I know some people think Eddie doesn't have a conflict of interest being president and having media commitments... but, I was at the Footy Show this Thursday, and after the show, some guy asked Eddie whether he thinks Gutnick should be president of Melbourne - Eddie said 'No Comment'.
Doesn't this perfectly illustrate the conflict of interest? I mean, I'm not having a go at Eddie, but he should admit there is some conflict of interest.. you can't escape from that! Normally, if a journalist asks him about this conflict of interest, he replies by saying, on the Footy Show, I'm the host and not the president.. so why didn't he put on his footy show hat on?
What do you think?
Go PIES 2001
Conflict of Interest
Moderator: bbmods
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slaNgman69
I think that it might have to do more with the fact that Eddie and Joe are good mates instead of the President/Media role. The reason why Eddie is respected amongst football people (this dosen't include the media) is because he dosen't talk shit and stir up trouble with stupid comments like John Elliott and Joe Gutnick himself.
Eddie reports the facts. I don't see why he should give an opinion. Dermott Brereton hasn't tackled this same issue, being the Hawthorn Director that he is.
The great thing about Eddie is that he knows when and what to say at the appropriate times. Eddie dosen't like to controversially comment on his mates, just like everybody else!
Eddie reports the facts. I don't see why he should give an opinion. Dermott Brereton hasn't tackled this same issue, being the Hawthorn Director that he is.
The great thing about Eddie is that he knows when and what to say at the appropriate times. Eddie dosen't like to controversially comment on his mates, just like everybody else!
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Mike
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'Conflict of Interest' has been bandied around so much lately that the phrase has developed a meaning of its own apart from the original meaning of the words. Many people using it wouldn't have a clue as to what it really means - it's become a handy catch phrase that rolls off the tongue and makes the speaker sound like she/he knows what he/she's talking about.
Let's look at the definition and then apply it to Eddie's various activities:
A conflict of interest exists where there is a divergence between the individual interests of a person and their professional obligations such that an independent observer might reasonably question whether the professional actions or decisions of that person are influenced by their own interests.
Every member of every board will have to confront conflict of interest at some stage. The board will inevitably make decisions that will affect individual board members, their families, friends or interests. For that reason there are procedures in place to enable boards to make decisions that may compromise individual board members without destroying the credibility of the board or the decision.
The board member involved must recognise a potential personal conflict within an issue and declare it so that the board, as a whole, can decide whether that member's participation will compromise the validity of any decision concerning that issue and decide on the actions that can be taken to eliminate the conflict. This declaration is required by law.
Once the declaration is made the board may decide that their knowledge of a potential conflict is enough to minimise the risk of compromise, or they may decide that the member must not participate in any discussion or decision involving that issue, or they may decide that they are unable to proceed due to the conflict.
A classic case involving Eddie and a conflict of interest was the contracting of Sportsview to handle the Club's internet function. Eddie as a part owner of Sportsview, had a financial interest in the decision to hire Sportsview. Eddie declared his interest and withdrew from the decision making process and subsequent negotiations. The conflict was public, the decision was made in full view and Eddie played no part - the conflict was negated. It's still touchy, many believe that the decision would have been influenced by the board's knowledge of Eddie's interest and that the proper action would have been for Eddie to divest himself of his interest in Sportsview. Those concerns aside, the issue was handled legally and properly.
Eddie's various roles as the President of the Board of the Collingwood Football Club, a media figure and an investor in various commercial concerns cause endless cries of 'conflict of interest'. If Eddie was to resign as President of the Club would his 'conflict' be any less? Would he also have to let his membership lapse and stop supporting any AFL club? Of course there is a conflict, but it is stated and in the open and I defy anybody to find an unbiased host for the Footy Show. Have we heard cries of 'conflict of interest' because Dermott Brereton and Jason Dunstall have team interests? No! Find me an unbiased host for a footy related show and I'll show you somebody who is totally unsuited for the job. By the same token, find me an unbiased journalist, a dispassionate observer and reporter and I'll show you someone who struggles to get work. Perhaps Caroline Wilson, in her prejudiced and biased pursuit of Eddie, is just covering her own conflicts.
Any risk that may arise from Eddie's conflicts, if he has any, is almost totally negated by his high profile. Almost every member of any significant company board in the world has commercial interests and they all profit from their presence on the board, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Company and legal regulations recognise this and allow for potential conflicts. The difference is that most board members keep a very low profile and we don't know them and never hear of them - Eddie's problem, and his only problem, is that he is high profile and everything he does is in full public view. There is no way Eddie could profit through a conflict of interest without the whole world knowing, almost before it happened.
Let's look at the definition and then apply it to Eddie's various activities:
A conflict of interest exists where there is a divergence between the individual interests of a person and their professional obligations such that an independent observer might reasonably question whether the professional actions or decisions of that person are influenced by their own interests.
Every member of every board will have to confront conflict of interest at some stage. The board will inevitably make decisions that will affect individual board members, their families, friends or interests. For that reason there are procedures in place to enable boards to make decisions that may compromise individual board members without destroying the credibility of the board or the decision.
The board member involved must recognise a potential personal conflict within an issue and declare it so that the board, as a whole, can decide whether that member's participation will compromise the validity of any decision concerning that issue and decide on the actions that can be taken to eliminate the conflict. This declaration is required by law.
Once the declaration is made the board may decide that their knowledge of a potential conflict is enough to minimise the risk of compromise, or they may decide that the member must not participate in any discussion or decision involving that issue, or they may decide that they are unable to proceed due to the conflict.
A classic case involving Eddie and a conflict of interest was the contracting of Sportsview to handle the Club's internet function. Eddie as a part owner of Sportsview, had a financial interest in the decision to hire Sportsview. Eddie declared his interest and withdrew from the decision making process and subsequent negotiations. The conflict was public, the decision was made in full view and Eddie played no part - the conflict was negated. It's still touchy, many believe that the decision would have been influenced by the board's knowledge of Eddie's interest and that the proper action would have been for Eddie to divest himself of his interest in Sportsview. Those concerns aside, the issue was handled legally and properly.
Eddie's various roles as the President of the Board of the Collingwood Football Club, a media figure and an investor in various commercial concerns cause endless cries of 'conflict of interest'. If Eddie was to resign as President of the Club would his 'conflict' be any less? Would he also have to let his membership lapse and stop supporting any AFL club? Of course there is a conflict, but it is stated and in the open and I defy anybody to find an unbiased host for the Footy Show. Have we heard cries of 'conflict of interest' because Dermott Brereton and Jason Dunstall have team interests? No! Find me an unbiased host for a footy related show and I'll show you somebody who is totally unsuited for the job. By the same token, find me an unbiased journalist, a dispassionate observer and reporter and I'll show you someone who struggles to get work. Perhaps Caroline Wilson, in her prejudiced and biased pursuit of Eddie, is just covering her own conflicts.
Any risk that may arise from Eddie's conflicts, if he has any, is almost totally negated by his high profile. Almost every member of any significant company board in the world has commercial interests and they all profit from their presence on the board, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Company and legal regulations recognise this and allow for potential conflicts. The difference is that most board members keep a very low profile and we don't know them and never hear of them - Eddie's problem, and his only problem, is that he is high profile and everything he does is in full public view. There is no way Eddie could profit through a conflict of interest without the whole world knowing, almost before it happened.