President Roy opened the Meeting, welcoming the following visitors:
Bob Nield from Canberra Sunrise (who admitted that he was in Melbourne to attend the Australian Open Tennis
Kirstie Close-Barry, partner of Guest Speaker Dr James Barry
Dr Cath Wilkins, one of our Victoria Police Mentees
Announcements:
Neil Salvano – Volunteers are required for our “Community Village” for the White Night Festival on February 21/22. This is an all-night event so the “Community Village” will run over two shifts. Please advise Neil if you are able to assist with this event. Members should note that the Club will be paid for establishing the “Community Village” and so, as well as providing a community service, it will be a fund-raising activity for the Club.
Rob Hines – Rob has recently sent Members two e-mails relating to forthcoming events. The table for the Mooney Valley Charity Race Night is nearly fully subscribed but a few places remain. Please contact Rob for details. The second e-mail relates to the International Committee Charity Golf Day being run in conjunction with the CEO Circle. The Gold Day will be held at the Riversdale Golf Club on Friday, March 20.
Yanpu Zhang – Yanpu advised that there had been a mix-up with ladies cardigans at the Meehan BBQ. Yanpu has a cardigan belonging to someone else. The assumption, therefore, is that someone has taken Yanpu’s cardigan by mistake. Would Members please ask their partners to check.
Director’s Report – Vocation
Anne King presented the Report on behalf of David Jones.
Anne noted the changes in the modus operandi for Vocational Committees being initiated by Justine Murphy in her role heading up Vocation for the District.
Anne reported on the RCCMS commitments relating to the incoming GSE Team from District 6840, Louisiana.
RCCMS is to provide homestay billets for the Team from March 3 to March 10. Please advise David Jones if you are able to assist in this regard.
RCCMS is to organise vocational visits for the Team on March 6. The co-ordinators for these visits and the areas of interest to the Team Members are:
Stuart Ellis media
Anne King senior care
Peter Durass political systems
Mary Voice meteorology
Justine Murphy legal
Anne reported that Mary “had the meteorology visits under control”. If Members have contacts within the other areas of interest to the Team Members would they please get in touch with the individual co-ordinators.
President’s Announcements
President Roy reported in the success of the BBQ at the Meehan’s home at Mt Martha.
In conjunction with International Women’s Day there is a Women in Rotary breakfast being held on Thursday, March 6. Roy enquired if there was any interest from RCCMS in attending this function.
Roy would like any Member with a source of contact for Geoffrey Rush, Barry Humphries or Bill Lawrie to get in touch with him.
Sergeant’s Session
Sergeant Bernie asked the usual “Rotary” questions such as:
What is the Rotary theme for January? Rotary Awareness
What do the acronyms DGE, RITE and PE stand for?
Bernie moved on the general trivia and finished off the session with a joke.
Guest Speaker – Dr James Barry
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James is an Associate Research Fellow at Deakin University and an expert on the Middle East and Islamic State’s sectarian agenda.
Islamic State (IS) is essentially a Sunni movement opposed to the Shia sect. It arose out of Al Qaeda, an organisation it now sees as the opposition. IS seeks to establish a Caliphate in Iraq and Syria. This is a highly controversial aspiration and is not supported by most Islamic movements.
IS does not like France in particular as France refuses to call the movement IS or ISAL in deference to the diverse ethnic Muslim population of France. This position has infuriated IS. Also, IS seeks to penalise France for its intervention in its former West African colonies where there is a major Muslim population.
Mr Leigh Clifford, AO
