We, the members and supporters of Maribyrnong Tennis Club (MPTC), are calling for a Special General Meeting (SGM) to ensure that decisions regarding the club's coaching contract are transparent, accountable and made in the best interests of members, players and families.

For more than 30 years, Anthony Burke and ABPro Tennis have been an important part of the club community, coaching between 150 and 200 players and helping to build one of the strongest junior and adult coaching programs in the area. Many of these players and families are also long-term club members.

On 23 July 2026, the committee informed Anthony Burke that his current coaching arrangement would conclude on 23 October 2026. At the same time, members were given very little information about the future direction of the coaching program, the process being followed, the selection criteria being applied, or the arrangements that would be put in place to protect players and families from disruption.

Members are deeply concerned that such a significant decision is being made without sufficient consultation and without providing members with an opportunity to understand the process and express their views.

Among the concerns raised by members are the following:

The potential loss of a coach who has served the club for three decades.
The possibility of coaching programs being disrupted in the middle of the season.
The absence of a clear transition plan for players and families.
The risk that players and coaches could move to other clubs.
The possibility that a new coaching provider could struggle to establish a viable program without the support and goodwill built over many years.
A lack of transparency regarding how decisions are being made and when they will be finalised.
This petition is not intended to prevent change, nor is it intended to favour any individual unfairly. Rather, it is intended to ensure that decisions affecting hundreds of players, parents and members are made openly, fairly and with proper consultation.

Accordingly, we call upon the committee to:

Convene a Special General Meeting in accordance with the club's rules and the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012.
Delay any decision relating to the coaching contract until after the Annual General Meeting.
Provide members with a clear explanation of the process, evaluation criteria and proposed timeline.
Ensure that any future decision protects the long-term interests of the club, its members and the broader tennis community.
Maribyrnong Tennis Club belongs to its members. Decisions of this importance should be made transparently, responsibly and with the support of the community that has helped build the club