The Australian Newsagents’ Federation is currently calling for nominations for four Board vacancies. My view is that the Board ought to postpone this process for the following reasons:
- Newsagents have lost faith in the ANF. This is evidenced by membership resignations and the ridicule with which the ANF is held by many newsagents.
- Newsagent suppliers have lost faith in the ANF. This is evidenced by suppliers which previously would only work with the ANF now happily working with associations such as the QNF.
- The ANF is not demonstrating relevance. ANF communications to newsagents for the last three months have lacked
- The ANF lacks leadership. When was the last time you heard a Director of the ANF speak to newsagents on an issue of vital importance to the future of our channel.
- The ANF lacks a plan. Earlier this year some Directors proposed breaking the current ANF model and starting again. Two weeks later they changed their mind.
- The ANF lacks a plan (2). The Board sacked the CEO several months ago in an effort to diffuse growing discontent among newsagents about Bill Express. This is the second CEO sacking by this Board. The difference this time is that they did not have a plan, the organisation has been without leadership since.
- The ANF failed newsagents over Bill Express. In 2003, the organisation led newsagents into Bill Express without any due diligence. In 2008, when Bill Express collapsed, the ANF failed to accept responsibility for its actions and provided what now appears to be
- The ANF has governance problems. I discovered that the Directors paid themselves too much for their Board meeting in May. It took considerable pressure from me to get them to agree to pay this money back. Their behaviour makes me suspicious about other decisions they may have made which favour them. At the very least, an independent (of the ANF) audit is essential.
- The ANF is out of touch with newsagents. When the last time you were invited to a discussion about representation through the ANF? This Board has been missing in action through one of the most challenging years newsagents have faced in decades.
- The ANF ignores due process. In several instances this year the ANF has announced commercial arrangements without any contract being signed and without due diligence.
- The ANF puts itself ahead of its members. On Bill Express, the Board was too scared to apologise for poor advice to newsagents out of fear of retribution from members. They need to understand that newsagents will not be as prone to use legal threats as they, the ANF Board, are against those who criticise them.
The ANF is currently looking for a CEO who can help build new revenue streams. The ANF does not need new revenue streams. What it needs, now more than ever, is to be reinvented – from the ground up. The CEO search should be put on hold while newsagents are consulted nationally about the relevance and future of the organisation. The Board will not do this because they would be scared of what they would hear.
Newsagents need a new national body focused on national policy and representation issues. No commercial activity, no negotiating to take a cut of money which belongs to newsagents. No expensive Board costing a lot to achieve little for newsagents.
The new national body should have a small Board of those best suited to represent newsagents. It should operate a small secretariat dealing with national policy and representation matters. All commercial activity should be managed in a newsagent owned commercial entity – as has been announced by the ANF and never acted upon.
If the ANF wanted to truly serve the needs of newsagents it would set the process in motion to replace itself with a better constituted and more focused association. To do that it would take guts. The Board would have to put newsagents ahead of themselves.
So, yes, the ANF election is irrelevant. It will go ahead, new Directors will be elected and newsagents will have more of the same. The only way to change this is for member newsagents to take control of the organisation by calling a Special General Meeting.
It looks like a job for someone that has owned a newsagency, who knows about it inside and out. I think that should be a major requirement in the job description.
It’s just going to be hard to find someone who is willing to take it on.
The NANA baoard ARE ALL current practicing, working bleeding newsagents. I need say no more.
The boards of all associations are practising newsagents.
My post is more about the need to start again with a national body, creating a body which is relevant to newsagents.
Well said Mark. The ANF will ignore you but you know that. They are scared of you. Organise the Special General Meeting to bring in auditors not used before to go over the finances carefully. Look at gifts and other payments to Directors especially.
My advice is that the Chairman will not stand again.
Does anyone know a newsagent that would fit the bill?
Whomever we get to stand up on our behalf should NOT be a long standing newsagent in my view. What we need is a fresh perspective on the future. I would like to see a perspective unhindered by the baggage we carry now.
Mark, as I understand it the recently sacked CEO did a lot of work in his previous role on constitutional reform and structural changes that went to the Board on a number of occassions. Note they chose to implement only the minimal changes required when he argued for more robust and urgent changes (including changes to the Board and its representation) to occur within a 12-18 month time frame.
I mean it’s not a difficult task. Dissolve the current constitution, make a better, more representative one with the appropriate governance and standards. That I might add, most member organizations have as part of their constitutions. The ANF only needs a small secretariat. One that focusses on national policy, lobbying and advocating the interests of newsagents.
Inside is wrong. It’s not about audits and that kind of rubbish. It’s about getting the mind set of those sitting around the Board table to change. Be gutsy enough to break the organization so that it can be re built to what it needs to be.
The failure of the ANF is that it will not admit it has done wrong. The other failure of the Board is that it is not truly representative of newsagents. Those sitting around the table are out of touch, not looking forward, have no plan.
Right now they have nothing but a plan to fail newsagents and to continue doing so.
They have learnt nothing from the recent experience with the Bill Express issue. They are out trying to hire a new CEO who will be responsible for pursuing new revenue streams which is exactly what their members don’t want.
The ANF has grown big and lazy, scattered across many things that cannot be sustained while achieving nothing. Look at what the organization has achieved since the departure of the last two CEO’s. For a short time it was on the right track.
It would be good to see what the state and national associations and heavy weight suppliers can do to protect newsagents who are wanting to get out of the Nextra contract. It is blatent restraint of trade and they have threatened to sue me over it or sue me if I go public hence my annonymity here. I know of many who want to get out of Nextra but due to five year and ten year contracts. Please tell me what i can do. I need to correspond on this public forum or I will lose everything if I do not get the right advice. My solicitor has told me it will cost $100,000 to fight Nextra, money I do not have. Please help me, I just want my business back. I believe in marketing groups and want to join another group.
All the reasons you give Mark are good reasons for people who want a reformed ANF to nominate themselves and get involved in the process of change. Words alone aren’t going to fix anything.
This election is only irrelevant if Agents don’t participate.
sa, I’m calling for a new body because years of good intentions have not been able to change the organisation. It has failed to serve the needs of newsagents so it is time to start afresh.
Mark
Start afresh? I think we need to start it. We need to say what our fees will be spent on and have a nominated problem by all and have them work on nothing else until it is achieved. This is not hard. The ANF need to change and broadcast it.
HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP
I put this comment on the POS SOLUTIONS blog as well and asked it be publiushed as I am a POS user and Bernard knows the Nextra people. It has not been published and i have been edited. No help form Bernard so back to this blog. I have been told more people read this one. So here it is again.
It would be good to see what the state and national associations and heavy weight suppliers can do to protect newsagents who are wanting to get out of the Nextra contract. It is blatent restraint of trade and they have threatened to sue me over it or sue me if I go public hence my annonymity here. I know of many who want to get out of Nextra but due to five year and ten year contracts. Please tell me what i can do. I need to correspond on this public forum or I will lose everything if I do not get the right advice. My solicitor has told me it will cost $100,000 to fight Nextra, money I do not have. Please help me, I just want my business back. I believe in marketing groups and want to join another group.
What are they doing that is that bad?
unreal,
I’d write to Nextra if I were you. If you are unhappy then it is in their interests to release you from the group. While they may miss your rebate dollars, the damage from a disgruntled member could be more expensive.
Mark
surely mark you’re going to do more than just give lip service to “unreal ” (which I guess is not his/her real name)-
If I recall correctly you were almost spitting blood helping another newsagent against another newsagency group or doesn’t Nextra worry you like the other group
I want to leave nextra because i have to pay fees and may others do not have to> I just found this out. I have written to them and phoned them and they said i must honour the contract. It not fair. I am subsidising many new and old members in the group. I just want to get out. I have gad advice form a member who left and was sued, it was disgraceful and took a lot out of them causing their business to go backwards
Is the nextra contract a fair trading or ACCC thing? Do I have to go to court. Can the ANF or state body help me?
Unreal, I’d get the absolute facts first, then contact them with what you think is unfair. As Mark said, it’s in their interests to keep you happy and your business profitable.
Sorry Mark didn’t “say” that, but it’s more or less the same thing.
Unreal, if you are certain that the contract is unfair or they have breached and if you are in NSW, lodge a claim with the consumer tenancy and traders tribunal. It is a low cost forum for disputes like this.
Mark
Unreal,
you are obviously under considerable stress with your situation. Attack the beast head-on and discuss with the directors of nextra whether mediation is available or an option in these circumstances. Litigation is the absolute last resort unless you are in a financial situation to carry it.
Seek professional advice,not advice from this blog, as only a fool represents himself.
Unreal I understand your situation, they did the same to me and I come in here with a fake name as I may be sued. It cost me tens of thousands of dollars to get out of nextra. I am was not allowed to join another group for a specified period of time and had to pay fees for the time I did not trade under that name and derived not benefits. Yes they charge some stores fees and others none and are being bank rolled by a supplier. I can’t say anymore than the fact that newsgents beware of nextra. Unreal get your solicitor involved. I will not be commenting here any more.
I have been with Nextra for 18 months, and it is one of the best business decisions we ever made. We thoroughly explored all the options and settled on Nextra.
My experience has shown them to be a dynamic, commercially astute team with the goal of providing me with the opportunities to boost my bottom line. In that time my GP has gone from 33% prior to joining to an average of 41% for the first half of 2008.
Just a great team to be involved with and of the highest integrity. Dont regret it for an instant.
I joined Nextra 15 months ago and have been very happy and as with Glenn my bottom line has increased due to greater variety and better pricing of product.
The increase in my bottom line has more than covered the fees regardless of who is paying and not paying. The main point is I am making more money.
I have never found the Integrity of the Nextra group to be in Question
I have been involved in forming small retail groups over the last twelve years and have some understanding how it all works, however when it came time to take the next step to a larger organisation, all newsagency group opportunities where investigated. Trying to be a profesional growth newsagency there was only one clear choice, yes NEXTRA. They are the complete deal on all aspects of your business. Any doubts just contact any progressive Nextra Newsagent.
Unreal, if you want to call someone a pig and a liar, you should at least have the balls to put your real name and not hide and if you want to hide behind the “get sued”excuse, dont say it. we have been with Nextra 18 months, best thing we have done. quality outfit, quality people running it.
Come on nextra boys and girls, rally around like the boss has told you and talk up the business. If nextra is so bloody fantastic why are you locked into a contract. Marriage is easier to get out of.
I thought you weren’t going to be commenting here anymore ex nextra.
Back on Topic, is anyone who are in the states where the elections are running know if anyone will be running with a proactive plan to fix/rebuild/reinvigorate the ANF? Is there much lobbying going on that we just don’t see here in the other states?
Ex nextra
you have to be careful on this blog if you don’t use a name that makes fletcher, shaun and the other flunkies happy – they get all antsy.
The ironic thing is they never challenge anyone called Bruce, Greg, Dennis or Gayle so how the hell do they know these are their real names.
Only a small point but it gives us comic relief
As do you schizo anon.
My understanding is that all bar one of the dirctors is re-nominating. I have not heard from any newsagent with a plan to fix the ANF. hence the call to ignore them and start afresh with a more appropriate body.
Mark
Anon did you know it is rude to stand in door ways talking as other people can’t enter?
Glenn your one of the stores that does not pay fees, fees up if you dare. Shaun I bet you are the same. Why don’t we have a poll of all the nextra stores that pay fees and those that don’t and tell everyone the truth. I can’t reveal myself or I will be sued otherwise I would gladly reveal who I am. Part of my probelm in getting out is Nextra know i will tell everyone who i ma what they do and the unfairness of their supposed system. Its a shame and evryone must know. I will not give up till it is exposed.
exnextra, what is exactly what you are talking about? From an outsider’s view it looks like people either love nextra or hate it.
i will take you bet ex nextra, I pay full fees and have from day one, I own the Merredin Nextra Newsagency, who are you Ex nextra?
exnextra – I thought you said you’d already left the group?
There are two ex nextras.
Mark
Most tasmanian stores do not pay fees, 3 or 4 in WA. The biggest in Sydney and many others. I can name them if you like. Better if a fax or email form nextra goes to the nextra stores to tell us who pays and who does not. When that comes out I will stop publicly calling for equality. The big supplier invloved could also tell if they like. Once this fax goes out to all nextra stores wit the truth, i know as someone at the supplier involved told me. I will reveal myself.
So this thread starts of about the state of the ANF and ends up with anon argueing about bus tickets with exnextraexpress. I can see it.
Seeing anon has all the answers I’m voting for her to be the new head.
Well put Michael, This is why the ANF failed. They did not support the organisation, preferring instead to focus attention on less critical issues.
Mark
Anon running on a policy to stop Mark discussing his personal views on Supanews on his own blog is more exciting than anything anyone else seems to be offering at the moment.
gutless
Ex Nextra
Unlike so many newsagents in this country, we, the “nextra boys and girls” you so condescendingly refer to us as, are not the mob of black sheep you may be used to, hence your unqualified comments. We are more than capable of determining our own position independently without being asked to “rally around … the boss … and talk up the business”. I will make my own decision based on the merits of the people and organisations with whom we deal, and it is a shame that there are not more of the Greg Campbells in our industry (perhaps this is why he was offered the newly vacant CEO position at another newsagency franchise marketing group to head their organisation – don’t believe it, just ask him directly!!)
You are happy to hide behind anonymity and throw mud at a broad cross section of the newsagency industry without the slightest clue about the people you denigrate. I was made well aware by the directors of Nextra about being committed for 5 years, and yes this did ensure I did my homework thoroughly. Ultimately I have no problem making a commitment to increase my profitability, provide a broader range of product to offer my customers, getting expert help with lease negotiations from someone I know is working for me to get sustainable deal (which in itself has paid my membership fees to Nextra for the term of my “commitment” to them). I prefer to associate and deal with knowledgeable people who I can work together for the betterment of my business and ultimately our channel as a whole. If these outcomes are not what you seek then I can understand your dissatisfaction with Nextra.
Ex Nextra
So i am one of the stores that does not pay fees. Interesting. Which store am i you ill informed moron?
Mark
Im interested in buying a small group of newsagency’s and most of the info I have recieved about high-end stores in the industry use POS software.
Is it true most newsagents with multiple stores use POS not Tower??
If so Why??
Mark,
Would like to ask a question or two of you…
Was the Plan from the onset to only keep Mark Nagy for a short period?
Did you lock Mark Nagy into a confidentiality agreement that also had a clawback mechanism for his hard earned shares?
This would explain why he has left at the such a poorly planned time, before conference! And with no planned job to go onto…..
If this is true, you are a LOWLIFE!!!
Is this true about Mark Nagy?
He was great for Newsxpress.
Fletcher,
Have some guts and answer the question that was just asked!
Mark
Have some guts and answer the question that was just asked!
MF you are not allowing the truth to go up on your blog AGAIN!!!!!
I was offered free fee’s at the newsxpress conference in Brisbane.
This was after they paid for me to attend.
Not good value, even when it is free.
Karen would drive me nuts!
MF you don’t allow the truth to be told…
Why dont you tell us about the Mark Nagy confidentiality contract and the threat to sue him if he talked about the sacking!
Was this your plan from the start?
Did you plan to clawback his hard earned shares in his contract?
WARNING.
nu, another, Geoff, Kelly, Peter, Interested and Bruce are all the same person.
I am repsonding to this after a friend rang me about this blog post. To whom it may concern. This is Mark Nagy. I have read all the comments here about me and they are incorrect. I am still working for newsXpress and believe in that group whole heartedly. If you’d like to email me, I will respond to any email. I am not held to any confidentiality agreement and futhermore resent any slurring of my name. The Directors and team at newsXpress are great people and are well regarded as people of truth and honour. To have comments like this made against myself and the newsXpress team is shallow and unwarranted. I have made many friends in the industry both in other marketing groups and independent Newsagents and I resent any comments made here in this forum or any where else about my good name and the terrific and robust business model I have helped to build up with the newsXpress team. Bruce feel free to call me or email me and I am happy to answer any of your questions. I want to set the record straight, that I left newsXpress as CEO of my own accord to pursue other interests. I am still a Strategic Consultant to newsXpress and any comment to the contrary is untrue unless made by myself or a newsXpress Director. It was actullay my recommenadation to the baord for me to step dwon so more resources could be put intp the filed to help all newsXpressers. You’ve seen the appointment of a Business Development Manager in Qld and further appointments to be made to help strengthen the newsXpress retail group. As for the comment picking on Karen, she is a fantastic person a wonderful advocate for the channel and works 24/7 for newsagents (another you are ill informed or ill advised). newsXpress does not make any sweet heart deals to anyone and regularly miss out on potential members for religously sticking to its business plan and do not compromise. I want to finalise my comments by saying no matter the marketing group, they are needed, the industry needs to go forward in a united and unified fashion or a Wesfarmers retail, Woolworths and the like will take what’s left of the scraps and finish off the channel. Stop behaving like lost clans, unite, stop bickering and fighting and get on with future proofing the channel. Don’t wait for a messiah, get involved and work hard to preserve what you own and have built. The majors are going to continue to consolidate and work hard, market themselves like crazy to increase foot traffic and gain even more market share. Its time to get busy living or get busy dying. Thanx Mark Nagy
Thanks Anon i had yesterday off but yet i still seem to be blogging on here all day .
ANON COMMENT #29 I don’t really care who uses real names or not the thing that pisses me off is that you use other genuine peoples names . you and mark have your differences so why not go to his other blog and say what ever it is that you want or grow some real balls and see him face to face . Some things you comment on actually make sence but then you stuff it all up by trying to bring everyone down to your level .One thing i would love to know is what is your real problem with mark there seems to be a lot of history with you and mark .
re item 53
mark are you meaning to say that those people are one person or a group of people with access to the same same computer?
anon, would you like Mark to publish your IP address, so we can be more personal with you?
to the other Shaun, it just so happens we have the same name, if you want to ring me and confirm I am really who I say I am feel free
because of anon it is hard to beleive who anyone is on here ,he used my name last week so i just thought it was him again
anon, one person masquerading as multiple people.
Mark
I know the feeling Shaun S – someone had the audacity last week to use anon without even asking me
SHUT UP! The lot of you.
Mark Nagy has defended his position, and rightly so, yet most ignore his comments to pursue their own grandstanding. Several people on here seem to be so lost in their own egos that they couldn’t find their way out of their own home.
I WILL defend Mark Nagy, Karen and all the crew associated with the newsxpress group. They are business professionals and are genuinly interested in the future success of newsagents. They are also great people to work with.
I have had the privilage of working closely with both Mark Nagy and Karen and know the passion surrounding their vision.
For those that wish to continually throw mud with no founding basis for their comments, I would suggest that you come up with one tangible idea that we can discuss, otherwise go away.
My name is Vaughan Lawrence and i own newsXpress Beechworth and newsXpress Seymour; just in case any of the discussion group have the guts to talk to me directly.
another
Karen is “BLOODY FANTASTIC”
You on the other hand are a “BLOODY IDIOT”
Vaughan
What gives you the right to tell me, or anyone else for that matter, to “SHUT UP”? There have been baseless allegations levelled at me and many others involved with Nextra started by some faceless sh*t stirrer going by the name of ex nextra. These cannot go unchallenged.
Further, if you care to read the posts properly there is nothing criticising Mark Nagy or the role he played in newsXpress, they were directed at Mark Fletcher. In fact in posts #46 and #52 it refers to his “hard earned shares” implying he worked for and deserved whatever shares he may have/had.
So jump off your soapbox, pack your ego back into the 40 foot sea container it came out of and accept that we all retain the right to defend ourselves. I agree wholeheartedly with most of what you say, it is the tone of absolute arrogance I take exception to.
When did someone say that the newsagent channel will unite as one? The snowball is turning into an avalanche!
Glenn;
The comments were not directed at you personally; the petty behaviour by certain members of this blog know who it was referring to, nor did i say that you were having a go at Mark Nagy . I apologise if you take offence at my statement.
As for your comments regarding egos; water off a ducks back.
I am genuinly sick of the continual bickering between newsagents, regardless of which group they belong to.
Vaughan
Agreed. All groups have a role to play to meet the varying needs of newsagents, and there are many. This does not mean that one group is necessarily better than the other, they just meet different needs, and thats fine. Ultimately we are one group that fails to act as such.
I do not like the personal inuendo initiated by some faceless coward earlier in the posts, and that ruffled my feathers. Anyway, they are flat again now!
Wow look what happens when you kick the Anf up the guts Mark.
I am still waiting for nextra management to admit they run an unfair company. some of you may not care but all I want is to be treated as an equal in the group. I have also been told that a lot of recent join ups have not had to pay the sign on fee as well as getting free fees. I have handed the matter to the solicitor and initial quote is $55,000 to try and break the contract.
i’m a young one here (vce) and i don’t know all the ins-and-outs of working in a newsagency or even owning, or what it requires to actually keep it running and the various groups/committees/etc that exist to pursue growth for the industry, but like someone mentioned earlier, maybe some companies/business models are better suited to ones personal/business needs instead of another.
there are many different newsagencies in australia and many offer different atmospheres. one shop from one company might not be worth your time, but another shop from the same company could probably be the best in the world.
personally, since i don’t really have to worry about the whole anf/nextra/supanews/newsxpress thing, i just care about the staff and the feel of the newsagency.
many people claim nextra is bad, i’ve gone to some of their stores which i haven’t liked, but others are extremely nice and i attribute it to the staff who work there.
nothing will get done if all you so-called “adults” argue over every little thing. it seems that many people are using this blog to boost their pride and ego, as well as for personal agendas. and it’s also a bit sad, because as someone who will officially enter the workforce in the next couple of years, if this is what it’s like to try and be a part of an organisation, then i’d say that I don’t want any part of it.
Aaron ,thats probally the best comment on here for awhile
Newsagents who want to change the ANF need to replace both the NSW and WA directors. These two have the biggest block of votes bases on member numbers and they control the board decisions. I suspect they will be reelected because newsagents are not nominating alternatives. If this happens, the ANF will not change as they are do not know what an industry association is all about.
can any newsagent on this blog provide qualified proof or anecdotal evidence of how their business has improved as a result of being a paid up member of the ANF?
if not why not. If the argument here is that newsagents are generally fragmented because of the nature of the beast, i.e. thousands of small owner operators with no cohesive base, then why do you persist with a non performing body
anon
As someone who has seen both sides I can tell you that the ANF has done nothing but help keep the industry fragmented and without leadership. There have been a few well intentioned people who have attempted to show direction.
Picture this you have 4000 general managers in the industry who have various levels and degrees of business standards, problems and challanges. A percentage of the 4000 don’t want to be here any more, others should not be here and the remainder are torn between supporting one body but don’t have the time to be swayed, informed etc.
This industry needs one voice from a policy position, not from a commercial sense. If they want that arm to improve they can better improve newspower.
A footnote, the slanging match that went on here the other day only shows people that the industry is set to be fragmented for a very long time.
Brad,
Is it your belief from experience, that similar to convenience stores and the smaller hardware outlets, the independent newsagent will eventually succumb to the impact of well positioned and professionally run structured groups of newsagents and will be obliged to join a major group or die a slow death.
Our local Mitre 10 eventually gave up the battle against the elephant in the room (Bunnings)
Without a doubt. Look at the chemist, they have formed solid guilds so as to remove the threat of majors taking their market. Walgreens in the US if they came here it would mean the end of this channel.
Newsagents need action now. We also need to act without the petty arguments that have let us down in the past.
Why would a forum not be called which gathers all state bodies, group leaders, and major agencies to begin the process of forming a strong guild. Personal agendas should be left at the door. The industry just dosen’t have the time any longer.
anon, also to answer your question totally. Groups will dominate the landscape. Landlords will be the eventual driver. The smaller store on the outside will suffer more than the bigger outlets. Strong National leadership and or good solid groups will be the key to our survival.
Brad,
Marketing groups are the key. Associations do not have the levers necessary from strength. Hence my call in the original post here.
Mark
What are the advantages of being a newsexpress ,newspower etc group there is a newspwer down the road from me and i can not see any difference in the way his business is run ?
Shaun s,
A Marketing group can get you more specials due to buying power and provide advertising campaignes etc.
An association, is for the industry – all of us and represents us with issues like Bill Express and Intralot. And stops things like the BE fiasco – nips it in the bud.
It is your choice to join a newspower, newsxpress for the benefits if it suits you. But it is basically your right to have a well organised industry association.
A well run industry body should deal with macro political issues.
Leave the micro issues to the marketing groups.
The pharmaceutical and hotel industries are are good examples of this in action.