to the Members – March 2026
Dear States and Territories
Another action packed month for the AEBF with many initiatives being progressed behind the scenes…
Nationals/Carnival
We are about a week or two away from locking in the confirmed start/finish dates for the Senior National Championships. At present we are working with Ultimate Pool Group, Ultimate Pool USA and APPA on the events to be included in this carnival and the scheduling. We also have a meeting Thursday 2nd April with the International Rules Organisation (IRO) in developing a package to bring them to Australia and launch the Referees campaign with the intent of having as many registered referees for this carnival and Senior/Junior National events moving forward.
Australian Team heading to Morocco
All Australian reps have received their packages now that the IEPF released the information to AEBF. There is no confirmed travelling squad at present and we have commenced working down the list. There has been unofficial advice for Australians to be absolutely certain before booking any flights. The IEPF are monitoring the current War in the Middle East and the affects this war may potentially have on the postponement/cancellation of the world championships in Morocco. The Australian Government also have strong travel warnings in place for the Middle East and Morocco region. There is possibility discussions will need to take place on the possibility that Australia may not send a full travelling squad to Morocco.
Pool Australia
Leanne Haas the Chair of APPA has completed a board paper and this will be shared at the upcoming AGM. This paper is a culmination of several discussions/meeting discussing this concept. Next steps will be to instruct Legal to prepare the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) but this won’t occur until Legal returns from leave.
Junior Development
Our JDO Chris Jeffery has been working on a framework for junior development and how it can be put in place across the country. It is in its infancy stages at the moment and aiming to have this framework proposal ready for the upcoming AGM.
PlayHQ
PlayHQ has started to take off. It is pleasing to see the uptake in registrations each week with consistency. The data will be collated and a report prepared for the upcoming AGM.
Treasury
The Treasurer will shortly be finalising the fees for State Bodies for Senior Nationals Rockhampton. Significant delays due to time allocated with constitution/bylaws and governance. Interim reports for year end 2026 will be available for the upcoming AGM. The AEBF has engaged with a new Auditor, who is currently undertaking a thorough assessment and finalising the Financials for 2024-25. Financials will be available at the upcoming 2025 AGM.
Governance – Constitution and By-Laws
On 21 March, the AEBF held an Extraordinary General Meeting to vote on a new Constitution and By-Laws. Both of these documents have undergone substantial reviews and consultation to bring them up to date with how our organisation and events have evolved over the past few years. As is the nature of these types of documents, they will continue to evolve as we do, to reflect the respectable, fair and high-achieving organisation we are striving to be. I want to thank the States and Territories for their enthusiastic involvement in getting these documents updated.
There was a discussion around the eligibility criteria for age categories at the Nationals. We have prepared a short survey (two questions) to get feedback on how this criteria should be reflected in the By-Laws. Please take a moment to share your thoughts by completing the AEBF By-Laws Age Eligibility Criteria Survey.
Complaints, Disputes and Discipline
We have seen a recent increase in the number of complaints submitted to the AEBF, many of them regarding the Complainant feeling that procedural fairness and processes weren’t followed by their local or state body. I get it, complaints can be difficult to work through and sometimes require us to make difficult or confronting decisions. The AEBF has signed up to Sport Integrity Australia’s National Integrity Framework (NIF), which is there to guide us to ensure complaints and grievances are handled fairly, impartially, and with confidentiality and care. You can also access free e-learning courses on the NIF and complaints handling to support you when dealing with complaints and disputes.
When can a local or state complaint be escalated to the AEBF?
Our Member Protection Policy states that the lowest level at which a matter can be dealt with shall always be preferred. A member should lodge a complaint with the association or federation running the event or competition at which the incident occurs in the first instance. That organisation should handle the complaint in accordance with the complaint handling procedures, which may involve an investigation or mediation. If after the process has been finalised the person feels that procedures weren’t followed, the person can lodge a complaint with the organisation the next level up (such as their state body, and next, to the AEBF)
What can the AEBF do if a complaint is escalated?
The AEBF will not re-investigate a complaint and will not overturn a decision made by the original association. Instead, the AEBF will investigate if procedures have been followed by the state body and will assess the integrity of the decision-making (such as conflicts of interest that may be present). If it is found that a state body has not followed procedures, an independent tribunal may decide to impose sanctions.
Interested in being part of an independent tribunal?
The AEBF is looking for people that would interested in participating in an independent tribunal. If you are skilled in the art of impartiality, following procedures and making fair decisions, this could be an interesting opportunity for you. Contact the AEBF at info@aebf.com.au
Coming up in April:
· Preparations for the 2025 AGM – The official notice for this meeting will be circulated soon.
· Exploring suitable venues for the 2027 Junior Nationals with the aim of securing a venue and locking in dates.
· Progressing plans for 2026 Senior Nationals Carnival and drafting a schedule.
Regards,
Travis Crawley
President