Here is the full text of a release sent out earlier today from the announcing the departure of CEO Anthony Matis from the Australian Newsagents’ Federation.
Board Expresses Appreciation to Outgoing CEO
The Board of Directors of The Australian Newsagents’ Federation (ANF) has expressed its appreciation to outgoing CEO Anthony Matis for his valued contribution during the past nine months.
Chairman Peter Allpike said Mr Matis has successfully completed the important groundwork in a much needed re-structuring of the newsagency body and has set its steady course for the future.
“In reflection I must say it’s going to be business better than usual.When we appointed Anthony to look at how the ANF could be restructured, we needed a person with a certain set of skills,” Mr Allpike said.
“The organisation needed rationalisation and modernisation and Anthony’s accounting background in mergers and takeovers has proved extremely valuable.
“Anthony is moving on, but I am pleased he has accepted the Board’s offer to remain as a special consultant to the ANF.”
Thanking the Board for their kind words, Mr Matis shunned attention to instead praise loyal ANF staff for the cooperation and hard work they have shown during his time in the role. Further to this Mr Matis thanked State and Federal Governments and senior executives within industry partners.
“I have made friends at the ANF and I have made friends among the many newsagents I have met during this time,” Mr Matis said.
“The staff has been absolutely wonderful and I would like to thank those key people who put in a great effort and had no problems working on weekends when the challenge called.
“The ANF has good people and now has a stronger foundation to better represent its members in the months and years ahead. I believe this industry has an extremely positive future and newsagents who choose to be a part of the National body will be better placed.”
Mr Allpike said Mr Matis was appointed to the CEO role at the ANF at a time the industry faced new challenges.
“We’ve had the NSW Lotteries announcement, News Limited contracts, we have had Collective Bargaining negotiations, and the Small Business Summit among a host of other things and the ANF has done well in a very tough year.
Mr Allpike said part of the restructuring of the ANF was the creation of the position of National General Manager which saw the appointment of Alf Maccioni to the role.
“Alf has filled this role well and has proved to the Board that there needed to be such a position created. Alf has provided good management at Head Office and will continue in this role as the Board of Directors embarks on a robust search for a permanent replacement for Mr Matis.
“A lot has challenged the newsagency channel since the economic downturn and we know in this world there is nothing more certain than change. The ANF has undergone important backroom modifications and is now in a prime position to meet the issues ahead and more importantly to assist newsagents grow, develop and prosper.
“We thank Anthony for his valuable contribution, wish him well and look forward to working with him in the future.”
Since the departure of Paul Waite from the CEO role in 2005, the ANF has had three CEOs. Given the failure of any CEO to deliver meaningful change to the representation of newsagents, newsagents need to ask if the problem has been the CEOs or the Board. Sure, the Board has changed, but not as much as it may seem.
Nothing of substance or value to newsagents has been achieved in the last year, despite the list in today’s announcement. I wonder if this is a reflection of failure of the CEO or failure of the Board.
At the ACP Connections Conference in Cairns last week the ANF Chairman and CEO looked like a unified team. Much has changed in the last five days.
We will never know because, as the press release shows, the ANF is a master of spin.
Today, once again, newsagents have to ask themselves if the ANF serves any purpose.
I wonder if any of this has to do with a certain meeting that was held in Cairns last week. I personally think so. It’s amazing when you walk through the foyer of the hotel where I was staying and over in the bar you see people, talking to people who probably shouldn’t be talking unless there are certain ANF director’s there. In this case no ANF director was in sight.
As far as I can work out the board of the ANF should disband ASAP.
These people are “BLOODY HOPELESS”, what do they think they are doing.
What happened to looking after ALL newsagents, when these idiots are going down the path of what they think is right, and the majority of us think is wrong.
Come on boys, Have the balls to resign so we can get this show on the road.
I am so sick of all the political BS.
Warrick Hosking
Gympie
I forgot to mention that I think the press release from the board of the ANF is BS as well.
Kings of spin.
Warrick Hosking
Gympie
Well then Warwick, put your money where your mouth is and run for the position instead of bagging others = easy to do that
g
Have the guts to at least put your name to your message or are you like, what I talked about, have no BALLS.
All the posts here should at least have a name if that person’s credible.
Warrick
well r you going to stand warwick u can put your words into action and get the show on the road . Have a go
Its not the CEO and it’s not always the Board it’s the constitution. How many times do the ANF Directors need tio be told that it is not a working model?
Colin
I’d love to stand but
No 1. I’m a store manager, not an owner.
No 2. The rules of engagement state you have to be an owner.
No 3. The only way newsagents can take control of the industry is not let the ANF dictate to them. If people vote with their feet they are essentially showing that they are fed up. By staying as a member they are condoning what the ANF are doing. Send a message loud and clear, cut off their membership funds and they will have to take notice.
No 4. Our resignation from the ANF will be forthcoming.
No 5. A new organisation must have directors outside our industry.
Warrick
Guys, remember united we stand divided we fall, i strongly disagree that the directors must be outside of the industry we know what the problems are and how to rectify.The departing CEO who was he what experience has he had to address our problemsm My info is that his last job was as the CEO of the Students Union at Macquarie University. Now just go back a step CEO of a union, perhaps a plant into our organization by the NSW Labour Party for the smooth transition of the sale of NSW Lotteries? now that is food for thought maybe someone else can shed more light on this matter one way or another . We can always get outside help from lobbyists to assist us protecting our industry.
I also believe that we need new blood on the board and yes G, Colin and co I would step up.
The board as I see it needs to be a mixture of both agents and outside. How it gets there can only be done by a strong board of newsagents as that is the only way a change can take place.
As one who sat on the Board for a year in 2004 as Deputy Chairman, the problem lies in the Constitution. Decisions are made based on political alliances and self interest more than what is good for newsagents. We have seen evidence of that in the last year over Bill Express and another matter of which I have first hand knowledge.
I see the ANF as in a terminal spin. I resigned earlier this year. I see no value in supporting an assoication which has failed to serve its members as profoundly as the ANF.
I would gladly serve on the board of a transparent democratic organisation which represents newsagents on national matters and with no commercial operation or interests.
I am stunned at what I read in this headline blog.
I am sure there is more to it than meets the eye.
I for one have resigned from the Board of VANA because of too much political interference and a lack of corporate governance both at state and national level.
In January this year I was the original author of The Way ahead document for constitutional change based on The Pharmacy Guild model where advice and management is from the members up the line.Where all members have a right to state their views on the inductry.
Unfortunately due to some peoples inability to view constitutional change as the first step to unity it found its way into the bottom drawer of a political mess.
I have been a Newsagent for 20 years and have never seen such division both at state and national level as we have now.
We need a national general meeting called to cull the political interference and move ahead with modern constitutional change.
We need to start that direction now and get our heads out of the sand before we sink lower.
Tel 0429858255
David Backholer
David,
Through lack of interest in their associations, newsagents end up with the quality of representation they want.
While I agree a proper representation structure is key, newsagents must want this first. I suspect that not enough so want this.
you’re an angry man Warrick – what if G is of the gender that doesn’t have balls – what is your suggestion then?
Mark;
Your comment; “I would gladly serve on the board of a transparent democratic organisation which represents newsagents on national matters and with no commercial operation or interests”;
Does that mean if the ANF were to restructure the organisation to eliminate commercial interests you would stand on the board of the ANF again?
Also, if their was no commercial interest, how would the ANF survive financially?
The ANF has to have an arms length commerical income to survive.
Where they tend to get distracted is that they should not involve themselves in “related ” businesses that are not directly owned by the ANF or state branches.
Fo too long now we have endured a Corporate structure that does not serve the Industry to the best advantage.
The ANF has bad baggage and the only way ahead is for them to resign and restructure.
Where do we start ?
Vaughan,
I’d be happy to put my name forward in this scenario as long as the new constitution and associated board regulations ensure transparency and good governance.
The ANF does not need revenue from commercail activity to serve enwsagents well.
anon
No name, No answer.
Warrick
Me too
Mark, with respect the ANF does need strategic income from commercial entities such as Western Union so that a full service is provided and that fees for members are kept at an affordable level.
Right now the fees for the ANF are different in every state of Australia – Why?
What we do need for the model to work is for the commercial entity to be at arms length to the day functions of the stated body.
Right now this Industry looks shattered becasue of the dissunity Australia wide. The sooner we start a fresh the better.
There is no room for political grandstanding in this Inductry and that is what is ruining it at present.
I put my hand up as well for constructive change.
We recieved our renewal last month for the ANF, it has been ignored.
This is by no means a token of support for the u-turn CEO.
The ANF has achieved nothing to advance our business over an extended period of time.
The same core issues are still here 10 years after i first became a member. I have given up asking for progress on key issues such as magazine supply contracts.
We are sick of being ignored and paying for the privlage, hence we are returning half the favour.
The ANF issues now make it nigh on impossible to rebuild, it looks doomed. Many people within the industry have of course long been suggesting this.
Supplier negotiations and the like are best handled by groups (they are already doing a good job on this front). Its better for suppliers and for aligned retailers. At least there is a consistency across dedicated brands.
I know i pulled down all “N” logos several years ago after seeing it proudly displayed in several newsagencies that were an absolute embarrasement to the channel.
Well said Warrick – its either Male, Female or Maphrodite, (whatever it is) something hanging off its body can be substituted into the sentance.
Hamish Cameron
Albany
Is corporate branding and marketing groups the solution to the problem?
I don’t see that Mary-Joe and Bill who have owned their store for thirty years are going to want to re-brand, re-fit and change their stores identity.
That is not to say that the marketing groups are not doing a fantastic job, we are a newsXpress and benefit greatly from it.
We are all great at pointing out the issues, I just wonder what the solution is.
Its kind of like government really, headlines read “workers suffer under the Liberal workchoices” and yet today’s Australian voices “Workers to suffer under ALP”. We voted for a change in government and now we are complaining about it.
A little more talk and a lot more action.
David, I would be interested to read your paper/document.
The solutions is a simple national association which represents newsagents on political and policy matters. A simple lean and focused body.
Out of curiousity (not sarcasim), how do we achieve this? Is it possible.
B, Either one or a group of state associations for this or nesagents band together to create it. regardless of the approach, it must done with the past political mess left in the past.
Mark, would you be interested in being the new CEO?
With all new board member that is.
No, Michael. I have a full plate.
It doesn’t matter about your dental problems Mark you will probably get a lot of support
anon I am not seeking support.
Know anyone who’d fit into it as good as you would Mark?
HEY WAZZA
CAUGHT ANY FISH UP THERE IN GYMPIE LATELY?
CHRIS
RESERVOIR
Chris
No fish in Gympie but last week in Cairns we caught 88 huge ones. would be enough fish to feed all the newsagents in Reservoir for a year. You should come up to God’s country and try it.
Fraser Island trip is on the first weekend in March.
Warrick
Gympie
Penciled in already!
Boys,
Will there be any 2 legged fish up north?
If so, what bait will i need?
Chris
Resa
What’s a two legged fish?
*Funny how in a couple of days the comments have turned to fishing.
ANF CEO quits to go fishing.
The announcement from the ANF on the departure of the CEO has raised more questions than answers. Three CEOs gone in quick succession has added to the speculation.
The best way for the ANF Board to regain credibility with newsagents would be for it to more honestly and completely engage with newsagents. Tell them what has really happened and why and announce their plan for the future.
The smoke and mirrors press release will only lead to more newsagents leaving.
If the ANF does not provide a more complete statement on what happened and their plans for the future quickly then newsagents are right to see the organisation as dead in the water.
Failure on top of failure can only be tolerated so long.
Newsagent suppliers need to take note as well. The ANF does not represent newsagents any more.
The problem is that suppliers need to start putting pressure on the board for stronger representation. They have as much to loose as we do. They may strike short term arrangements but eventually as we dwindel down woolies and westfarmers will take more and more.
The chairman of the board needs to stand up and take a leadership role. He can’t so he should move on. Another year of this guy and the organisation will be no more. It’s not much now but there has to be some action.
cant work out why the ANF still exists, why newsagents continue to pay good money for zero results.
HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH WITH MARK FLETCHER
just insult him here and you will be contacted
You must get contacted a hell of a lot Anon
Good one shaun – you’re getting better
Well anon, we’re never going to be able to put words together like you.
You must be pushing 800 years old and still cranking out qoutes of inspiration.
Let’s get some commonsense into this NSW Lotteries debacle.
The Duoploly Woolworths and Coles say they have NOT entered the race for the licence. If they did on what commercial grounds could they be really qualified to get it?
Let’s look at facts:
Lotteries were first introduced in NNSW by controversialLY (SACKED) Labor Premier Jack Lang later to become owner and operator of Sydney newspaper Century. He was also a great supporter of Newsagents during the 1951 strike against publishers reducing newsagents commissions. He introduced rent control and was hated by landlords and business people of the time.
The lotteries were introduced to raise monies for the Hosp[itals It was to collect voluntary taxation during the depression when taxes were at an all time high to set off the unemployment. It has remained a proctected species ever since-up until now, that is.
Coincidentially we are supposedly going through the Greatest Financial Crisis since the intoduction of lotteries and the goons in charge of NSW today want to “licence off” this form of “voluntary taxation”
Well,, if one looks at the market place, the newsagents are by far the best equipped to sell most tickets for a number of reasons:
1. They are open seven days-so are Wollworths-Coles Service Stations and Hardware Stores and Bottle shops.
2. More importantly they already have a daily product NEWSPAPERS-Unisex freindly. with no age distinction.-Individually owned with a reputation of being community concerned-not patronised with dollars to consumer to buy loyalty but earned because they are “one of them”
They cover a greater area by far with many more outlets in towns and suburbs that Supermarkets will never go. They will not manipulate the market with lotto trade offs by cross pollination of product from petrol, to hardware to booze when you buy the family groceries.
We have the best to offer what we neeed to do is SHOUT it from the highest Hilltop, press release it and pound our local politicians daily.
Their fax numbers can be obtained from NANA.
GO for it! for if we don’t and we lose it, it will be our fault for not letting these politicians know where commercial reality is.
Just to add, Newsagents who supply Coles Woolworths and Franklins as subagents know that they don’t sell anywhere near the amount of Daily newsapapers Mon to Fri as they do weekends. especially Mon to Thurs when there is a Lottery or lotto draw every day. Can you imagine the public discontent at being forced to one of these outlets on these important Lotto days?
We have the outlets, we have the compliance, we have the customers and we are already established all we have to do is constitantly remind the pollies thatit is the public with taxpayers money whom they serve, not the duopoly with shareholders money.
The only problem with your argument Graham, is that the big two have the cash to outbid anyone and the Govt wants as much cash as they can get their grubby little hands on to bail the state out of the hole it is in.
In my view it will not come down to complience or what the public want it will come down to who is going to give the cashstrapped Govt the most money, after all that is the only reason lotteries is up for sale, it’s a cash grab.
By getting Lotteries either Coles or Woolies will have a point of difference over the other, a reason for customers to go to them instead of the other, they will not give a shit if they lose money to start with they only want the other to suffer. Once they have it they will screw the Govt into raising the price of tickets and getting more commissions, just look at phonecards, they can offer 10% discounts when the rest of us only make 6% to start with.
It’s not right , it’s not fair but it is the way the world turns.
Luke I must go along with you ,in Qld, Tatts who now own the Casket ,Gold Lotto seem to want to push their Lotto online ,which as i see it it is costing alot of instant ticket sales.People who used to buy large numbers of instant tickets who i still now see around just do not buy instant tickets any more .What they have done is change peoples patten and in turn their buying patten,May be it will be like the newspapers go every where with not a lot if any more sales . Just about every thing you get from them comes with an over tone of bulling
The news just announced that the NSW opposition has decided to support the bill to sell NSW Lotteries.
In fact, there’s already an announcement on NSW Lotteries website.
Luke,
It dosen’t have to be so negative. The NSW Govt needs you (newsagents) to point out that the revenue they miss M to Fri is more than the licemnce that Woolies fee will pay. If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.
Nicely said Graeme!
That can be the motto of the day – If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.
I like it.
It’s got nothing to do with being negative Graham, it’s the way it goes as I see it, money wins out in the end when it comes to the state Govt. If you have a different opinion then so be it.
I’m in this business for the long run, I have a young family to feed and my business is going to be the one to feed it. I’m not cutting and running like a lot of older newsagents because the landscape is changing, I’m also not standing still and hoping for the good old days to come back again because they are long gone.
I do not think lotteries are in our future but that does not mean I’m pessamistic about our future, just like home delivery of newspapers are not in my future. I sold off our runs and am now making more money now for less work being retail only. I’ve coped all the flack about not being a newsagent anymore because I don’t deliver but to tell you the truth I don’t give a shit. I’m moving forward and not having my business relying on one department to generate traffic. If you are relying on lotto to generate traffic then go for your life, I’m after something that will make me more then 10% and generate the same traffic.
Again it has nothing to do with being negative and I’m not blaming associations for my shortcomings as a retailer.
10% of $2,000,000 a year is a lot to replace.
Vaughan, I’d like to see the figure of the % of agents that turnover $2mill a year, I do not think many agents would be pushing that much stock. Based on last years annual report the average agent sales were only $757,000 so 10% is $75K and this is before we start paying wages for staffing. I’m not anti lotteries but I do not rely on it for my survive. If you are doing $2mill Vaughan then I understand you are worried as you should be.
I know a lot who do more than $2M pa in Lotto and ISI. Any threat to that income is a fundamental threat to the business itself.
Product mix including lottery commissions vary from suburb to suburb and from shop to shop. Usually high lottery sales,areas have lower product sales ratios per unit sale. It is always in the best interest of a shopkeeper to maximise their sales mix within the shop as that is what their sq metere rent is based upon. Lotteries on the other hand, whilst contributing to the rent (some cases Big time) do not take up mauch “retail” space there do not contibute much to the expense in the way of rent.
The answer is check your sq meter performance 9if you are unsure I have available a booklet that explains product mis-space allocation and return profit per sq metre fro those interested.
Grahame,
Sales per Sq m is also challenging to interpret sometimes. Per sqm Lotto is a killer product as is Ink and Toner and Photocopying, by the same measure no one (based on saled per sqm) would even contemplete Magazines as a product. That does not tell the whole story however. I would like to see an algorithm written to tell me how my mag sales, and my stationery sales and my cards sales (based on sqm) stacks against the rest of the industry from compulsorily supplied data nationwide for the last 1/4.
Now (as the AFL used to say) I would like to see that! Gee that could be run from a National Newsagents Organisation that actually cared.
Brett,
There is no geeral comparison answer for we need Like -to- Like to compare and unfortunately, range,choice,amount of space allocated per dept per sq mtr,area as in Town or Suburb, socio economic spending pattern all play a part.
However, one can look at the amount of total space allocated to product mix and compare the profit per sq metre to the rent one pays per sq mtr this then gives the owner of that store personal performance of his.her newsagency.
It’s a great start.Trust this makes sense.
Graeme, have you considered having a go at being the new ANF CEO? Just wondering.
We need balance in our businesses. This is why basket analysis is crucial. For too long we have relied on newspapers, lotteries and, to a lesser extent, magazines to drive traffic.
We need to find new traffic drivers and find new products to leverage existing traffic.
The lotteries decision is disappointing but it is also an opportunity to become better business people.
We also need a balanced CEO and a new structure for the ANF/New body that’ll stop us losing what we’re losing now.
It’s not too late.
What did CEO Anthony Matis ever do for Newsagents. He seemed more interested in building his own profile, which from what I can see from his past is what he is all about. Does anyone believe he was a good investment. In conjunction what skills does Alf bring and what is his background..?
Michael, I am sane and reasonably happy I say reasonably for I still have purpose, however I am not crazy. I dealt with Boards for years and forgive me they are incomprehensible to deal with Best put Egos without ability to match.
Michael three CEO’S with perceived competence in 3 years says a lot for the Board. ANF Board needs to consider their members change the constitution and then maybe any one of the past CEO’s may have stayed.
The members need to revolt which is not the same as the members are “revolting”
What really matters right now is what newsagents do. If newsagents are tired of the failure of the ANF to deliver the association leadership they want then they ought to resign. Maybe the best way to fix national representation is to break the organisation which claims this mantle. This will happen if more newsagents resign their membership. I did earlier this year.
The board is continually held accountable….what about the CEO’s. They take on the role and money but don’t have the commitment to newsagents and simply move on once they have built a bit of self branding. They come in all focused and motivated and how they care for us but in the end it is rubbish. If we are to hire a CEO maybe it should come from within the ranks..? Thoughts..?
Terry, the board is only held accountable at election time and at AGMs. Newsagents typically to not use these opportunities.
The CEO is only as good as the Board permits. The Board controls the organisation.
I have been associated with the industry a long time (over 20+ years) and dealt directly with newsagencies over this period from a Lotteries standpoint. I understand the industry, business,politics and role of newsagencies and over the years lobbied Governments for change and new products, and have witnessed the numerous changes in the industry and the role the local newsagent played, as they competed against supemarket chains and others which steadily encroached what was traditionally the newsagents domain. The changes in the industry has meant that newsagents in order to compete,and maintain their viability, business/goodwill needed to change,look at their business offering from a retail perspective, diversify and try and compete on a level playing field (which was not always level!) Introduction of lotteries became another add on, product, traffic generator into the business offering merely adding to the businesses income and goodwill that could be capitolised upon from a retailing perspective which some newsagencies were better at than others. Before someone takes me to task, I agree not all customers purchased something else when purchasing their lottery tickets, but it did generate traffic and reinforced the role, profile of the business and newsagecies. However the sale of Lotteries products at newsagecies should not be underestimated, these products from a consumer perspective are the domain of the local newsagency and rightly so and should always remain so.(perspective new owners may not always agree with this) Newsagencies has probably one of the best networks, coverage, personal service to customers, comittment as a local buisness owner than any other network or outlet and they are truley contributors to the economy as local employers and small business operators. NSW Lotteries over the years have attempted to expand the newtwork through other outlets , supermarkets, service stations etc, however these have never truely been successful as the public still associates the sale of Lotteries with newsagencies which is the industries strength. The potential sale of lotteries is from a Governments perspective purely revenue driven and yes the recent concessions (5 year stand still) whilst important will need to be closely monitored, and strong effective relationships will need to be forged both sides of the polictical fence particulary when a purchasers comes out of the woodwork. As an industry group you are or should be a powerful lobby group but only if you are united and have a common voice, committment and clear objective and not solely based on protecting the sale of lotteries products but accross the board and with other companies, publishers etc. The management role of your federation is to represent the interests of its members,take into account memebers views, changes in the market,polictical landscape, industry, innovation changes and turn these into effective long term strategic business plans that will protect your interests and business and maitain relevance. Therefore I was quite surprised to read some of the comments relating to the industry, and your federation. I have no doubts there are issues and concerns there always are in business, however this is where strong effective leadership is required to address these concerns, and make positive changes. But to do this effectively I go back to what I stated previously there needs to be a united membership group and confience. Sometimes we tend to get caught up with politics and only see problems without seeing solutions or a way forward. A lot of the time this is based on “lack of communication” understanding, willingness to listen and discuss. Now is the time to ‘listen’ to the percieved concerns and address them calmly and in a measured way and come up with a workable way forward that reinvigorates the membership and comittment. Just for the record, i am not a newsagent, nor associated with the ANF , merely someone that knows your industry and wants to see small business protected and flourish. I was undertaking some research as I was considering applying for the role of CEO, but after reading some comments I felt compelled to comment which you may not agree with and thats fine.
david, i agree with some of your comments, ie, we need a strong uinified representative body, but this can neve be the ANF. It must be allowed to wither on the vine and die, so that a new and fresh organisation can rise from the ashes. the ANF has way too much history (mostly bad) and political baggage to ever regain the support of the industry.
the state organisations do a reasonable job, but lack the clout that a unified national body could wield. The ANF are just just prolonging the agony of its few remaining members, most progressive newsagencies have moved way past anything the ANF can offer.
Well put David. How dearly I wish this Government (NSW) and other so called industry partners would see things as you have mentioned.
I have been a newsagent for three years and one of the reasons I got into it was I really wanted the strong customer connection and loyalty that this industry can enjoy if you do it right and work hard at it. To see it being slowly diminished by factors outside my control is very disheartening. Perhaps if I had more of an idea of just how leaderless this industry is in terms of strong representation perhaps I would have not invested my hard earned into it. I do and will continue to enjoy while it lasts but I don’t feel too positive about its future.