The Melbourne Cricket Club will crack down on bad behaviour by some of its members – especially the misuse of cards – after new rules were passed on Tuesday night.
Under a motion comprehensively endorsed at the club’s annual general meeting, punishment, including expulsion, will be easier to enforce.
A jam-packed MCC members reserve at the MCG.Credit: Getty Images
MCC president Fred Oldfield flagged the changes in July, and they received little opposition.
The new section on misconduct in the club’s rules says members can be referred for sanctions, including expulsion, simply if they “breached” any of the club’s rules, previously they could be punished only if they “wilfully infringed” specific rules around card use or failing to notify the club if they were convicted of serious crimes.
The rules around misuse of membership cards calls out the use of members’ cards by non-members to gain access to the MCG’s member enclosure or associated membership privileges. Cards feature members’ photographs and are not routinely checked on entry, but must be produced when requested.
Of the club’s members who are eligible to vote, 84 per cent of members backed the harder stance.
“For those that do breach our rules, and there are far too many cases that come up before our members disciplinary committee, our appeals committee, it’s extremely disappointing,” Oldfield said on Tuesday night.
The new rules require members to take reasonable precautions to prevent misuse of their cards, including guest cards.
