AABA understands that ACCA is to hold a disciplinary hearing against its 1998/99 Deputy-President Ray Gardiner on 7th July 2000. This action is starnge as previously the ACCA has refused to discipline him. On 5th July 1999, ACCA President informed Austin Mitchell MP that "ACCA's Council gave careful consideration to the course of action it should take with respect to Ray Gardiner, including the possibility of disciplinary action being brought against him. It decided that disciplinary action was inappropriate".

The vindictiveness of the ACCA officials is now there for all to see. They did nothing whilst Ray Gardiner was on ACCA Council. Gardiner was a candidate for the 2000 elections. But he failed to be elected by a margin of only 22 votes. The leadership’s 617 ‘block votes” played a decisive role in ousting him. The voting closed on 27th April 2000. An ‘insider’ told AABA that on the same day, the ACCA officials decided that now was their opportunity to get even with a man who wanted to trim the powers of the chief exectuive and reform ACCA.