Sallianne Faulkner made history in July 2024 when she became the first female Chair in the Registered Clubs Association’s 104-year history — not that she likes to dwell on it.
“When I step into any boardroom I don’t do so as a female, I enter as a board director, bringing my diverse thoughts and experiences to do the best job that I can do,” she tells ClubLIFE in a wide-ranging interview.
“I do, however, feel a huge responsibility to the women that will come after me. I hope that more broadly my role will help others who aspire to be governance professionals to seek a place, bring a curious mind to their local club and build successful outcomes.”
Sallianne was elected Chair following the decision by Dr George Peponis OAM to step down in June, after serving five years in the role. Her ascension to the position comes after a five-year stint as Deputy Chair from June 2019. She was first voted onto the Board at the AGM in October 2018.
Born in Kogarah and raised in Miranda, Sallianne’s first interaction with the club industry came as an 18-year-old when she joined Miranda Diggers. It was close to her family home, and she felt a connection through Anzac Day commemoration services, an important day in the calendar that she has since instilled in her four children — Jessica, Martin, Kathryn and Allyson.
She began gaining valuable business experience straight out of high school, undertaking a traineeship at Arnott’s as a packaging technologist. This involved designing and determining the exact specifications required to package biscuit products, and considering important elements such as quality control and branding guidelines.
“I really like using creativity to get better results and I probably didn’t know this back then, but I am drawn to taking something, anything, and making it better,” says Sallianne.
“It’s all about looking at something and saying, ‘is this the best way we can do that?’”
She carried this approach through five years at Arnott’s, followed by a lengthy stint at the Samuel Taylor arm of packaging and pharmaceuticals company Reckitt & Colman, where she worked in the laboratory first as a Marketing Product Manager and then Market Analyst — all while undertaking a marketing diploma by night.
“Working at Samuel Taylor allowed me to find and develop my love of marketing, of understanding consumer behaviour and designing products to solve consumer needs,” she says.
It was then off to the St George Building Society, which became St George Bank during her time working in their marketing department.
“One of the more fun responsibilities of my time at St George was going into the community with the bank’s mascot ‘Happy Dragon’, but it also served as a very important public relations and awareness piece, everyone — with the exception of my eldest daughter — loved Happy Dragon,” says Sallianne.
While the first interaction with the club industry was through Miranda Diggers, the bigger appreciation for the role clubs play in enriching local communities came when Sallianne’s young children began playing junior sport.
“This is where the club industry really stepped into my life completely, because my husband and I are big believers in team sport and encouraging children to participate, and clubs are like no other in the support of junior sport and communities,” says Sallianne.
“My three girls played netball for Ramsgate RSL Netball Club and my son played for Ramsgate RSL AFL Club from a young age right through to becoming adults.”
With her kids heavily involved in the junior sub clubs, Sallianne joined the netball committee holding various roles, including President, for a decade. It would also eventually lead to a position on the Netball New South Wales Board, where she went on to serve as President, a position she still holds.
Understanding the role that Ramsgate RSL played in supporting junior sport in the local community, Sallianne was encouraged to run in the Club’s board election in 2012 — a successful tilt which ultimately led to her becoming President just two years later.
Over the past 12 years, Ramsgate RSL has embarked on a process of governance and organisational cultural reform. It has grown from 5000 to 35,000 members and transitioned from a balance sheet of $10 million in equity to more than $70 million.
The Club has also successfully expanded through amalgamations with Fingal Bay Sports Club, Engadine RSL and Club Heathcote, with another soon to be added to the group.
“I’m proud that as an industry we strive to ‘leave no club behind’ and amalgamations are a critical element in this,” says Sallianne.
“Clubs need to assess what sustainability looks like, and be honest and transparent about their position, so that they can take advantage of the support that’s out there.”
An official role at an industry level would beckon, and Sallianne joined the ClubsNSW Board in October 2018. She also served as interim CEO from February to July 2023.
“I feel like where there’s a bigger platform you can help to achieve more things, you should, and as an industry we need to stand together,” she says.
“While we are all autonomous businesses, coming together in a peak industry body means we are able to create one voice to talk to government and other important stakeholders to ensure they understand the importance of our place in the community and what we do, we need everyone to know our DNA lies in our communities.”
On challenges facing the industry, Sallianne identifies governance structures, as well as demonstrating why clubs have a social licence to operate gaming.
“I have been asked bluntly in the past how I can reconcile my involvement in an industry that offers electronic gaming,” she says.
“I will always acknowledge that a small, yet important, part of our community will suffer from addictions. But I firmly believe that we provide the safest place for these individuals and by caring and providing appropriate support in a safe environment, we are ensuring that they do not fall off the radar.
“I see our staff on a daily basis, across our industry, warmly welcome, authentically care, and provide for our members and guests, such is the nature of our industry, and I am very proud of this.”
The other key pillar of the club industry’s social licence to operate, says Sallianne, is the enormous contributions they make to local communities.
“It’s our role to ensure people understand how the NSW club industry is the backbone and the heart of our local communities,” she says.
The role of clubs is particularly important in regional and remote areas of the state, where often the club is the main source of employment and the only place to come together and socialise.
“We know that loneliness is a precursor to poor mental health and again, it is our industry that digs deep in this area,” she says.
As a hazelnut grower of 15 years in the Central Tablelands with her husband Ben, Sallianne has seen the positive impact that clubs make in the regions.
“Clubs play a critical role in regional areas; they are places where isolated farming communities can come together and belong. It’s where you celebrate milestones like birthday parties and weddings; they really are that backbone of the community that we talk about,” she says.
Clubs are also there in times of hardship, whether it’s turning into an evacuation centre during fire or floods, or providing water to drought-ravaged farmers, and more recently becoming vaccination centres during the pandemic.
“The DNA in clubs is unique, you won’t find it anywhere else in the world, there are so many people that get out of bed every day to do good things for their community,” says Sallianne.
“Someone I really respect is (the late) Peter Newell and the way he worked for the good of the industry and fought for causes close to the heart of clubs.”
"I see our staff on a daily basis, across our industry, warmly welcome, authentically care, and provide for our members and guests, such is the nature of our industry, and I am very proud of this."
Fast forward to 2024 and there’s another cause the industry is unfortunately forced to turn its attention to — the scourge of domestic violence. The Prime Minister has described it as a national crisis, and clubs across NSW have stepped up to the plate to attempt to combat this issue and help those impacted.
As the general manager of a domestic and family violence and homelessness refuge, it’s an issue Sallianne is very familiar with.
“I am incredibly proud of the recent initiative of the club industry in adding its voice to this important conversation,” she says.
“We have the awareness, engagement and resources to make a significant impact in our local community to change the narrative about this unacceptable violence.
“We must not forget our staff and their families who can also be affected by this scourge on our nation. We must use our collective strength to build safer communities and support those who are victim survivors. I know we can.”
It’s just one of many issues that have the support of an industry that strives to make their communities better places to live.
As a supporter of approximately 75,000 direct and indirect jobs; a provider of more than $120 million to charities, sporting and community groups every year; and welcoming 6.7 million club members through its doors annually, now more than ever clubs need to be supported to flourish and be sustainable.
“I am well aware that this is a member organisation and I’m grateful to our members for allowing me to give back to this industry,” says Sallianne.
“In the years ahead, I want to see our industry strengthened on the foundation of good governance, working in harmony with our government, regulators and other key stakeholders.
“The importance of transparency and authenticity in delivering the best outcomes cannot be stressed enough so that we can maintain our physical presence as the heart of our communities.”
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