Traders will have received a notice from the Australian
Electoral Commission concerning elections for the Queen Victoria Market
Advisory Committee (called the Traders Advisory Committee in office
correspondence). What is it all about?
The election will invite traders to nominate candidates for
the Trader’s Advisory Committee (TAC) which is a body set up by QVM broadly to
communicate with traders . Meetings are held quarterly, although sometimes more
frequently. They cover a broad range of issues including advertising and
promotion, trading hours (particularly on public holidays), the impact of
special events on stallholder access, and a general conduit for
management/stallholder communications. These meetings DO NOT discuss rents or
contractual issues relating to individual traders.
It is fair to say that the TAC has lost its relevance in
recent times. It has become a “tick the boxes” procedure for management and has
had little relevance for real trader’s issues. In other words it has been a bit
of a one-way communication tool for management. Our CEO, Jennifer Hibbs, has
recognised this shortcoming and has indicated she wants a more meaningful
exchange at meetings, particularly as we head into the consultation process for
the long term strategic plan. This election process will give traders the
opportunity to select who will represent them as the consultative process moves
forward. ....cont'd (click on heading for full article and comments)
At present, the nomination process closes on 16th
July, but we have asked management to extend the deadline so that all traders
can seriously consider what is at stake and who they would like to represent
them. We have also asked some other questions about how the process works and
we will convey the answers to you as soon as they are received.
After years of operating in the background, it is probably
time the TAC realised its potential as a useful communication channel.