Amendments to the AFL Constitution were unanimously passed at a Special General Meeting between the AFL Commission and club Presidents earlier today.

All 18 club Presidents attended the meeting. The Tasmania Devils were also represented, but did not hold a vote. 

AFL Commission Chairman Craig Drummond had previously indicated change to key parts of the AFL Constitution around term limits for Commissioners were a central part of his immediate agenda for the game.

The approved amendments are: 

• a maximum Commissioner term of nine (9) years (three (3) x three (3) year terms), which may be served consecutively or non-consecutively and does not include any period served filling a casual vacancy;
• an ability for an AFL Commissioner who is appointed as Commission Chair during or post their sixth (6th) year as a Commissioner to seek a further term of three (3) years, and therefore an extended maximum term of twelve (12) years;
• an ability for an AFL Commissioner who has served their Maximum Term or Extended Maximum Term to seek re-election for one (1) additional consecutive year if determined by the Commission;
• transitional arrangements acknowledging some current AFL Commissioners have exceeded the Maximum Term;
• a minimum period of nine (9) years before a previous AFL CEO is eligible to seek election as a non-executive Commissioner;
• an inability for a non-executive Commissioner to seek re-election once either the Maximum Term, Extended Maximum Term or Additional Year (as applicable) is surpassed;
• the requirement for the Commission to appoint a Nominations Committee which must include Appointees; and
• an acknowledgement that Commissioners will be subject to an AFL Commission Charter and AFL Commission Code of Conduct when exercising their powers and/or fulfilling their duties.

The amendments came into effect at the conclusion of today’s Special General Meeting.