National Board of Directors - Early Childhood Australia

The National Board of Directors

ECA adopted a new Constitution in April 2021 which means that all members of ECA are now invited to join the national organisation directly and have the right to vote on candidates for both the National Board and State/Territory Committees when vacancies occur. The ECA National Board now has nine directors: five Ordinary Directors elected by members and four Independent Directors appointed through a Nominations Committee process. Members in each jurisdiction will have an opportunity to elect someone from their state/territory to the National Board over time, according to a fixed rotation schedule. The Independent Directors will be appointed based on skills or expertise needed on the Board from time to time to achieve the strategic objectives of ECA. These appointments will be managed by the Nominations Committee, which will consist of current Board members and state/territory representatives.

Within the new governance model, the ECA National Council will become the main forum for consultation and consensus-building on matters of public policy affecting young children. Council will continue to be made up of four delegates from each State and Territory Committee as well as representatives from national committees such as the Reconciliation Advisory Group. In recognition of its expanded role, the Council will meet at least twice a year (once in person and once virtually).

The National Board of Directors

National President	Christine Legg
Ordinary Director	Dr Marina Papic
Ordinary Director	Dr Pauline Roberts
Ordinary Director	Trevor Brown
Ordinary Director	Simon Fewings
Independent Director	Tony Fairbairn
Independent Director	Jackie Wilson
Independent Director	Beverly O’Connell

Role

The role of the National Board of Directors is:

the governance and long-term planning of the organisation
the implementation of the organisation’s strategic plan
to ensure that Early Childhood Australia meets its objectives and fulfils its mission to advocate for young children.

Members of the National Board of Directors carry the legal responsibility for governance of the organisation and are required to act in the best interests of the National Organisation.