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WHAT'S IN THIS BULLETIN

15th December 2020

  • NEXT MEETING (via ZOOM)

  • Meeting Report December 8th

  • Trivia Fun Night

  • Fundraising During Lockdown

  • GALLERY

NEXT MEETING (virtual) - TUESDAY  15th December

The club meeting for 15 December will be the final meeting for the year.  Formal meetings will recommence on Tuesday 19 January 2021.

We are continuing our Zoom breakfast meetings until at least February..

If you would like to visit our meeting, please contact us by email on rotaryclubcentralmelbourne@gmail.com or phone 0455-858-996 and request log-in details.

The meeting will commence at 7:40am and conclude no later than 8:45.

 

Meeting Report December  8th
 

MEETING REPORT – 8 DEC 2020

Post by Alice Miller
 
President Therese Robinson opened the meeting by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, which was followed by a toast to Rotary International by meeting chair Chair Suvam Ganguli.  President Therese welcomed visiting Rotarian Bernard Spry from RCH Echuca Moama as well as guest speaker Kate Jenkins, Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner and a member of the Australian Human Rights Commission. 
 
Chair Suvam Ganguli introduced our guest speaker, Kate Jenkins.  Her purpose is to advance gender equality, consistent with the Sex Discrimination Act and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
 
Kate started her presentation by complementing the club on wonderful energy between members prior to the meeting, and she also commented on the reach and impact that the work of Rotary has on the community and that she was feeling grateful for being invited to speak.
 
Kate talked about Australia’s world leading 4th National Survey on Sexual Harassment (2018), which had been expanded to become a formal enquiry.  The report was launched by Minister Marise Payne on 6 March[1] 2020.  50 recommendations were made.  Since this time, Kate has been sharing the findings of the report, including:   
  • 1 in 3 Australian workers had experienced sexual harassment in work in last 12 months, which is an increase from 2012.  Sexual harassment occurs in every industry, and at every level. 
  • The key driver of sexual harassment is power, not sex.  As work has become less secure over time, the power imbalance in the workplace has also changed. 
  • For action to be taken by employers, or under law, affected persons need to come forward, but victims are fearful for coming for, for well-founded reasons of negative consequences.
  • In responding to sexual harassment there needs to be more focus on the health and safety of the individual, not just on investigating the matter and the focus of if prosecution is required. 
  • Sexual harassment is a systemic issue, not one of individuation misconduct.  Leadership and changing culture and work environments is what is needed to drive change, rather than just focusing on perpetrators.  
 
Kate took questions, and confirmed that online sexual harassment and bullying is also an increasing issue.  There is also an Australian e-safety commissioner focusing on these issues. 
 
Announcements 
Cecily Neil provided an update on the activities of our International Service activities. Currently we have three projects on the go, activity on which will resume once the pandemic restrictions allow:
  1. Luang Prabang Education Project in Laos;
  2. Skills development project in India; and
  3. Vocational training projects in the Philippines – still in conceptualization stage and still needs approval to proceed. 
 
Alison Chan: Food Hampers for Christmas have been organized by the Community Services Thank you for everyone’s support and contribution to this project.  We are still accepting last minute hamper bags if you have one ready to be collected.   Please contact Alison or Rohan to arrange collection.   If you haven’t received an email from them this means they don’t know about your hamper bag.
 
Roger Thornton provided a heads up that Lorraine Meehan will be hosting a BBQ at her home in Mt Martha on Sunday January 31st 2021.  Pop it in your diaries if you are interested and a formal invitation will be sent shortly.   
 
Peter Duras had a few announcements:
  • There is a very interesting speaker at the Echuca Moama RC tonight, a leader on local Aboriginal Land Council speaking on the purpose and background of welcome to country with the purpose of introducing it to their club. 
  • Members contributed to DIK recently by loading hospital beds to go to Sri Lanka.
  • Fundraising at the first sausage sizzle at Collingwood, raised, $755 as well as a $100 Bunnings Voucher.  There are two sausage sizzles in two weeks time, which will need volunteers. 
 
Suvam Ganguli advised that Environment and Sustainability Working Group is meeting for ther first time after today meeting. 
 
Rhys Williams gave a pocket positive story on a Rotary trip to Nepal he participated in that had inspired him to join Rotary.  He now participates in an online English speaking sessions for a school for the students there. 
Members can take the opportunity for presentation of good news weekly “pocket positive” story, please contact Mary Voice.
 
President Therese’s Announcements:
  • The Online Christmas function with the District Governor was held recently and President Therese recognizedvc and thanked Gerard Hogan for standing as in MC, and Rob Hines and Campbell Chambers in trying to run Karhoot! Game, despite technology not working and preventing the activity from actually running.
  • It has been great seeing some of our work being able to come back online, eg Bunnings BBQ, DIK
  • Rana Ebrahimi has completed a great piece of work on diversity and inclusion, which will be presented and considered by Board.
  • Last board meeting for the year is next week.  If anyone would like to attend let Therese or Paul Fraser know - people are welcome to attend.
  • Next week is our last meeting. Informal get togethers/meetings will be held over January and our first meeting of the year will be February.  The Club is looking into whether this can be at the RACV Club or not.
 
[1] https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/projects/national-inquiry-sexual-harassment-australian-workplaces
 

 
Christmas Hamper Appeal

To assist the Rotary Club of Central Melbourne to mark the Festive Season, we ask members and friends to make up Christmas Hampers for the less fortunate people in our community.  We will be providing hampers for two groups of disadvantaged people:

  • the homeless and youth through Steps Outreach Service 

  • refugee families through Lentara Uniting Asylum Seeker Project

We will supply red hamper bags for Steps Outreach Service recipients and red bags with green ribbons for the Lentara recipients.  The following lists are suggestions of non-perishable food and other items for your hamper bag donations.

In response to feedback received, the Community Service Team would also like to offer to purchase groceries on a member's behalf for the cost of $45 per hamper.

Please let Alison Chan (alisonchan100@hotmail.com, 0415-525-678) how many hamper bags that you would like to donate and whether you would like the Community Service Team to purchase the hamper(s) on your behalf by Tuesday 1st December.

A member of the Community Service Team will then contact you to arrange a time to deliver empty bag(s) to your house and collect your donation prior to Monday 14th December.

Thank you in advance for your donations and have a great festive season.

Fundraising during Lockdown
 
Voluntary contributions
 
To everyone that’s made or intends to make a donations towards club projects, thank you!
 
If you are in a position to make a donation or even a series of weekly donations then please arrange to transfer those funds to the club bank account with the reference “Donation”.
 
Bank Account Details:
BSB 033-000
Account number: 791085
 
Thank you for your support!
 
Regards,
Rob Hines
Director, Fundraising
GALLERY
 

Meeting Photos

 
President Therese
 
Guest speaker Kate Jenkins
 
 
 
 
 
Bernard Spry, RC E-M
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cecily Neil
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Meeting Responsibilities

Chair
CARDELL, Stuart
 
Greeter/Zoom Host
DRIVER, Allan
 
Reporter
GREENWOOD, Herb
 
Photographer
THORNTON, Roger
 
Door
O'BRIEN, Frank
 
Bulletin Editor
CLIFT, Nick
 
Social Media
LIM, Daniel
 

Upcoming Events

RCM December Board Meeting
Dec 16, 2020
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
 
RCM: No Meeting Today
Dec 22, 2020
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
 
RCM: No Formal Meeting Today
Jan 05, 2021
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
 
RCM: No Formal Meeting Today
Jan 12, 2021
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
 
RCM Mt Martha BBQ 31 Jan 2021
Jan 31, 2021
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
View entire list

Speakers

Jan 19, 2021 7:40 AM
The value of international education to Australia
Feb 02, 2021 7:40 AM
UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 - what it means for your organisation
View entire list
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