Victorian dairy farmers are set to lodge a fresh push for an extraordinary general meeting, with the aim of ousting the Victorian Farmers Federation president and vice-president.
A previous attempt, by a group of grain growers, was knocked back by the Federal court late last year.
The push comes as Australian Dairy Farmers threatens to take the VFF to court, over $500,000 in unpaid levies.
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Bernie Free. Winslow, said he would be lodging the 100 signatures required to call an EGM, with VFF chief executive Brendan Tatham this afternoon.
Mr Free said as 60 days' notice was required to call an EGM, it was unlikely the matter would be raised at the annual general meeting on February 20.
"Somebody could ask a question from the floor of the AGM, I suppose," Mr Free said.
"You need 60 days' notice to make an EGM happen."
The request for the EGM has been lodged under Section 203D of the Corporations Act.
The resolution contained in the notice calls for the removal of VFF director and president Emma Germano and director and vice-president Danyel Cucinotta.
Mr Free said the 100 signatures were from dairy farmers all over the state.
"It's a push from dairy farmers and it will be lodged by a dairy farmer," he said.
"From a dairy perspective, the change in the way the organisation is being run means it's not going to advocate for dairy farmers as properly as it should, at a state and national level."
Mr Free said farmers behind the latest push believed they had learnt from the failed court case.
"It's been tried twice," Mr Free said.
"We have taken advice from what we understood the judge said at the court case. We believe, to the best of our knowledge, the wording for the process is correct."
The VFF has been contacted for comment.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
