Accountability and good governance were key issues for strengthening the Murray Goulburn board, according one of the candidates for a Western Victorian supplier director position.
Three positions are open in the west and two in the east, with suppliers to be advised of candidates by July 25, with the elections to take place from mid-August.
Koroit dairy farmer Harper Kilpatrick, a farmer representative on the WestVic Dairy board, has nominated for one of the positions.
He joins three candidates who have already declared their intention to stand for the board, Dairy Australia (DA) board member Lisa Dwyer, Bullaharre farmer Craig Dwyer, who is no relation, and current member Martin Van De Wouw.
It’s believed South Australian and Tasmanian suppliers have also nominated.
“I recognise the significance of having a strong co-operative and a strong milk price, from my experience in dairy farming in the United Kingdom, if you don’t have a strong co-op, private companies can take advantage of the dairy farmer,” Mr Kilpatrick said.
He and his wife Oonagh purchased their farm just north of Koroit, whilst living and working in Saudi Arabia in 2007.
Having managed it themselves since early 2011, the Kilpatrick’s milk 700 cows.
A chartered accountant, Mr Kilpatrick spent 14 years in agribusiness prior to moving to Australia.
The last seven of those years were in Saudi Arabia with Almarai, the Gulf’s leading dairy food company, as Head of Finance.
“For Australian dairy farming to be successful, it needs a sustainably strong milk price and a strong Murray Goulburn to do so.”
He said questions needed to be asked about how the board and management got the company into the position it was in today.
“At the end of the day, the director’s role is to make sure processes and systems are in place to ensure good governance and that management is held accountable.”
Mr Kilpatrick said it appeared the company had embarked on a high risk strategy, pursuing added value milk powders, which was not been questioned properly.
“I recognise I would be one member of a board, I will try and use my qualifications and experience to question management decisions, as well as enhancing the reporting process.”