21 December 2020
Brethren,
I promised you that I would keep you up-to-date with changes at Freemasons Victoria.
Last Tuesday night (15 December), prior to the release of The Ethics Centre review, the Board of General Purposes voted to ‘dis-establish.' All Board members, including me as Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master, resigned our Board positions.
The Board vested all its powers and authorities to me as Grand Master. This is on a temporary basis only. At all times, advice and counsel is being taken from our Grand Registrar, RWBro. Ian Upjohn CSC QC, to ensure all Constitutional obligations are rigorously met.
A Masonic Governing Council has been swiftly formed to act on a caretaker basis. No major initiatives will take place across the organisation during this time. The Masonic Governing Council membership includes the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Treasurer and Grand Registrar. It will be supported by Acting Chief Executive Officer Frank Warner, and Grand Secretary RWBro. Garry Runge OAM, JP. Its next meeting will be held tonight (21 December).
Further, I am pleased to advise you that a Change Management Team is being formed to guide us through our important next steps. It is important that proper checks and balances are in place at all times and to this end I am pleased to announce that one of the elder statesmen of Freemasons Victoria, MWBro. Garry Sebo, Past Grand Master, has agreed to be Chairman of the Change Management Team. This team will be supported by Adjunct Professor Dr Stephen Duns, who is known to many of our members through his past work with Leadership Victoria. He is CEO of The Leadership Centre and he has a splendidly impressive track record in organisation transformation, and social justice matters. He will provide consulting advice and guidance to the team which will have a major focus on best practice. Input from talented, committed and (especially) younger Freemasons will be sought.
This entire change process will be wholly decided upon by the members of Freemasons Victoria. Early in the New Year, a series of workshops and ‘Town Hall' style meetings will be held, so that members can discuss and develop our next steps. This will be followed by proper process through Grand Lodge and Quarterly Communication meetings.
Brethren, our joint focus now is to strengthen our organisation to excel at the fraternal and commercial challenges of the fast-moving 21st century. In closing, I wish to state my sincere appreciation to many members for their kind expressions of goodwill and confidence. Together, we are wholly committed to Freemasons Victoria achieving its full potential.
Yours fraternally,
MWBro. Richard Elkington
Grand Master
