Hooked on Power: Why Peak Bodies Sink Without Strong Boards

In any industry, unity is power. For commercial fishers, that unity is hard-won — built not in boardrooms, but on the deck, in the dark, in tides that don’t care about politics. That’s why peak bodies and unions exist: to ensure those voices — often scattered, isolated, and unheard — are amplified as one.

But when the structure built to represent begins to forget who it serves, the foundation starts to crack. If power concentrates at the top, and those elected to govern fall silent, we risk repeating the very mistakes that have eroded trust in so many other institutions.

A United Voice — Not a Personal Platform

The intended purpose of a union or peak body is simple in theory and powerful in practice: to create a united voice for members. That voice is meant to advocate, protect, and negotiate in the interests of the whole industry — not just the loudest in the room, not just those with titles, and certainly not the personal ambitions of any one leader.

Peak bodies are not profit-seeking corporations. Their legitimacy rests on member trust, democratic process, and transparency. But trust doesn’t come from slogans — it must be earned through action.

The Limits of Negotiation

It’s important to understand that organisations like unions and peak bodies do not have the power to invent new funds or rewrite policy in a vacuum. They negotiate within constraints — often within fixed government budgets, policy frameworks, or regulatory environments.

A “win” in one area often comes at the cost of another: more superannuation may mean smaller wage growth; better access rights might come with additional reporting or compliance obligations. That’s not a failure — that’s negotiation.

What matters most is whose priorities are being negotiated. If leadership is disconnected from the people they represent, the deal struck may reflect the ambitions of the office — not the reality on the water.

The Role of the Board: Oversight, Not Ornament

This is where the Board of Directors comes in. In a member-based organisation, the Board is not symbolic — it is essential. Directors are not there to merely attend meetings or pose for group photos. They are the elected stewards of member interest, and they carry legal, ethical, and moral obligations to:

• Provide oversight of the CEO and staff,

• Safeguard the organisation’s purpose and integrity,

• Ensure member voices are heard and reflected,

• Create mechanisms for feedback, transparency, and review.

If Directors become disengaged, uninformed, or passive, the door is opened to executive overreach. And that’s where things start to go wrong.

What Happens When Boards Fail?

We need only look to the CFMEU to see the risks. Over time, power in the Victorian division became centralised under a single leader. Decisions once made through democratic processes were increasingly made behind closed doors. Internal dissent was treated as betrayal. Protests erupted not outside Parliament — but outside the union’s own headquarters.

When Board oversight weakens, executives are free to consolidate control. Transparency declines. Member input dries up. The organisation no longer reflects the people — it reflects the ambitions of those in charge.

Let’s be clear: this does not happen overnight. It happens slowly, subtly, and often with the best of intentions. But it always starts the same way — with a Board that forgets why it was elected.

A Hope for NSW Wild Harvest Fishers

The formation of NSW Wild Harvest Fishers represents a turning point — a fresh start for an industry that has long been underrepresented, fragmented, and forced to adapt to policy made without its input.

But the strength of this new body will not come from its name. It will come from the integrity of its governance, the engagement of its Directors, and the transparency of its leadership.

This is a pivotal moment. The incoming Board of Directors must step up — not just to represent, but to lead with vigilance and accountability. The CEO and Executive Manager must understand their role is not to control, but to serve the membership and act with openness and consistent dialogue.

Let us not repeat the mistakes of others.Let NSW Wild Harvest Fishers become a model for what authentic, member-driven leadership looks like.Let the Board lead with integrity. Let the CEO listen, not dictate.And above all — let the fishers of this state finally be heard.