The Murrindindi Regional Tourism Association (MRTA) met at 6.00pm on Tuesday 25^th October in the Council Chambers of the Murrindindi Shire Council Alexandra Offices for a Special General Meeting of Members. The meeting was called to move a motion to change the Committee structure of MRTA.

The proposed changes to MRTA’s Committee structure and associated amendments to the Rules of the Association, which were put to the vote at that Special General Meeting were passed with a unanimous vote around the table ‘for’ the proposed changes. The new Committee structure will enable the MRTA to rise to a new level of maturity and move closer to being the peak tourism body for Murrindindi Shire.

The special resolution proposed at this Special General Meeting was to change MRTA’s Committee structure from its current geographic/ industry sector based representational Committee model to an overarching strategic skills based tourism board model supported by a series of tactical committees.

Where MRTA currently has ad hoc themed sub-committees, the new structure will allow for formal skills based, activity focused tactical committees. The motion also included the subsequent modifications required to MRTA’s Rules of Association to enable this new Committee structure to function effectively.

This proposed structure separates the strategic from the tactical and in doing so will allow for greater focus on each and will assist the Association in achieving its primary role of strategic direction and leadership and its key responsibilities of marketing, communications and industry development.

The proposed representative nature of the skills based Committees of MRTA will ensure a cooperative and consistent approach to industry development and marketing across the Shire and in sharing resources, ideas and energy, the tourism industry will be strengthened. An added benefit of this new structure is such that it seeks to engage individual private enterprise as well as continuing to communicate directly with the various local/ industry tourism associations and government agencies.

This will not only enhance communications between all of the key stakeholders, but will encourage a closer working relationship with industry and will also ensure the relevancy of the regional tourism association to its broader constituents, which in turn will provide the right environment for which industry can grow and prosper long term.

A significant level of consultation with the Murrindindi tourism industry was undertaken in the lead up to this proposed change and subsequently the end product has been one that is supported by both industry and Council. The changes will occur over the next three - six months with the first process being to lodge the MRTA adopted proposed changes of the articles of association with Consumer Affairs for their approval. It is anticipated that the new structure will be in place by the end of the financial year.