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Guest Speaker:
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Kath Ronan
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Topic:
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Member
behind the badge
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Speakers Aide:
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Geoff Limmer
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Desk Duties:
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Ian Port, Ralston Wood, Lin Martin
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Roving Reporter:
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Michael
Kirk
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President Greg’s Report for Week in Review, ending Feb 4th,
2009:
Whilst
Global Warming might be open to debate, there’s no argument that it’s been
very, very hot. It seems we may have passed the hump now, so hopefully we can
restrict our concerns to our very dry gardens. As I write this, there are
fires springing up everywhere and I can’t help but feel extraordinarily
grateful to our volunteer fire-fighters. What a terrible, oppressive job and
what genuine community spirit is exhibited by these wonderful men and women.
Whilst
our volunteering is nowhere near as oppressive or invasive in our lives, each
of us gets the opportunity to assist others in the community through our
combined work in the Club. We deserve to feel proud of our work and should
encourage others to be involved. Please find a worthy person and tell them
how they can do their little bit to change the world.
It
was a great turnout this week to hear Lin
and I’m grateful for her input to the Club. Yet another quiet, self effacing
achiever.
Late addendum to
President’s Report:
Due
to the unfolding tragedy with the current Victorian bushfire situation it has
been determined that the proceeds of this week's Farmers Market have been
dedicated to the Bushfire Relief Fund.
President
Greg
Report from Last Week’s Meeting (Feb 4th) by Roving Reporter Geoff Limmer.
Ken
Clark announced that he had brought along more of Suzanne’s superb Apricot
Jam which was made from Apricots farmed at Kirk’s Mont Albert Orchard.
Gold
coin donation will assist Operation Cleft.
Garry
Randall announced that tickets were on sale for the Police Band Concert which
will be held on 3 April. Tickets at $22 per head are available from the
Whitehorse Performing Arts Centre in
Nunawading. He is also in need of raffle prises and urged us to assist in
seeking out suitable items for the raffle.
Lesley
Bell reported that the Tour of Police Academy was well supported with 23
people attending the Academy at noon. (Wednesday 4/2/09.)
Don
Sweeney shared his enthusiasm for the Rotary District Friendship Exchange and
encouraged us all to investigate the benefits of becoming involved in such an
exchange.
Tony
Stokes advised that the Charity Golf Day was on 23 March and he is looking
for helpers, items to raffle and items for the silent auction.
Today’s
Guest speaker was our own Lin
Martin who stepped in at the last moment as a result of a cancellation by a
scheduled speaker.
Lin spoke on her
experiences working on secondment last year to the recent review of Australian
Higher Education commissioned by the Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
The emphasis on the review was to examine the
Australian higher education system against international best practice and to
ensure that our universities are adequately able to contribute to the long
term economic development and growth of the country.
Lin presented a number
of charts which provided comparisons of the performance of Australia’s
higher education sector with that of overseas countries. One of these showed that there was likely
to be an increasing high demand for skilled workers with tertiary
qualifications for the foreseeable future in Australia and so a need for
increasing enrolments in higher education for the next ten years or so.
The charts also showed that on indicators such as research and innovation
outputs, the number of people in the population with higher level
qualifications, the enrolment of a diverse student population from a range of
socio-economic classes, and satisfaction of students with their experience of
university education, Australia
was slipping behind the performance of other developed countries.
As a result of this information, the expert Review
Panel led by Professor Denise Bradley had recommended to the government a number
of reforms to be introduced over the next decade. In particular the 46 recommendations of the
review report would lead to a future higher education system which would be:
·
Better regulated;
·
Demand driven;
·
Student centred;
·
Fairer;
·
Performance
oriented; and
·
Better resourced.
Lin also described
some of her experiences of interactions with the politicians at a 3 hour
Roundtable meeting which she attended in October with the Deputy Prime
Minister, Senator Kim Carr and about 25 Ministerial and government advisors. This was a very interesting and challenging
process where all of the recommendations of the review report were canvassed
and openly discussed with the Ministers present.
The Government’s decisions on the recommendations
contained in the review report are expected late this month.
Lin spoke about her role, input and experience with the
yet to be released review of
Australian Higher Education commissioned by the Deputy Prime Minister Julia
Gillard.
Attendance Report for
Last Week’s Meeting (Feb 4th 2009) by Geoff Limmer:
Listed below are Apologies for and Make-ups advised for the
September 3rd meeting. Remember that to be counted towards attendance,
Make-ups may be made 14 days prior to, or following, a missed meeting date.
Notice of Apology prior to a meeting should be
made to Geoff Limmer,
email rotary@airportbus.com.au or Tel:
0419 329 218.
Likewise if you are bringing a guest, similar notice would be
appreciated beforehand if at all possible.
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Apologies: (5)
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Rob Collier,
Andrew Forgas, Craig Hoath, Lindsay
Mackay, Bernie Millane
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Leave of Absence:
(4)
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Murray Baird,
Trevor Dalziel, Peter Enlund,
Alison Gregory
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Absence: (2)
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Paul
Evans, Jim Killeen
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Present: 24/35
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Visiting
Rotarians:
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Nil
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Visitors:
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Nil
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Make-ups (4)
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Rotaract
Club of Whitehorse
28/1/09: Malcolm Chiverton
RC
of Doncaster 28/1/09: Ralston Wood
RC
Moorleigh Moorabbin 3/2/09: Brian
Martin
RC
Wheelers Hill 3/2/09: Brian
Martin
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Date
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Speaker
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Subject
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Speakers Aide
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18
February
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Erin
Scolia, Oaktree
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Oaktree
and its implications for Rotary Clubs
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Maurice
Bennington
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25
February
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Assistant
Governor Brian Tyedin, Rotary
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The
Foundation and the Centurion Club
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Garry
Randall
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4
March
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Gonny
Rundell, Wantirna Rotary
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The
Australian Bike Ride
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Tony
Stokes
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11
March
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David
Mattiske, Transparency International
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Fighting
corruption through Transparency International
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TBA
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18
March
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Matthew
Etty-Leal, Consultant
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Working
with Animal Aid
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TBA
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25
March
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Heather
Le Roy, The Smith Family
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The
work of The Smith Family
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TBA
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February
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World Understanding Month
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Sat 14/2
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Potential
Rotary Leaders Seminar (PRLS)
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8.30
am - 4-30pm
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Mulgrave
Country Club
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Sun 15/2
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Potential
Rotary Leaders Seminar (PRLS)
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8.30
am - 4.30pm
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Mulgrave
Country Club
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Fri 27/2
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AG’s
& Presidents Meeting
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Mulgrave
Country Club
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Sat 28/2
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GSE
D4890 (Argentina)
Arrive
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Birthdays:
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4 February
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Vici Funnell
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6 February
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Raeleen Hoath
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20 February
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Sue McPhail
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21 February
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Bruce McEwen
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22 February
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Penny Cooper
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25 February
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Tony Stokes
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28 February
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Ron McAllister
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28 February
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Rosemary Baird
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Anniversaries:
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4 February
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Murray & Rosemary Baird
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9 February
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John & Jill Maddock
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17 February
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Ken & Suzanne Clark
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Rotary
Inductions:
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1 February 1980
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Ralston Wood
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20 February 2002
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Kerry Barrett
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21 February 1996
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Ken Rice
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Members Input Corner:
From
Don Sweeney
Hi, fellow Rotarians, just a few details about the
matter I mentioned this morning at the meeting. Clearly not many
people know about this great Rotary activity. You may have seen an advert in the
DG's "Barnes Storming" email about
a "Rotary Friendship Exchange" (RFE) to New Jersey in
USA on 2nd - 16th June, this year.
http://www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAndFellowship/Fellowship/RotaryFriendshipExchange
I expressed interest and the planning has just
started for the exchange. There are only 3 participants from the
whole 9810 District and it is not too late to express interest and go -
contact Daryl Knight of Manningham Club for further info: 9844 3546
or d.knight@darylknight.com.au
I was really surprised to learn about the Rotary
Friendship Exchange - it seems to be relatively unknown in our
District, however, some districts do four exchanges a year with
districts around the world. It lasts for two weeks and you
stay with three to five hosts in the receiving district and get to see the
sights in that area - perhaps some special interests or vocational
visits. New jersey is a hop,
skip and a jump from New York and also
close to New England, Washington
and Philadelphia
for a pre or post side trip if you want to do that. There is no
expectation that you will host an exchange Rotarian into Australia -
it is a district responsibility.
You are also fully covered by comprehensive Rotary
travel insurance - up to 95 years old at no cost. (Minimal conditions
apply). You can even extend your holiday by up to 60 days with
full cover - see attached.
So what are you waiting for - there's still time to get
involved. If you can't go this time - seriously think about a future
exchange - it is a great opportunity.
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Desk Duties/Greeting
Roster 2009:
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Mar
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Kath Ronan, Andrew
Forgas, Kerry Barrett
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Apr
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Maurice
Benington, Trevor Dalziel
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May
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Michelle
Hart, Vici Funnell,
Michael Kirk
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Jun
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Garry Randall, Rob Collier, Lesley Bell
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11 Feb
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Michael Kirk
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18 Feb
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Don Sweeney
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25 Feb
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Brian Martin
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Whitehorse Farmers Market Roster:
2009
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15 Feb
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Shift 1.
7.30am – 10.00am
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Peter Enlund, Craig Hoath
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Shift 2. 10.00am – 12.15am
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Bernie
Millane, Kerry Barrett
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15 Mar
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Shift 1.
7.30am – 10.00am
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Kerry Barrett, Owen Jenkin
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Shift 2. 10.00am – 12.15am
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Malcolm Chiverton, Murray
Baird
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Eastern Emergency Relief
Roster:
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In the event that
you are unable to make the allocated date, please let Geoff Limmer know.
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21
Feb
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Tony Stokes, Michelle
Hart, Bernie Millane, Bruce McEwen, Rotaractor)
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21
Mar
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Michael Kirk, Ian Port,
Garry Randall, Lindsay Mackay,
Rotaractor
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Thought for the Week:
District
9810 website
- for all the news in our Rotary district
Rotary eClub one - Rotary eClub One
Calendar of Events - check it out
regularly as it is UPDATED on a regular basis
Board of Directors - President Greg Cooper, Club Directors 2008/09 and their
Committees
Club Service List - All the other
Club duties
For contributions
and improvement ideas please email the editor, bmcewen@optusnet.com.au
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