Melbourne Market board quits over appointment of former Demons chief Paul Guerra

The full board of the Melbourne Market Authority (MMA) has quit over the appointment of former Melbourne Football Club chief executive Paul Guerra as boss.Mr Guerra was chosen by the Victorian government to be the new chair of the statutory authority, which oversees the Victorian government-owned Epping-based fruit and vegetable wholesale market.Angie Bradbury had been acting chair since May this year, and told the ABC she applied to be appointed to the three-year chair role after serving on the board since 2022.She has now resigned from the board after being overlooked for the top job."I was not prepared to step aside and go back to the board table when I have been an effective leader," Ms Bradbury said."This is not about Paul Guerra, I don't understand how the decision has been made, the value it offers and what issue it is [the government] think they are solving," she said.Ms Bradbury, along with other board members Margaret Burdeu and former Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano, resigned effective October 29.Acting chief executive and executive director Keith Louie has given his one month notice of resignation.A letter from two board members prior to the announcement, seen by the ABC, asked Victorian Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle to reconsider the decision.In the letter, the two board members threatened to resign unless Ms Bradbury was appointed as chair instead."We are unwilling to lend our professional standing, governance experience and statutory accountability to an appointment that we consider presents foreseeable and unacceptable risks to the Authority," the letter said.Ms Settle has been contacted for comment.Market future hinges on Victorian electionMr Guerra was removed as the Melbourne Football Club chief in April, seven months into his term, and has begun proceedings against the club in the Federal Court for breach of contract.The first case management hearing for his case will be heard in court on October 30, the same day he is due to start the three-year term as market authority chairman.Mr Guerra has been contacted for comment.The market authority is the statutory authority responsible for overseeing the Melbourne Market at Epping, Australia's largest wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market.Earlier this week the Victorian Coalition pledged to sell the Melbourne Market if it won next month's state election, while Labor said it would stay in government hands if Labor won.Mr Guerra was previously the chief executive of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and of the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.He also was the executive chair of the Queen Victoria Market.The Victorian government statement regarding his appointment said Mr Guerra brought "significant commercial, governance and stakeholder engagement experience to the role".Melbourne's wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market is in Epping. (ABC News: Cath McAloon)"The Melbourne Market is a significant part of Victoria's fresh produce industry, and I am committed to supporting the market and its users in my role as chair of the Melbourne Market Authority,'" Mr Guerra said in the government statement.A Victorian government spokesperson declined to comment on Mr Guerra's salary, but said renumeration for such a role ranged from $21,941 to $61,750.There has also been instability at the executive level of the authority.Rob Clayton, who was appointed as chief executive of the market authority in March, quit after three months.He had been appointed after former head of the organisation Mark Maskiell stepped down after almost 14 years.Matt Elliott will take up the role of chief executive in January. Mr Louie is the acting chief executive.