Guest Speaker Report
by
Rotarian Ian Johnson
Wednesday 22July 2009
Our guest speakers were fellow members Doug Potter and Godfrey Isouard who spoke to us about their “jobs”.
Doug, who runs a travel agency, told us of his early days in the travel industry dealing with customer’s complaints and lost bags. He told us of one flight on a DC3 going from Mascot to Albion Park. On take off the pilot requested that passengers at the rear of the plane move to the front so that the load would be evenly distributed for take off. The pilot omitted to tell the passengers to return to their seats after take off and found on arrival at their destination that many of the passengers had remained standing at the front of the plane for the entire flight. One passenger commented that whilst she could understand sometimes missing out on a seat on the bus she did expect to have a seat on a plane!
Doug advised us that domestic airline bookings were once a significant source of income for many travel agents. Now many people hunt for bargains on the internet and book online. He advised us that for a travel agency to do well now they need to have an established client base or to cater for a niche in the travel market.
Doug’s business is an amalgamation of an American Express office and a Travelscene office. Doug informed us that being able to use the American Express logo was very important for his business and that it is the tenth most recognised brand in the world.
Doug advised us that 2009 is the year of the “travel special”. New airlines and larger aircraft are now servicing Australia. In an effort to fill seats many prices are now reduced to about half of what they were a year ago.
Doug also advised us that there has been a big increase in the popularity of cruising although the state government has been slow to provide the additional terminal facilities required. The government should remedy this situation urgently as the passengers the ships bring to Sydney spend a lot of money whilst they are here.
Doug expressed the view that Sydney’s second airport would be built at Richmond as the existing runway there is long enough to accommodate the world’s largest planes. Doug expressed concern that the recent hotel bombings in Indonesia may affect travel to Bali which had largely recovered after previous terrorist attacks. In conclusion Doug noted that increased travel would be an integral part of Australia’s recovery from recession.
Godfrey worked at Canterbury Hospital early in his career. There he received wide experience in general pathology and endocrinology. Being a young doctor on call in such a busy hospital Godfrey had to deal with the needs of a wide range of patients.
Godfrey then worked at Lidcombe Hospital where he found the culture to be quite different. Whilst at Lidcombe Godfrey started his Masters in Public Health.Then “area health boards” were implemented and Godfrey became involved with “change management” which he enjoyed. He then commenced his Ph. D. studies.
Godfrey then started working with the University of Western Sydney. He was involved with the amalgamation of the Macarthur, Nepean and Western Sydney institutions. He had to deal with a lot of vested interests as the number of schools and deans were drastically reduced. He was also involved with preparing 5 year and 25 year strategic plans for the University. During this time Godfrey’s interest in research was put on the back burner.
Godfrey has been involved with moves by the University to engage with significant groups in the local community. Representatives of the University have meet with elders of one significant group who place great emphasis on religion and education. This has resulted in increased enrolments of young people who are often the first member of their family to attend university.
Godfrey has also been involved with opening up the campuses to local high school students so that the University is not viewed as a foreign environment.
In conclusion Godfrey advised us of some of the research projects he is presently involved with. One, which is of great topical interest, is research into “cyber bulling“ in local high schools. Results from this project should be published soon. Another project involves the radiography department at Blacktown Hospital. The aim has been to reduce the number of unnecessary X-rays being processed and thereby creating better access for X-rays that are essential.