From a reader who wishes to remain anonymous:

HGFA annual fees just went up from $280 to $390/year!

A comparison of fees charged by similar organisations:

Britain: BHPA £84 ~ AU$180
US of A: USHPA US$75 ~ AU$80
Germany: DHV €61 ~ AU$105
GFA: $200
RAA: $160

The HGFA fee is twice the price of the next closest organisation. Obviously this isn't exactly apples with apples but I know for a fact that both the GFA and the RAA provide insurance and a magazine to their membership so they may not quite be apples but they sure taste like apples.

Outcomes of the Open Forum on the 2008-09 HGFA Fee Increases

Convened by the Canungra Hang Gliding Club Inc
Held on 23 August 2008
Canungra Qld

Following the Open Forum on the HGFA Fee increases, the Canungra Hang Gliding Club Inc at its Annual General Meeting together with the Queensland Hang Gliding Association Inc have decided to jointly sponsor and prepare a Requisition for a Special General Meeting of the Hang
Gliding Federation of Australia (HGFA).

A large number of members expressed their high dissatisfaction with the recently advised fee increases and management direction the HGFA. It was agreed that the following motions would form the basis for development of the requisition of the Special General Meeting. (It should be noted that the final actual motions to be prepared and forming part of the requisition may vary slightly from those set out below, for clarity purposes, but will attempt to give affect to the intent of the motions set out below).

Motions:

1. That the new 2008-09 HGFA Membership Fee Schedule and the associated Fee Restructure including the abolition of the State Association Fees be rescinded, and that the HGFA Membership Fees for the 2008-09 financial year be kept the same as the 2007-08 HGFA Fee Schedule, except that the previous HGFA Full Membership Fee component be increased by an amount equal to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Namely a 4. 5% increase from $250 plus $11, to $261.
 
2. That all positions of the HGFA Board be spilled and an election of a new HGFA Board be organised as soon as possible.

A Requisition for a Special General Meeting

In order to develop a requisition it will require 5 percent of the total HGFA members (or around 150 members) to sign the requisition for a meeting. This can be done by e-mail.

See here.

More on the HGFA and its executive director here. Why have I heard so much complaining about the executive director of the HGFA over the years? Why has so little been done about these complaints?

More on HGFA BOD shenanigans here.