AuSAE - Open letter to the Australasian Sponsorship Industry

Open letter to the Australasian Sponsorship Industry

18 Feb 2014 8:51 AM | Louise Stokes

Monday, 17 February 2014

Dear Members,

It is with much sadness that we write to you today to inform you that the board of Sponsorship Australasia has taken the decision to officially wind up the association.

This regrettable decision has been made for a number of reasons:

Ongoing financial viability of the association
Lack of resourcing to effectively operate
Difficulty in offering a meaningful value proposition to members

This decision follows the communication to members on 28 August 2013, seeking feedback on Sponsorship Australasia’s relevance in the industry currently. The communication was distributed to over 1648 people on the Sponsorship Australasia database, and also to the sponsorship industry in general via Sponsorship News.

Feedback, simply in terms of numbers, was disappointing with only 48 people responding.
This limited response was mixed. 10% believed there was no need for an association, and the rest split with 45% unsure if there was a need and 45% believing there was a role for the association.

It is clear that an association looking to be relevant and meaningful in the modern industry needs more backing than this if it is to be successful.

Sponsorship Australasia was established at a time to fill a void with sponsorship conferences being rare and not relevant, no sponsorship news services, minimal training opportunities and specialist sponsorship consultancies only just starting up.

Fast forward to 2014 and the sponsorship industry is mature and its value recognised as an important part of the overall marketing mix. Specialist sponsorship news agencies exist to provide the industry with up to date news on happenings across the sector. Sponsorship consultancies are providing specialist advice and services to both corporates and rights holders. Professional conference organisers now offer multiple conference options for the industry and other bigger marketing associations embrace sponsorship as part of the overall marketing industry.

This all leaves Sponsorship Australasia struggling to offer a compelling value proposition to current and prospective members. Whilst Sponsorship Australasia is currently solvent, it no longer has the ability to engage a professional secretariat to run the association day to day. This means that the association has been run for the last 18 months on an entirely volunteer basis. This situation is not sustainable, particularly given the workload that professionals in this field currently undertake and given the work required to run the association in a way that offers real value to members.

All this has, regrettably, left the board with no choice but to wind the association up.
In accordance with the Constitution of the Association, all surplus funds will be dispersed to an association that has similar values and reflects the vision/ mission of Sponsorship Australasia.

The board have elected to disperse funds to The Fundraising Institute of Australia.

The Board would like to officially like to thank all people past and present who have contributed to Sponsorship Australasia over the past 18 years. There have been many people who have contributed much blood, sweat and tears over the years – particularly at conference time, which is not to be forgotten. Your efforts have paved the way to the existence of a mature Australian/New Zealand industry where practitioners have achieved internationally recognised success – and will continue to do so.

Regards,

Paul Dykes and Simon Gray
Executive Board Members
Sponsorship Australasia National Association Inc

Strengthening Trans-Tasman Connections: AuSAE and Tourism New Zealand Business Events Renew Partnership

Association professionals across Australia and New Zealand have even more reason to explore trans-Tasman opportunities. AuSAE is proud to announce the renewal of its longstanding partnership with Tourism New Zealand Business Events, celebrating 11 years of collaboration.

For over a decade, this partnership has strengthened connections between the two countries, helping associations expand networks, share knowledge, and deliver world-class events.

Toni Brearley, CAE, Chief Executive Officer at AuSAE, said:

“Our partnership with Tourism New Zealand Business Events has opened doors for association leaders to plan unforgettable events and connect with peers across the Tasman. Together, we’ve created opportunities, shared knowledge, and elevated the experiences of our members and their delegates. This partnership reinforces our commitment to fostering strong trans-Tasman collaborations, helping associations innovate, grow, and deliver outstanding value to their members.”

Helen Bambry, Business Events Manager at Tourism New Zealand, added:

“Partnering with AuSAE means we can directly support association professionals in bringing their next international business event to New Zealand – offering assistance, funding, and support to ensure exceptional experiences for both organisers and delegates.”

Watch the Tourism New Zealand Business Events video

What this partnership means for you

For Australian associations:

Receive expert guidance and support to bring conferences or member events to New Zealand.
Access funding assistance through Tourism New Zealand Business Events.
Expand your network and build partnerships with New Zealand peers and industry leaders.
Deliver international experiences for members and delegates just across the Tasman.

For New Zealand associations:

Strengthen professional connections with Australian association leaders through AuSAE’s network.
Share expertise and collaborate on professional development, governance, and member engagement initiatives, and more.
Gain visibility within the broader association community in Australia and New Zealand.
Access opportunities to host international association events and delegates in New Zealand, boosting local engagement and knowledge exchange.

About AuSAE:

The home for association professionals, the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) is the leading - and only not-for-profit, member-based - organisation supporting association professionals in Australia and New Zealand. For 70 years, AuSAE has been a trusted partner for those working in associations, providing professional development, support, and networking to help association leaders achieve organisational goals, advance their careers, and strengthen the wider sector.

About Tourism New Zealand Business Events:

Tourism New Zealand Business Events provides expert guidance, funding, and support to attract conferences, incentives and corporate events to New Zealand.

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For more information about AuSAE, please contact Toni Brearley, CAE:
Toni Brearley, CAE
Chief Executive Officer, AuSAE
E: toni@ausae.org.au
T: + 61 458 000 155

To apply for funding and support to host a conference in New Zealand contact Helen Bambry:
Helen Bambry
Business Events Manager, Tourism New Zealand
E: Helen.Bambry@tnz.govt.nz
T: +61 415 933 325

The Australasian Society of Association Executives

Contact us:

Email: info@ausae.org.au
Phone: 1300 764 576 (within Australia)
Phone: +61 7 3268 7955 (outside Australia)
Address: Unit 6, 26 Navigator Place, Hendra QLD 4011, Australia