Marathon Meeting of Delegates Discusses New Contesting Rules

The Sunday 19th July 2009 meeting of the VBL Delegates at the Box Hill band room dealt quite quickly with the ordinary business before it, and then turned its attention to the draft of new Contesting Rules, which had been circulated well beforehand to give an opportunity for well informed discussion.

In what became a marathon six hour meeting, attended by so many Delegates, Life Members, Musical Directors and Band Officials that the room was full, much of the document was accepted with only minor amendments.

Most of the discussion took place around the matters of registration of players, and in particular retention or abolition of dual registrations. Many of the country bands argued that abolition of these forms of registration would severely curtail their activities, and possibly lead to their demise. Similar discussions took place around the matter of the various types of permits for players.

In the end the Rules Committee was sent off to re-examine these matters, and in particular a radical proposal put forward by John M. Breen that players be registered with the League, and then be allowed to play with any band as they desire. The existing rules on these matters are other options that can be adopted, with a whole gamut of variations in between.

It is expected that an extraordinary Delegates' meeting will be called when the committee has sorted out these thorny issues.