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The merger by numbers

Let’s remind ourselves why BirdLife is being created. We want to be a more effective champion of bird conservation and a more capable representative of our members’ interests. This is what our members voted for. There was a huge response to the vote 
on the merger, in fact the biggest either organisation had ever had. We know that over 94% of BOCA members and over 96% of BA members voted for the merger – but how was this represented across the country?

Sale of Duplicated Books Resulting from Merger

As a result of the merger of the BA and BOCA libraries, approximately 500 books and many journals are duplicated. It has been decided that these duplicates will progressively be withdrawn from the shelves and offered for sale. More books will be added to the list as work continues. Prices will be listed as they become available, so look at the list regularly! Books which are not yet priced will not be available until priced, no pre-requests. As books are priced, they will become available by coming in to the BOCA Shop or on mail-order by ringing BOCA National Office on (03) 9877 5342 or 1300 305 342 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

UPDATE - the list of priced books is here.

Merger Update from Wingspan

By Jess McVicar, Merger Manager

Jess has been working with Birds Australia and BOCA for the last year, and now takes on the responsibility of supporting the two organisations through their amalgamation into BirdLife Australia.

On 21 May, members of Birds Australia and BOCA voted overwhelmingly in favour of merging to create BirdLife Australia. A combined total of 4,517 Birds Australia and BOCA members voted in the biggest response to a proposed resolution that either organisation has ever received. Since then, much progress has been made in making the merger a reality. Here we provide a short update on what has been happening.

Working towards BirdLife Australia
The BirdLife Board has been holding monthly meetings since May, and has already made the formal appointments and established the Board Committees necessary to undertake their business. The official launch of BirdLife Australia is scheduled for March 2012, but the two organisations aim to be fully merged by the end of 2011.

Gerard Early, BirdLife Australia’s new Chair, held a meeting this June with the extensive Birds Australia and BOCA network of groups, branches, observatories and reserves. The meeting was attended by about 50 representatives from all over Australia who will continue to participate in the consultation process throughout 2011.

The Board has decided that the location of BirdLife Australia’s National Office will be at 60 Leicester Street in Melbourne; Birds Australia’s current National Office. The National Office will house BirdLife Australia staff, the merged library, collections and files. The move by BOCA staff to Leicester Street is planned for the final quarter of 2011. The Board decided that BOCA’s Springvale Road property, owned by BOCA, will not be sold but will be leased from early 2012.

Currently, the staff and Board are busy planning the amalgamation of administrative, financial and membership systems, agreeing on arrangements for the BirdLife Australia group and branch network, as well as deciding on a visual identity and logo to support our new website and publications. If you have any questions, feedback or comments, please contact Jess at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Look out for your next update in December’s Wingspan!

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Merger Vote Results

At the AGMs on 21 May, members of Birds Australia and Bird Observation & Conservation Australia (BOCA) voted on whether our two organisations should merge.  For the merger to go ahead, at least 75% of all Birds Australia members who voted and at least 75% of all BOCA members who voted needed to vote for the merger. 

The outcome

Members of both organisations voted for the merger of Birds Australia and BOCA to create BirdLife Australia. Over 93% of those that voted from BOCA voted for the merger and over 95% of those that voted from Birds Australia voted for the merger.

A combined total of 4517 Birds Australia and BOCA members voted on the resolution, with over 36% of Birds Australia members and more than 50% of BOCA members voting. This is the biggest response to a proposed resolution that either organisation has ever received. A huge thank you to our members for being part of this process – and welcome to your new organisation - BirdLife Australia!

What happens next?

Over the coming months Birds Australia and BOCA operations will begin to come together; however ensuring that the transition from two to one is smooth and successful will take time. Over the next six months, both Birds Australia and BOCA will focus on delivery of our key work as well as implementing the merger and beginning to amalgamate operations.

Between now and December 2011 this includes:

• the first meetings of the ‘transition Board’ of BirdLife Australia;
• meetings of Birds Australia Council and BOCA Board to wrap up organisational and financial operations;
• consulting with groups and branches on future arrangements;
• finalising the BirdLife Australia vision and goals and developing a new logo;
• developing the new BirdLife Australia website ready for launch in early 2012;
• bringing together both organisations’ staff into one building; and
• producing separate membership magazines for the rest of 2011, but working closely together behind the scenes.  

By January 2012: BirdLife Australia is operational
Early 2012: formal launch of our new organisation, the new website and publications.

Over the next six months we will be keeping you updated through regular bulletins on the Birds Australia and BOCA merger web pages. These updates will feature in the September and December issues of Wingspan and the August and November issues of The Bird Observer, and via Birds Australia’s monthly e-news.  

By joining forces, we will achieve more for Australia’s birds in our conservation and education efforts and will work better for our members in encouraging and facilitating enjoyment and appreciation of birds.  We hope that with your help we can make BirdLife Australia a place for everyone with an interest in birds – and look forward to an exciting and successful future together.

BA Council operations post 2011 AGM

With a vote in Favour of the Merger
The BA Council will cease to exist once the new entity becomes fully operational in 2012. In the wind-up period before that point, the BA Council will have as its main functions the wrap-up of BA related matters including finalising the financial statements for 2011.
 
In this interim period, the BA Council will be comprised of 6 continuing Council members - Barry Baker (Vice-President), Rob Dunn (current Treasurer), Rob Davis, Max Finlayson, Kate Ravich and Dezmond Wells (co-opted Council member).

New BirdLife Australia Constitution

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Appointed ‘Transition Board’ of Birdlife Australia

Independent Chair
Gerard Early has agreed to take up this position in the event of a vote to proceed with the merger.

Previously Deputy Secretary, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Gerard Early had overall responsibility for a number of important aspects of biodiversity conservation, including wildlife protection and the Australian Government’s environmental impact assessment and approval regime. He has substantial biodiversity related experience as a former Deputy CEO in both the Australian Nature Conservation Agency and the Australian Heritage Commission as well as having led Divisions in the Department responsible for various aspects of natural resource management. Gerard was awarded the Public Service Medal in the June 2007 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for outstanding public service in the protection and conservation of Australia’s natural environment and cultural heritage.

Board members
Barry Baker – currently BA vice-President
Rob Dunn – currently BA Board member
Rob Davis – currently BA Board member
Max Finlayson – currently BA Board member
Dezmond Wells – currently BA Board member

John Barkla – currently BOCA President
Pat Bingham – currently BOCA vice-President
David Reid – currently BOCA vice-President
Dave Torr – currently BOCA Board member
Brian Snape – currently BOCA Board member

Staged return to elected Board members
For continuity this ‘transition Board’ would operate for two years after the May 2011 AGM. At the 2013 BirdLife Australia AGM four members (two formerly Birds Australia and two formerly BOCA) would stand down to allow the election of four members. The members that stand down would be able to stand for election if they were nominated and so wished. This meeting would also elect a new President and Vice President of BirdLife Australia. At the 2014 AGM another four members would stand down and at the 2015 AGM the remaining two members would stand down, again all with the option to stand for election if they were nominated and so wished.

This arrangement would achieve a gradual turnover of members on the Board and move to elections of Board positions as quickly as is sensible and allows the Board to operate in a way that maximises the experience of those serving on it on behalf of the members. Until the elected President came in to position following the 2013 AGM, BirdLife Australia’s independent Chair would fulfil the functions of the President role.

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Financial information

A comprehensive cost/benefit analysis shows that the one-off costs of undertaking the merger, estimated at a maximum of $350,000, will be recouped within two years through organisational savings of over $180,000 per annum.  It is anticipated that some of these costs can be provided under pro-bono arrangements. A summary of the key items from the financial cost/benefit analysis is provided below:

One-off costs of merging

Annual ongoing costs and savings of merging

Please note these figures are budget estimates as at March 2011 prior to finalisation of the 2010 financial statements.
 
Assets and Liabilities

If the merger proceeds, the assets and liabilities of both organisations will be transferred to BirdLife Australia. The table below is based on the unaudited figures of both organisations as at 31 December 2010. The Boards do not expect these figures to be materially different to those to be signed off by the respective auditors and presented to members at the AGMs. It is not expected that the net asset position would change significantly prior to the establishment of the new organisation.

*Birds Australia’s National Office in Melbourne and the BA Discovery Centre in Sydney are based in rental premises. The Birds Australia Observatory at Eyre and landholdings at Broome are leased.  Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary (BOCA), Gluepot Reserve and the Broome Observatory building (Birds Australia) are important assets but not shown here because the specialist nature of these properties means that they are considered as of zero realisable value.

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Previous Letters to Members

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Contacts