The Committee Room

Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee
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Practical governance for volunteer committees and not-for-profit organisations. Hosted by governance consultants Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee, each episode tackles one topic — clearly, honestly, and without the jargon. Short enough to finish before your coffee goes cold.

Episodes

  1. 6D AGO

    Governance - The Big Picture

    EPISODE DESCRIPTION  It's 8pm on a Tuesday. The meeting started late, Dave hasn't read the agenda, and three decisions in you already know you'll have to reverse two of them next month. Sound familiar? Welcome to The Committee Room. In this first episode, Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee — yes, they're both called Kate — cut through the jargon to answer the most fundamental question in governance: what is it, and why does it matter? Spoiler: it's eight words, and everything else is detail. SHOW NOTES  If you've ever sat in a committee meeting wondering whether any of this is actually worth it, this episode is for you. In Episode 1, your hosts Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee introduce themselves, the podcast, and the single most important concept in governance — doing the right things and doing things right. Simple in theory. Here's how to make it work in practice. In this episode: Why governance matters even when everything seems fineThe difference between strategy and process — and why you need bothWhy every committee member is responsible for the whole organisation, not just their own cornerGood governance as an insurance policy — and why the premium is worth payingWhat's coming up in The Committee Room over the season aheadThis week's challenge: At your next committee meeting, ask just one question: do we actually understand what good governance really is? You don't need to answer it at the meeting. Just ask it and see what comes up. About your hosts: Kate Hartwig has spent forty years working in and around not-for-profit and membership organisations — as a CEO, director, and independent consultant. Kate McPhee has three decades of hands-on experience helping small clubs and associations get more done with less stress. She is also the author of Just a Tick, a plain-English governance guide for committees and boards. This podcast provides general information on best practice governance for small to medium not-for-profit associations. It is not legal advice. Timestamps:00:07 - The chaos of a typical community hall committee meeting01:02 - Introduction of the hosts and their backgrounds in governance consulting02:38  - Defining governance: the importance of structures, procedures, and stakeholder expectations03:10 - Simplifying governance: "doing the right things and doing things right"04:05 - Why does governance matter? 04:42 - Governance as an insurance policy  05:25 - The cost of ignoring governance05:44  - What's coming up in future episodes: committees, meetings, documents, finance, and more07:21 - The challenge: ask your committee, "Do we understand what good governance is?"07:51  - Wrap-up and encouragement to subscribe and share Resources & Links: The Committee Room: https://thecommitteeroom.com.auFresh Allsorts (Governance Health Check Joint Enterprise): https://freshallsorts.com.au Kate McPhee: https://liquoriceallsorts.com.au Kate Hartwig: https://katehartwig.com.au Connect with Kate & Kate:Kate Hartwig on LinkedInKate McPhee on LinkedIn

    9 min
  • 1 Episode

About

Practical governance for volunteer committees and not-for-profit organisations. Hosted by governance consultants Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee, each episode tackles one topic — clearly, honestly, and without the jargon. Short enough to finish before your coffee goes cold.

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kate Hartwig and Kate McPhee. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Committee Room