President Peter welcomed guests Peter Menther and Jen (Sheila) from Scotland, President Jay Thorgood (East Gosford), Our own Andrea, and welcomed back Tom Fransen, John Pickford, and Ian Clark.

Barrie Heath passed round the roster for Anzac Day, and Guy Kingdon publicised the ceremony at the Kokoda Memorial. Ross Warden passed round the list for Bridge players to bring some tucker on 1st May.

Roger Norman thanked his Sunday helpers for graffiti removal, and displayed photos of the event, including Warren Soos holding a stop work meeting. Bob Burnett requested us to dig out surplus garden tools, to be sent to Victoria for the bushfire victims.

Andrea Salzmann publicised the student’s “Cirque de l’exchange” on 8th May, and told us of her tour of the Blue Mountains.

Denise Curry-Huon reminded us of the International House film fund raising for Bo hospital on 2nd May.

President Peter read a letter of thanks from Lifeline Victoria, with suggestions of what they planned to do with the money. Borrow a spade (paint them yellow) was a strong suggestion, as tools were in short supply. (See Bob’s comments above).

Barry O’Farrell will be speaking at our meeting next week, but not on a political topic. Partners please come, but advise the bowling club in advance.

Peter and Jen Menther told us that they were from different Rotary Clubs in Scotland, Peter from Stirling, and Jen from Calender Club. He spoke English, she spoke Scottish.

Sergeant Guy Kingdon again exceeded his allotted 7 minutes, and reaped funds from us all. Members back from absences, last from the bar, rat catchers etc etc.

Trevor won heads & tails.

Guest Speaker

Andrew West was introduced by Bob Burnett. Andrew was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar to USA in 1996/1997. He attended Columbia University there, and is now a senior writer for the Sydney Morning Herald, and talks on the ABC.

Andrew was thankful to Rotary for his Scholarship, and took us through the stages of the written press, from partisan newspapers, to more objective ones, to years of glorifying non productive superficial celebrities such as Merchant Bankers and those who made money by shuffling papers and made nothing tangible.

He suggested Susan Boyle as an inspiration for our times, a parable and an authentic social phenomenon.

There is a huge move from the printed page to the electronic media. Face Book, U Tube and Twitter are in vogue. Newspapers are now published on the internet, but unfortunately the population believe that this should be free, so newspapers are reducing staff numbers to cope. The SMH has over 2 million people viewing it on the internet – free. Eventually there will have to be a charge, or news will become limited to press releases. There are 5 PR people for every journalist in Australia. Freelance reporters are no longer viable.

Ian Clarke thanked Andrew and presented him with an old fashioned pen, and not a computer mouse.

Raffle. Julie Palmer won the bottle, and Barrie Heath and Barrie Edmundson the scratchies.


Michael Barnett – Scribe, who bids you farewell for now.