| | SPEAKERS 2007 back to OCT 2006.| 12 Dec 2007 | Gary Young - Air Marshall Program
On 13 November 2001 Gary Young was appointed by the PM to set up the Australia Air Marshall Program (AMP) following 9/11 attacks. The PM directed that the program capability by 31 December 2001. And there was no existing scheme to develop in Australia, no staff, no trainers, no offices, no legislation, no equipment and no governance.
Gary is a retired Army officer with 28 years in the Infantry and considerable experience from postings in PNG, Lebanon and HK. He started on a Monday and by Wednesday was off to Israel to begin the research. He quickly recruited two instructors and sent them to the US for training. He found that overseas courses and concepts did not meet our requirements so there was considerable work involved in developing the training program and writing the concept (which was done on the flight to Tel Aviv). They worked extraordinary hours to get the training program up and running in November, commenced negotiations with government departments, government agencies, airports, airlines and corporations. On 31 December, the first of the Air Marshalls flew on a domestic flight.
Gary explained there were four lessons they learnt in meeting this daunting task by the challenging deadline:
1. Strong leadership and determination are essential. They worked horrendous hours, and met considerable road blocks – some of which you need to protect your staff from, leaving them free to tackle their challenges
2. Even though there was no expertise and experience directly on point in Australia, Gary was able to develop the AMP using and adapting relevant domestic skills and knowledge – such as adapting existing technology and computer programs to meet AMP criteria
3. There are limits on power and resources available – despite the deadline and profile of AMP, they still had to meet standards, criteria and be subject to scrutiny, and
4. Selection of staff is critical. They found it a challenge to identify the right staff and meet targets.
While the success of the AMP is hard to judge, a 2004 Senate Estimates Committee were told by Qantas that the Australian AMP was “world best practise. | | 5 Dec | National Youth Service Forum
Bruce MacFarlane from Tuggeranong Rotary provided some background to the upcoming NYSF Dinner at ANU on 3 January 2008:
The Dinner will be at the John Curtin School of Medical Research for the students attending the Forum and Sunrise is hosting the first of two dinners. The Forum helps students prepare for their future – they prepare job applications for a job they wish to be doing in 10 years time and gauge what qualifications they need to obtain it. Sunrise volunteers are needed to sit on interview panels on Thursday 20 and 24 Jan (both AM) 2008.
Bruce MacFarlane and his wife joined Instep – a programme to enable Indigenous skills transfer. They spend a month working as volunteers in schools in Hopevale, NT. It was a rewarding experience and they would highly recommend it for over 65yrs.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
School Volunteer Program. This program is looking for volunteers to spend one hour weekly on, what we know as the Meccano program. They work with students - generally Years 5 and 6 – who either need to be challenged, or who might need adult male contact. They desperately need more males prepared to give an hour a week. The Meccano boss is PDG Bob Greeney.
Please let Ian Sayers know if you can devote an hour a week please and he will pass your name on. .
| | 28 Nov | Lyn Glendenning – Palm Consulting
Lyn Glendenning was the 2005 Telstra Business Woman of the Year. Her business is consulting and she founded Palm Consulting Group which assists businesses to face new challenges. She never expected this line of business to take off but it did and she now works with some high profile and varied clients – however it still is a challenge to describe what she does and just why business turns to her for solutions.
She was previously a psychologist working with young offenders, which surprisingly, is quite a useful background for consulting. She works with people facing enormous challenges who haven’t necessarily brought with them the skill set they need to tackle them. These company officers are tasked with taking forward their business, often making decisions which have repercussions for the communities as well at their business. The larger the company, the greater the potential impact on others.
In the past six months she has worked with a rugby union club, a major bank and a water board responsible for allocating and planning for our precious resource. These are not jobs where executives come with a suitable qualification beyond their degree. They have to manage their business, achieve their outcome while retaining good staff, maintaining technical excellence and meeting modern community issues.
Lyn is there to provide support and assist them to plan. She is advisor, friend and broker of solutions. She helps them to instigate cultural change and eliminate systemic incompetence.
Not all her clients are in private business – some are in public service roles responsible for dilemmas which are not able to resolve – it is often a thankless task where the only guaranteed outcome is criticism. She remains full of admiration for people dedicated to working in such roles. | | 21 Nov | Zeynep Ersavci- Turkish History
Ms Ersavci, wife of the Turkish Ambassador was our guest this week. She came with a beautiful tulip, Turkey being the home of the tulip and divine almond crescent biscuits to go with coffee. The Turks introduced coffee to Europe.
Ms Ersavci is a graduate in cultural anthropology, speaks numerous languages and is very passionate about promoting women in parliamentary life. She brought a video and brochures of ancient cultural Turkey but she spoke of the modern Turkey, established by Ataturk. It is democratic republic, home to a myriad of ethnic groups, historical sites, which sits between Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The modern Turkey is a secular society, the only democracy among the Islamic countries. It was Ataturk who is 20s and 30s introduced equality for women. Women have flourished in academia and professions but they are still working on raising numbers of women parliamentarians ( – so are we).
Vocational Awards - ACT Training Excellence Awards 2007
Finalists for ACT Vocational School Student of the Year
o Alicia Do, Hawker College
o Ciara Duggan, St Clare’s College
o Claire Edwards, Lake Tuggeranong College
o Joanne Jennings, MacKillop Catholic College
o Shantelle Mullen, Daramalan College
Winner of ACT Vocational School Student of the Year.
o Anne Louise Cox, Lake Ginnidera College
| | 14 Nov |
| | 7 Nov | Jennifer McMillin – Integrating Sustainability.
Following her year as a research fellow at ANU, Jennifer’s current job sees her integrating sustainable uses of resources at ANU. The UN defined sustainability as ‘meeting the world’s needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’
As Jennifer sees it, a method of using resources should be economically viable, environmentally sound and socially just. Global mobility has reinforced our recognition of that the impact of our local decisions can have on our regional neighbours. However we need to translate our knowledge and attitudinal changes into behavioural ones and this is the hardest one to change. Jennifer’s focus has been on teaching people to change their behaviour to reflect their knowledge.
She works for ANU Green which is the corporate environment management office. It has been steadily making changes and has increased ANU’s purchase of green energy, is aiming to use all potable water on the landscape and is currently trialling organic waste from land fill. They have purchased a ‘Hot Rot’ industrial composter from NZ which takes 500 tonnes of waste in a year. They are promoting ‘e-waste recycling programmes’ on campus which involves the recycling of computers, cardboard boxes and styroform.
Her approach makes learning about sustainable practices meaningful to students as she encourages them to engage in projects such as the Hot Rot composter, the Gully restoration project, tree plantings and the campus organic garden. It has the added bonus of getting students involved in enjoyable and social activities which are also rewarding. It teaches them project solving skills and skills they can take into the community after university.
Jennifer can be contacted on jennifermcmillin@anu.edu.au and there is more about the ANU projects at www.jennifermcmillin.blogspot.com and www.anu.edu.au/anugreen .
| | 24 Oct | Douglas (Youth Exchange Program). Douglas has been selected to go to Mexico in January as part of the Youth Exchange Program. As part of this program he has to give a short speech during the exchange on a selected topic. The topic that he has been given is "Canberra".
Douglas gave an interesting presentation on the history, geography, governance, demographics and culture of Canberra.
Blood Pressure – the Silent Killer
An average GP treats more people for hypertension (high blood pressure) than any other condition and the consequences can be dire – heart attack, stroke, diabetes. And the condition is not confined to wealthy countries. Blood pressure is the number 3 factor contributing to the world death toll. Hypertension causes 7.1 million deaths or 4.5% and leads to 64 million days of productive life lost each year. 600 million people have hyptertension and 500 million require medical intervention.
It leads to cerebrovascular problems and ischemic heart disease. As the diastolic blood pressure increases, so does the risk of heart attack. As the systolic pressure increases so does the risk of haemorrhagic stroke.
However, with treatment the risk of stroke and heart attacks drop significantly.
Interestingly, much of the initial research into bp medication and testing was done in Australia and NZ.
However, WHO faces huge difficulties in treating blood pressure problems world wide including a lack of medication, measuring equipment and expense.
There are two approaches the WHO takes – targeting the risk group or targeting the whole population and the latter can have a significant impact. We all should adopt those lifestyle modifications which reduces blood pressure:
o Stop smoking
o Weight loss
o Physical activity
o Moderation of alcohol intake
o Diet (fresh fruit and vegetables, low saturated fat
o Reduce salt intake, and increase potassium, and
o Avoid processed foods.
While cardiovascular deaths cause one third of all known deaths, they are preventable. In Australia, lifestyle changes and improved medication has seen a significant reduction in cardiovascular deaths in the younger age group.
| | 17 Oct | Genevieve Jacobs– ABC Radio - Gardening
Genevieve presents the Saturday gardening show on ABC Radio, along with Sunday brunch time arts show. She started 18 months ago and her role at the station has increased dramatically as she has take on a myriad of radio slots, presenting with the same humour and elegant tones she spoke with at our Rotary breakfast.
A journalist by training, Genevieve was the ACT and Southern tablelands gardening scheme convenor before working in radio. She started at the Cootamundra local press covering court hearings and cattle sales before raising 4 children and working on the open gardening scheme.
The ABC sought her out for its radio show, not for her gardening skills but for her broader journalist’s skills and her appreciation of the social community surrounding gardening. Thus, when she started, she had a few things to learn. But she came armed with good advice – never lead your audience up the garden path –they will know, and embrace the bottomless pit of questions about lemon trees. Canberra is too cold for lemons by the way. So she found a useful resource in a local citrus arboreal expert with which to respond to listener’s needs.
Genevieve has identified a real dearth of information for Canberra green thumbs – most of the literature is for the evergreen temperate zones, particularly Sydney. But with Canberra’s more arid climate stretching from a Baltic -8 C to an embalming 40C over the year, with drought for 6 years, perhaps we, more than other cities, must recognise and work with the seasons.
Her co-presenter Rod, a man not fond of gardening, apparently blushes like the first rose of the season at the slightest mention of plant reproduction or nude gardening.
A particular challenge of ABC radio in general is the technology. With no lackeys to assist the radio jockeys, she must not only present, but cue in promos, manage the 7 second delay, play music and above all, break bang on time for the news.
As a journalist, Genevieve has been fascinated by the stories that hold the interests of local listeners. Not surprisingly, Canberra’s don’t really give a toss about how much golden balls (aka David Beckham) is earning but they love a good barney on magpie songs, baby names and brown snakes. Good to know the profound impact nature still has on us.
| | 10 Oct | Melinda Sung– Australian Youth Ambassador in Thailand
Melinda Sung has just completed 7 months in Bangkok, Thailand as an AUSAID sponsored Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (AYAD). AYADS are sponsored to take part in a skills exchange program AUSAID operates through Asia. She was part of one of three intakes this year – her intake saw 130 AYADs sent to 15 different countries.
AYADs are placed in international agencies, NGO’s, govt organizations and educational and science organizations. Most AYADs will have a tertiary degree bust some are trained in trades which leads to a variety of AYADs and a variety of experiences. AYADs go to a country with a goal in mind - but it is all to common for their achievement to be radically different to the task they planned to achieve. All AYADs aim to improve the area they are assigned to. They are required to cope in a cross cultural setting and when sent to remote areas, language learning becomes a significant challenge.
Melinda was placed at UNESCO’s office in Bangkok working on the World Heritage Seal of Excellence for handicrafts project. The project assists local artists to develop products for an identified market, sell their products overseas, earn a viable income and once a year, the project hosts a ceremony to award excellence. Melinda was involved in this and she spent time encouraging locals to apply, arranging the ceremony and organizing judges. She got to travel to Burma and especially worked with local artists to identify their market and manufacture for profit.
However her 7 months saw her take on more challenges. When she arrived at UNESCO she found it staffed with many volunteers but there was no support for these volunteers. This left many not enjoying their experience at UNESCO. Melinda was aware she has the benefit of the AYAD network and AUSAID’s support in finding accommodation, obtaining visa’s and language lessons. So she set up a volunteer network to provide support and create a social network. She said senior management was pleased as it smoothed the way for volunteers to enjoy their experience at UNESCO.
She also spent time teaching English and proof reading the work of others – and not just on behalf of the local Thais. She also tutored Japanese students in English and the fine social art of the picnic.
The AYAD program is advertised on the AUSAID website. Once she weaved her way through the application process (several months) she received 2 weeks briefing in Canberra.
On arrival in Thailand she had 10 hours of general language tuition and was able to have 10 hours private follow up tuition. For her friend in Laos, things were not so easy and the remote location meant that unlike Bangkok, language skills were vital. Her friend ended up playing a lot of soccer with the locals. Melinda on the other hand, found settling in easy – she got around the city, discovered where to eat, live &tc She clearly made the most of her time there and left an impact on the place she worked at, fulfilling her AYAD aim to improve the area she was assigned to.
| | 3 Oct | Ian Sayers PP – Malaria. Ian is chairman of the District Malaria Committee and Deputy Chair of the National Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM).
RAM has an ‘adopt a village’ program through which insecticide impregnated sleeping nets are provided to every villager along with education on malaria. The nets are treated with a plant derived chemical which pretty well kills everything that comes into contact with it save for the immortal cockroaches. The nets last up to 5 years and survive 23 washes before the insecticide needs to be replenished. It is approved by the World Health Organisation.
RAM has adopted two small villages in PNG – they have a total population of 320 – and supplied 122 nets. They have also adopted a village called Totongo in The Solomon Islands. Villages in the Solomons are considerably easier to assist as they are a great deal more accessible than the mountainous jungle of PNG.
Since the program started there have been the following contributions:
o $75,000 as the district level
o $2,000 from Sunrise, and
o $3.2 million from Australia to assist in PNG, The Solomon Islands and of late – East Timor.
The program is an on-going commitment to fighting malaria. They have found that a significant proportion of Solomon Islanders have a natural immunity to malaria and that once the use of nets in introduced it must be kept up as natural immunity is lost.
Malaria is notoriously difficult to fight and to treat:
o Of the four species of mosquito that can carry the disease, there are numerous sub-species and drug resistance sub-species continue to evolve. This is why WHO warns against reliance on one anti-malaria drug.
o Latest research indicates there is a sub-species which is starting to bite in late afternoon and is confined to the high risk period of after dark.
o A new complication of fake anti-malaria drugs, manufactured mostly in Asia can render a program fruitless. It is estimated 30% of the supply in Asia is fake. Rotary has attempted to counteract this by purchasing drug testing kits – a diversion of money it would be preferable not to have to make.
But the programs are worthwhile. After the provision of nets in a village in PNG, the incidence of malaria was reduced by an impressive 80%. There were also benefits for the vulnerable- pregnant women and the very young as the program saw less miscarriages and an increase in birth weights.
So support our BBQ events – some of the money we make from them goes on this excellent program which has a real impact on our regional area. | | 26 Sep | Derek Wrigley - Climate Change Needs Housing Change - Derek joined us at chilly but colourful Floriade morning to explain why responding to climate change will have to involve a change in how we approach the building and refurbishment of our homes.
Derek was a teacher at NSW University and is a designer of solar houses. He has also completed a new book of housing change.
Derek started by noting that the Ngunnawhal people has lived in harmony with the Canberra environment for thousands of years but in the last 200 years we have caused considerable damage.
Australia has one of the highest carbon emission levels per person compared to the rest of the world but if we take action now and change how we plan and build houses, we can reduce to a level of other countries. Housing is one of Australia’s biggest industries but on 5 % involves building new houses, the remaining concerns retrofitting and it is this industry that can be targeted for change. Historically, we inherited our housing construction practices from the UK – odd considering how different we are in climate and most obviously different in our extraordinary sunlight hours. We regard the sun as an enemy, rather than using it. We have a low use of solar absorbers compared to the comparatively unsunny Europe! At a time when our electricity usage is increasing, why would we not get our electricity from the sun.
Derek acknowledged that the equipment to capture solar energy is expensive but in a city where we have one of the highest per capita incomes we are better placed than others to take up the cost. That said, our trend towards medium density, small, tall houses is cutting our options. Tall evergreen trees are blocking out light we could use and we persist in poor design choices like heat absorbing dark roofs and brick veneer houses. We collect our waters in dams and don’t recycle black and grey water on site.
By failing to manage our houses, we are creating hot spots – little heat cities warmer than the surrounding countryside.
If we get the design right, we can have houses that are cool enough not to need air conditioning. By building and refurbishing, we have benefits which extend far greater than simply calculating when the feature will reduce out expenses compared to its costs. We don’t do such calculations when purchasing comforts so why do it when purchasing designs that will benefit beyond our life time or our budget. | | 19 Sep | Ian McTaggart – This is your life. Ian was re-inducted two weeks ago having returned to settle in Canberra.
He is a past president who was extensively involved in parish commitments, Rotary and Galilee before moving to Sydney in 2004.
Ian was born up north in a place that sounds very dusty and remote to me – Monto – which is 300km due west of Bundaberg. He grew up moving around Qld as his father was a school teacher. He married after meeting his wife of 30 years in Rockhampton and they moved to Sydney in 1973.
Ian spent the next 12 years in the army and left after gaining the bookish qualification of librarian. He left because he and his family had grown substantial roots in Canberra – contributing through church, charitable work, fostering and support of children in need. As you can in Canberra. Ian worked his away across government – first the executive arm (army) he moved on to judicial (the High Court as Registry Manager) to Parliament (the Senate) ending up at the Press Gallery – a fascinating job with long hours at a time he and his wife were raising their two boys and two foster children.
He recently returned to Canberra after working in Sydney for 3 years and is pleased to be back at Canberra Sunrise. It was, after all the club that Rosemary Ganly introduced him to many years ago. Rebecca Ashcroft – Criminal Assets at the CDPP.
Not surprisingly I didn’t take notes on my own musings on this exciting though less well known cousin of prosecutions.
Criminal Assets simply involves taking the profit motive out of crime – we go after the proceeds and instruments of crime as well as seeking orders for defendants to pay a sum equivalent to the benefits they received from committing offences.
While proceeds of crime legislation has been around for a while, the Commonwealth legislation is relatively new, enacted in 2002, unlike the laws in many countries it enables action to be brought whether or not a person has been convicted. It makes for an interesting and !#@#$#’ challenging job I can tell you.
| | 5 Sep | Dr Kris Hort - "How the other half live – or what we can do in times of tragedy" Dr Hort commenced overseas work as an Australian in Bangladesh, and was sponsored by a Rotary Club. Before taking up his current position with the Nossal Institute at the University of Melbourne his background was in the NSW health system. Following the 2004 tsunami Dr Hort travelled as a volunteer to the Maldives as part of the Australian volunteer team. The wave was approximately 3 metres high in this area and did a great deal of damage to about 18 islands throughout the Maldives. The local people themselves travelled from the unaffected islands to help those who were affected, and the response to the tsunami was well organised and efficient. This could be contrasted with the response to the tsunami in Aceh. Dr Hort travelled to Aceh several months after the tsunami, but had previously had ongoing involvement in Aceh through World Vision. The situation in Aceh was significantly different to that in the Maldives, primarily due to the different political difficulties. There had been twenty years of conflict in Aceh prior to the tsunami, and had been only limited investment in the necessary health infrastructure. There was much greater damage in Aceh, which included damage to the capital city, and the response was therefore more difficult. The general development impacts in Aceh following the tsunami included improved security (with international observation), a peace agreement with GAM, the burgeoning of local enterprise and increased local government control (including local elections and a local census). The subsequent political change has been immense, with positive effects for local development and the health sector. On reflection, development is a complex process. It is difficult to determine the best way of assisting developing countries. Australia has increasingly moved to viewing development assistance as being aimed at improving the capacity of people through training to improve systems of governance and the like, rather than just directly providing infrastructure and financial support. Development assistance today is more about getting systems to function properly. As an example, Ausaid is now funding research and has moved to a more "whole of government" integrated approach. There is also a role for people-to-people links that shouldn't be underestimated. Rotary has an important role to play here, with these individual links placing an important emphasis on our common humanity.
| | 29Aug | Lyndal Thorburn – Saving the world with science. Fiona Buffington
Fiona Buffington firstly thanked Rotary for steering her to a career in international trade which has lead in turn to a career in international education.
She was sponsored by three Rotary districts to go to Taiwan under a Rotary Graduate Award where she studied language. While Taiwan was easier to access than China in the early 80s she did get to China where she met a trade Commissioner at the Aust. Embassy who encouraged her to go to Austrade. After several years there she has now embarked on a career with the Commonwealth department responsible for international aspects of education (DEST). The dept. assists with international paying students which Aust. has welcomed for two reasons- commercial benefits and the cultural benefits of bringing international students to Aust.
Provision of education to overseas students has become our fourth largest export worth $10.4 billion. There are almost 400,000 enrolments of overseas students in Aust institutions (some now have faculties overseas), 75,000 in higher education.
Fiona explained that these students do not displace domestic students – in fact, the full fees paid by the o/s students ensure some less popular courses are viable, such as engineering. However the new challenge is encouraging o/s students into courses other than the ever popular IT and business studies, such as social sciences. These courses are not traditionally popular for our established market such as China or Malaysia or our new markets like India, Korea and Middle East. India’s IT boom has seen a change in trends – students trained in Aust. are training to meet the needs of their domestic labour market rather than to improve their potential residency status in Aust.
New markets present their own challenges, particularly as the Middle East develops. When a new market opens up, Aust has to:
Ensure that the Aust qualifications are recognised and valued.
The Dept has recently conducted a survey of international students to assess their satisfaction – this revealed students were satisfied with their education but felt remote from their Aust fellow students. Many did not have an Aust friend but wanted one. Rotary could assist here. Simple outings hosted by Aust, clubs such as a trip to the AFL can be highlight of time in Aust.
Fiona thanked Rotary for sparking her career in international education and for Rotary’s continued work to promote the value of student exchanges – enforcing that they bring so much more important than commercial benefits and can have a much longer impact on Aust’s domestic society and the world view of Aust.
| | 22Aug | 75 - seconds - Rosemary reminded us why we buy and sell the Christmas cards put out by the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund (ARHRF). The Fund was started in 1981 by Mornington Rotary Club to raise money for research projects. They have funding mental health, bowel scanning and organisations combating youth suicide and depression. In 2006, they channelled $1.2 million into health research. They have also funded scholarships for indigenous students to undertake training a study in health professions. None have been awarded to ACT students so perhaps this is something we can promote in our local area. Divya Packianathan- Lyneham High School speaker
Divya Packianathan and her fellow student Isobel are about to compete is a ‘speak-off’ with 3 other students. Their speech has to use the Rotary 4 way test. Divya spoke to use with clarity, persuasion and poise about the application of the 4 way test to recent measures to assist indigenous communities. A simply thought but an excellent idea – she probed the quality and implications of the current response. She queried whether some of the solutions were band aid and wouldn’t go to the heart of difficulties facing rural communities. She reminded us that little has been said about promoting Aboriginal culture and language. Divya said we all need to be more aware of the sad inequalities and difficulties facing our indigenous community and that we should remember that their wellbeing matters to all Australians.
This is your life – Stephen Bramah
Barbara introduced us to our President. Rather that rattle off facts she asked him about some of his more colourful and poignant memories:
- Stephen had a penchant for watching the street sweeper in Leichardt as a child and recalls the rabbits being delivered in wheeled carts – common fare that has disappeared from today’s diet.
- In Vietnam he said regular soldiers and national servicemen alike used to try to evade active service by rather gamely contracting syphilis – until they realised that the response was to give the immunisations in the field.
- He met his wife at school though they didn’t marry til he returned from Vietnam and she from Europe where she had nursed – they married back in Australia and brought up a family. He really enjoyed his time in Wollongong where ran a TAFE Institute. | | 15 Aug | | | 8 Aug | Professor Donald Aitkins is an academic, writer and cook. He was Vice Chancellor of the University of Canberra and specialised in political science. Putting all these skills together he is working on a new book which examines life in Australia 50 years ago and his predictions for what life will hold in 50 years in time (other than drawing a pension and lot of golf).
50 years ago in Australia:
- our diet was awful, meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Immigrants developed our diet and by the 1990’s Australian chefs created ‘fusion’ cuisine. However our diet is still polarised by the extraordinarily good and downright awful.
- our music, literature and art has continued to be outstanding, creative but who has seen one of our 200 symphony orchestra’s lately? (not sure where Australian Idol fits in here).
- education. In the 50’s graduates were a small elite and a leader could be self-educated. Today we have 4 million graduates – albeit graduates of increasingly specialised learning.
50 years into the future
Prof. Aitkins fears for our future – who among our leaders is talking about nation building? Are their solutions for improving essential infrastructure, such as broadband, adequate? We have specialised so much that even our politicians are career politicians – what experience do they bring to the role? Everyone is highly educable – but is everyone receiving the education they need? Prof Aitkins noted we lived in a competitive society we are self-centred with too much to do.
Prof Aitkins stressed that we need to be better citizens but we need identify what a good citizen is. And when we do – we can change. We can change our attitudes and practices to health, education, sex, our nation and our environment.
| | 1 Aug | Raymond Hau - Exchange Student
Our exchange student from Hong Kong, Raymond Hau, introduced himself to the Club and spoke about his experiences in Australia. Raymond showed us pictures from Hong Kong. He has been sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kings Park in Hong Kong, which is part of the Rotary District involving clubs in Mongolia and Macau. The Rotary Club of Kings Park in Hong Kong was chartered in 1994 and currently has over 30 members. It has a focus on youth projects, and sponsors both Rotaract and Interact Clubs. The Club is involved in a range of community projects, including a project to develop a water supply system to villages in Mongolia (a project that Canberra Sunrise also contributed to) and the purchase of sheep for poor families in Mongolia. This is Raymond's first time travelling overseas and his first time travelling away from his family. Raymond presented Canberra Sunrise with a banner from the Rotary Club of Kings Park in Hong Kong.
Lara Corey - Brindabella Airlines
Lara embarked on a career in aviation in 1985. She established Brindabella Airlines in 1994 as an air charter company with an investment of $1,800. The company has continued to grow since its establishment, merging with an aircraft maintenance business and adding a flight school in 2000, starting scheduled flights in 2003 and introducing the 18-seater metroline aircraft in 2004. Today, Brindabella Airlines has over 70 employees and is a Qantas affiliate airline. The airline provides charter flights to private and government business people who are often travelling in groups to remote destinations. Tim Fischer was a regular customer of the airline, and they have also flown Elle McPherson to a remote location to film a shampoo commercial! The airline is also involved in community activities, including volunteer searching during the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and involvement in the "Wheelies with Wings" group.
Brindabella Airlines and Lara Corey have won a range of business awards. This includes the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics Australian Achievement of the Year Award in 2004, being a finalist in the Telstra Business Awards and winning a commendation in the Tourism Awards in 2005, winning both the Panasonic Award and Innovation Award as part of the Telstra Business Awards in 2006 and also winning both a Westpac Business Award and Telstra Businesswomen of the Year Award in 2006.
Lara also has two young children and spoke about the challenges of juggling work and family. Her three tips for business success are:
1. Enjoy challenges and achievements.
2. Creativeness.
3. Resilience.
| | 12 Jul | Nick Symons – Surviving cardiac arrests Nick is a past Rotarian who told us of his harrowing but also hopeful story of surviving a cardiac arrest. He had no heart beat for the hideously long time of 39 minutes after collapsing an awards ceremony on his way up to receive the Solicitor of the Year award on 20 Oct 2005. As a lawyer he specialises in property law and drafting of property legislation. Prior to his cardiac arrest, he was fit, healthy man who use to do marathons but who also worked dreadfully long hours in a job he still enjoys. He suffered the arrest suddenly, with no warning signs. He had to be told later of the events as he has no recollection, including of the two wonderful ladies who performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. The paramedics administered 10 hits from the defibrillator until a heart beat was found. Nick explained he is grateful to the admitting doctor who used a hypothermia treatment to protect his vital organs. Nonetheless he did not regain consciousness for several days and in the meantime his wife Elizabeth had been told to go home so she could face making a hard decision the next day. But Nick did recover, without impairment, though it was a long 4 weeks in hospital where he was fitted with a personal defibrillator to regulate his heart beat. He also faced the uncertainty of living for 6 month with a blood clot. Nick is back to full strength but living a balanced life – no working on the weekend and he is off to Europe for a tour in 4 weeks. As ambassador for the Heart Foundation he urges a balanced lifestyle, positive attitude, heart safe diet, regular exercise (it doesn’t need to be strenuous – we have a stunning lake in winter to perambulate) and don’t take work home. Essential advice – not just for your heart! | | 13 Jun | Galilee 20th Anniversary Dinner.
Dinner at Vienna Restaurant in Kambah was attended by 72 people from Rotary, Galilee, Kambah businesses and other invited guests. Galilee’s founding Director, Craig Webber, outline some of the history of Galilee, including people with big hearts who helped Galilee from the early days. Craig was modest about his contributions, but we know them to be amazing, given the progress and position of Galilee today. Galilee Council members were present, together with those who contributed as foster carers, educators or had offered help in other ways. Sponsors from the Kambah businesses who had donated goods and services (for auctions and raffles) were present. This was a valuable opportunity to showcase the work of Galilee to those present, not forgetting that Rotary was a facilitator of this great event. “Very yummy strudel”…. | | 6 Jun | | | 30 May |
| | 23 May 07 | Louise Bessington, Youth Exchange Program – Student’s experience of Turkey.
Accompanied by Bruce Mackay, Rotary Canberra Club + Phil Beecher, Principal Hawker College, + David Hay, Deputy Principal, Hawker College Louise donned a gorgeous Turkish coin belt and hoisted a large laminated map of Turkey she had got from the bazaars to tell us of her year in Turkey under the aegis of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.
Last January she arrived in Ankara to a warm welcome at the start of her year’s exchange. She found the Turks friendly and tolerant of all religions and not what she has anticipated. She learnt they are proud of their history and particularly honour Cabal Ataturk in every school and on many celebration days. On the holidays, Turks make every effort to be with their family in a very family orientated society. She noticed the marked divide between the very rich and the poor with a less noticeable middle class - unlike Australia. This manifested itself in the Rotary membership which in Turkey is effectively dominated by the wealthy and heavily donations based rather than using fund raising activities (imagine Rotary without the Great Debate!) Religion, she found pervades all aspects of life and often reflects class as well as beliefs.
Louise adopted the Turkish etiquette from wearing only slippers inside, kissing on both cheeks and cutting up fruit. There were also the superstitious rites to observe.
Louise loved learning Turkish - a language with no irregular verbs. But she also, rather wisely, made an effort to master cultural expressions (and keep out of trouble).
Louise summed up her rich and rewarding experience as the best year of her life.
| | 16 May 07 | The Great Debate. The John Curtin School of Medical Research with its sparkling glass façade, was the spectacular venue for The Great Debate last Wednesday. Fabulous! State of the art technology was at hand, a sumptuous spread of eats and a smorgasboard of debating entertainment. DG Mick Newling welcomed the diplomats attending and approx. 200 people in the audience. The Affirmative Team: Andrew Dickson, from ACT Rostrum, led the charge with a very considered introduction, even instructing his team members in song. Lorraine Finlay showed us why she has been an International Jessup Moot Finalist (no notes!), and David Kilby, ABC presenter, brought albums of music and a surreal t-shirt to haunt us. The Negative Team: Travers McLeod, Associate to Justice Michael Kirby, recalled meeting Senator Kate Lundy when he was a star struck 15 year old school boy. His team represented Religion, Politics and the Law – he wondered about the separation of powers. Bishop George Browning resplendent in his ‘vintage’ Raiders jersey said he was ready to accept confessions. Senator Kate Lundy had a hard task to round up for her team, talking up the numbers! Many thanks to our wonderful MC, Dr Duncan Steel who with wit and charm took as back to the baby boomer memories And thank you to our Adjudicator, Justice Michael Kirby whose scrupulous judicious and ‘bipartisan’ summing up thrilled the crowd.. All equaled out. This Great Debate TEAM has set quite a standard for future years –we all had great fun. | | 09 May 07 | Mike Riley - Sunrise Website - discussion. Our website address is….http://www.d9710.rotary.org.au/CanberraSunrise Have you had a look? If you haven’t, log on and go to the address. Add it to your favourites. It is a quick way to update your diary – the calendar has upcoming Sunrise, District and International events. News gives you a recap of the President’s column, announcements and projects. You can review Speakers. Most of us use websites for research – if you wanted to find out about Sunrise you would Google it and scan the website. We don’t tend to use it in lieu of the bulletin. Thank you to Mike for a interesting discussion about using our club website effectively. Mike pointed out that a webpage is another means of distributing information where work is not done in a central location. Are there things you would like to see on the website – photographs, the Survey, useful links? It is only as good as we choose to make it. And if there is information in our bulletin you don’t want to go on the website please let Mike know.
| | 02 May 07 | Keiran Rossteuscher and Emma Hodis ROTARACT Kieran is the Community Services and International Director and Emma is the Secretary from Canberra’s only Rotaract club. They temporarily lowered the average age of Sunrise at breakfast (they are still at that age where they can eat pancakes for breakfast with no repercussions) to talk about the Rotary-in-Action club for 18 to 30 year olds. The club emphasizes fun and socializing in addition to community work.
Both spoke of the diverse backgrounds of the members – from firemen to youth workers to IT to hospitality who undertake a vast range of projects in Canberra as well as enjoying a range of social functions with the Shoalhaven club such as mini Olympics. They participate in everything from ANU film nights, trash and treasures and driver reviver projects. Last year they did Relay For Life, the Kangacup and took kids with cancer to the Sydney Power House museum. They are looking for opportunities to assist the community as well as for new members to keep the club going.
They meet every 2nd Thursday at the RSL Civic at 7:30pm in Moore Street. Know any likely candidates??? Send them along!
| | 18 Apr 07 | Michaela Flanagan and George Ober – The Hague Model United Nations
Michaela and George part of a team of 17 from Australia, and they were selected to represent Argentina at the Model UN. So a great deal of time, prior to going overseas was spent in researching Argentina’s view on a range of issues likely to be raise. Each representative was assigned a UN committee and was tasked to prepare a resolution to be debated in the Hague. Michaela was assigned to the committee considering issue of poverty, George got Economics
After 2 weeks of travel in Europe the experienced the differing world views of the people they met in each country, especially those from the former Eastern block. Highlights included an amazing briefing arranged by the Australian Ambassador of 5 top advisors on their work in the UN, and meeting Gareth Evans, Head of the International Crisis Group in Brussels. At the Hague, Michaela and George got to debate their resolutions. Michaela was successful, George sadly learned the rough truth about coalitions and political promises. The main message they took away from all this, was that while young people like themselves may be the leaders of the future but they also have worthwhile opinions now, and that if at all possible they would like to ensure that the voice of youth was heard. They also discovered how much you represent Australia the moment you go overseas. They also learned how well Australia is represented in the fields of Human Rights and International Labour. Both thanked Canberra Sunrise.
| | 11Apr07 | Hugh Craft, Royal Commonwealth Society Hugh is president of the Royal Commonwealth Society which is a group of citizens which support the Commonwealth of countries. The aim of the RCS is to revive internets in the Commonwealth in Canberra and Hugh elaborated on the important role the Commonwealth can play in resolving internal country issues. To illustrate he described his encounters with Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
Following an interesting career in DFAT and PMC including a 10 year posting in London working to the Commonwealth Secretariat (CS), Hugh’s focus is on the multilateral approach to international diplomacy and is completing a doctoral degree on the area.
Hugh first met Mugabe when he was sent to Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia UDI) to observe elections in Fort Victoria as a CS officer. The CS was involved in drafting a constitution, weapon surrender and election oversight following the civil war in the 1980’s. Cwlth leaders including Fraser, Thatcher, Ghandi and Obeango had brokered the peace deal. Hugh recalled Mugabe speaking at a packed football stadium as hero of the revolution. His next encounter was as a passenger in a car driving the opposite way to Mugabe’s entourage – a bomb exploded missing both the convoys.
Hugh noted the Cth’s approach to counties toying with dictatorships and military regimes was very different to the UN and other international organisations – the Cth calls them to account as it did with Nigeria and Fiji. Zimbabwe has left the Cth after being called to account. Hugh noted that the next CHOGM may be interesting – it is currently headed by Uganda. Perhaps this is another opportunity for the Commonwealth.
| | 7 Feb 07 | This young person was truly inspirational… Bethany Lee was Sunrise’s participant in the Honeywell Engineering Summer School in early December 2006. One of 17 girls in a group of 103 students, she must be one of the determined and passionate students ever to want to pursue engineering.
Bethany explained she they spent a week visiting universities and engineering businesses including the Universities of Sydney, Western Sydney, NSW and Wollongong and UTS. They were taken on tours of Sytenics, Bluesteel, Honeywell and the Prince of Wales Hospital to see engineering in practice and to discover how vital engineering is to all aspects of our lives. She said the school opened her eyes to how diverse engineering was. She met new friends she keeps in touch with.
Bethany wants to be an air-force pilot and to fly F18s (am a big fan of the SR-71 myself) and ultimately to be a Mission Specialist for NASA. She said she loves learning and plans to study physics and astrophysics – possibly overseas.
Bethany’s science teacher pointed her to Rotary and she expressed her thanks and her gratitude, particularly to Jonathan Lyall.
We wish her every success – perhaps she will be the first person/women/ Australian to set foot on another planet!
| | 6 Nov 06 | Dennis Moore is a professional speaker and showman. His family has a background in showgrounds and carnivals and he grew up in this environment. From this he learnt that humour is a positive force in influencing human behaviour. Dennis works with companies (both private and public) to promote the idea of bringing fun into the corporate environment. His specialty is adjusting attitudes to bring fun into business and life. Work and fun aren't separate concepts but are inter-related. The idea of fun at work is really just about enjoying your work. This has advantages from an economic/costing point of view, with Dennis seeing the "power of fun" as a business growth tool. Dennis gave examples of how companies have been able to change their culture through introducing the idea of fun. This can often be done in small ways and can have a really positive impact upon the overall corporate environment. It makes a different to both customers and employees, with a sense of fun often translating into increased loyalty, commitment and productivity.
Dennis also spoke about how our attitude can affect other people and performance. He spoke about different humour styles. Fun is not a skill, but it is an attitude and an atmosphere that people should remember to develop.
| | 15 Nov | Kim Chetterjee – Mercy ships
Kim is a business analyst for Centrelink who has grown up with her Indian-Filipino family in various parts of the world – Haiti, Sudan, Mali. She found a brochure for Mercy Ships and fell in love with their mission.
Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 by Don Steven. It is a global Christian charity which responds to the desperate need for medical aid in struggling countries. They have 2 ships – the Anastasia and the Africa Mercy which sail to areas in need to bring hope and healing to those who have none. The ships are decommissioned luxury liners which have been decked out as self contained floating hospitals. They cover Africa, South America and the Sub-Continent providing medical assistance – for free.
The benefits of a floating ship are several – they can relocate to meet needs, they are self-contained and don’t take time to set up and they avoid the delays and ravages of systemic corruption. It also keeps costs down as the they are staffed with volunteers who pay their own way on board.
The ships focus on the desperately in need countries like Sierra Leone which even ranks below the tiny landlocked Burkina Faso. These countries have little in the way of medical systems and few doctors.
The charity relies on donors and pharmaceutical companies. Medical services are provided free, with no strings attached. When they arrive in a port, huge queues form and those waiting are triaged – the priorities are life threatening conditions and outcasts. Patients are given appointment cards. The doctors focus on particular problems: cleft palates, eye problems including cataracts, tumours and fistulas. These are all treatable conditions, not seen in developed countries as they are identified and treated so quickly, not left to develop into isolating and disfiguring conditions.
The ships also work to prevent many of these problems with programs including: HIV awareness, female empowerment, fresh water, vaccinations and teaching livelihoods.
Rotary is a supporter of Mercy Ships.
| | | Lorraine Finlay is our newest and youngest member. She gave us a very brief introduction to her world. She is from Perth and has come here with her husband of one year where she now works for Justice Hayden at the High Court. She became aware of Rotary when they supported her work on the Yellow Ribbon Project – a suicide prevention project.
| | | George Over and Michelle Flanagan, Australian delegation to the International Model United Nations (IMUNA). George and Michelle have been selected from the ACT to attend the IMUNA in the Hague in January 2007. They will be led by Alex Ratolowicz – he spoke to us in October – who heads the UN Youth Association (UNYA). Like Alex they are looking to study at ANU next year.
Both George and Michelle were selected by UNYA from the ACT Territory conference and are two of 17 Australian students going to IMUNA. At the ACT conference they looked at the same issues facing the UN – North Korea, poverty and held a mock General Assembly. George and Michelle said that there experience so far gave them an appreciation of the frustrations of international diplomacy and the difficulties in conveying the views of your country and achieving an outcome.
The Australian delegates will make up a small delegation among 4,500 students – one of the biggest gatherings of students in the world The Hague meeting is for students between 18 and 25 years who are passionate about international affairs and international relations and want to make a difference. Any resolutions passed at the conference will be passed to UN Secretary General.
They both thanked Sunrisers for their support and recognition. They were presented with a cheque to support their endeavours. We wish them the very best and hope they have a lot of fun and a great experience.
Lorraine Finlay is our newest and youngest member. She gave us a very brief introduction to her world. She is from Perth and has come here with her husband of one year where she now works for Justice Hayden at the High Court. She became aware of Rotary when they supported her work on the Yellow Ribbon Project – a suicide prevention project.
| | 27 Oct | Vocational Recognition of Rotary apprentices from the ACT Awards
Congratulations to Elissa Brenato and Brett Tessier, winner and finalist of the ACT Awards .
Elissa Brenato is from Daramalan College completed placements with Jamieson Travel and Maggie Shephard. She is studying business and won Vocational Student of the Year. She believes her business studies five her exposure to business practices and her hospitality studies will provides her with access to an income. Elissa came to breakfast with her mother Anna Brunato and her teacher Jennette Thompson.
Brett Tessier was a finalist and is from MacKillop Catholic Collage. His placement was with staging connections and he studies music. Brett’s parents Lyndsay and Therese Tessier attended breakfast along with his teacher, Tony Lazzarotor.
Tim McNevin, Manager of Vocational Education and Training Careers in School for the ACT Education Department was there to support Elissa and Brett. Michael Doyle, Manager of Students to Industry Placement is responsible for organizing the placements. He said that the ACT Department of Education Awards are valuable to the programs and he supports this worthy recognition of our local young people.
Thanks to John McGrath and Jill Bailey.
UPDATES ON PROJECTS
- Jacob’s chair
Kim B gave us an overview of the project to provide funds for a special chair for a small child with a terminal illness. Canberra Sunrise has contributed $1500+ and the DG spouse’s Emergency fund has also contributed $1000, together with ACT….
- Police memorials
Ken A gave a short talk on concept proposal for building police memorials in regions across Australia. Is a community project, with potential to provide $s for Club funds and also some $s to the Rotary Foundation. | | | TERRY NEWMAN Chair of the
Canberra – Nara Sister City Committee.
Terry is the past president of Lake Burley Griffin Club and runs a trading business with Japan. He is also fluent in Japanese so his involvement in Candle festival is an extension of his continuing interest in Japan.
From the 1970s, through to the 1980s Canberra has fostered a strong relationship with the city of Nara, Japan. There was a history of exchanges and twinning through the Chamber of Commerce. This relationship was formalised in October 1993. The following year, 140 citizens of Nara visited Canberra to celebrate the first anniversary of the Sister City relationship. The relationship is evident not just at a business and government level but with the vibrant exchanges between schools, universities and sport clubs.
The connection became stronger in recent years with the donation of $150,000 from the City of Nara after the 2003 bushfires. The money established the beautiful Canberra Nara Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. The people of Nara made a generous donation of $100,000 for two stone lanterns in the Park. Both were unsolicited donations, both symbols of goodwill.
The Park and lanterns are the feature of the Candle Festival held last weekend. The festival exhibits traditional Japanese culture – costumes, dancing, music, food, martial arts and crafts. This year the Festival will welcome a delegation from Nara High School of teachers and students, along with a citizen’s delegation. |
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