AGM 2013
The office bearers for 2013-14 were elected at our AGM held 19 October 2013. The positions remain unchanged except Bruce Crawford did not stand for election and the position of Honorary Solicitor remains unfilled.
On behalf of all, I thank Major General John Pearn for consenting to remain our Patron during the coming year. Two Patron awards were made at the AGM to Bob Harvey - Hall and Rudy Buckley, congratulations, see photograph. As Bob was unable to attend , the Award and Certificate has been forwarded to him in Melbourne.
My report to the 2013 AGM follows: “This is my ninth report to the AGM of the NGVR & PNGVR Ex-members Association. As a military association , one of the so called “diminishing groups”, we can be proud of our activities , our vitality and our growing influence in the community . Unfortunately our Patron, Major General John Pearn is unable to attend today as he is overseas, but he sends his esteem and best wishes to the Association , it’s members and friends. Last year we achieved most of our objectives, perhaps limping along in a few but strongly pushing ahead in existing and new directions.
For those who wish to review our past years activities in detail , please refer to my updates on the front page of the past six issues of Harim Tok Tok – I do my best to include everything in which the Association is involved as a permanent record and for historical purposes. Communications wise we may still need a new, or at least an upgrade, to our website, but on the balance sheet our Journal “ Harim Tok Tok” is going from strength to strength. Additional to this, John Holland arranged for Kieran Nelson to start up and maintain our face book, although most of us have yet to understand what it is and how to best use it – it is a potent new communication tool between members , friends and associates , an interactive tool and one which is almost instantaneous. I commend you to go out of your way to understand and use this important social medium. Thank you Kieran and John for this forceful initiative.
Other communication matters which we need to address in the coming year are the publishing of the” PNGVR’s History” written by Bob Harvey – Hall and the personal stories of ”Our NGVR Men” collected and edited by Bob Collins . Unfortunately we cannot have our two Bobs with today as Bob Harvey- Hall is in hospital in Melbourne, but we have the other Bob . Bob Harvey- Hall has sent his best wishes and regrets his non- attendance. Get well Bob and we will see you soon.
The finances of the Association are strong. I will not steal our Treasurer’s thunder, for it is his ongoing and long going diligent oversight of our finances which allows the Association to advance its activities and try and/ or support new ones – well done Doug Ng and thank you. An unsung role is that of the Secretary of the Association - Colin Gould has been Secretary for so long I cannot remember. I offer Colin my esteem and admiration for your duty over the period , many of which were through difficult times - Colin , on behalf of all, thank you.
If there are two things which I feel are the most important focuses of our Association, they are: the Harim Tok Tok, our main communication tool amongst our widely distributed membership, and our NGVR/PNGVR Military Museum at Wacol. The editor or the Harim Tok Tok for the last 26 issues is Vice President Bob Collins who has revamped the production to the quality it is today , thank you Bob. John Holland, our founding Museum Curator, since late 2005 , continues to astound us with his passion and strong work ethic for his Museum- truly, without John we would not have the Museum- a very strong and sincere thank you John. Members and friends , please show our gratitude to these two gentlemen for their contribution to the Association over a long period of years. Bob and John , you are inspirations to all of us, congratulations and thank you.
On behalf of all, I thank Major General John Pearn for consenting to remain our Patron during the coming year. Two Patron awards were made at the AGM to Bob Harvey - Hall and Rudy Buckley, congratulations, see photograph. As Bob was unable to attend , the Award and Certificate has been forwarded to him in Melbourne.
My report to the 2013 AGM follows: “This is my ninth report to the AGM of the NGVR & PNGVR Ex-members Association. As a military association , one of the so called “diminishing groups”, we can be proud of our activities , our vitality and our growing influence in the community . Unfortunately our Patron, Major General John Pearn is unable to attend today as he is overseas, but he sends his esteem and best wishes to the Association , it’s members and friends. Last year we achieved most of our objectives, perhaps limping along in a few but strongly pushing ahead in existing and new directions.
For those who wish to review our past years activities in detail , please refer to my updates on the front page of the past six issues of Harim Tok Tok – I do my best to include everything in which the Association is involved as a permanent record and for historical purposes. Communications wise we may still need a new, or at least an upgrade, to our website, but on the balance sheet our Journal “ Harim Tok Tok” is going from strength to strength. Additional to this, John Holland arranged for Kieran Nelson to start up and maintain our face book, although most of us have yet to understand what it is and how to best use it – it is a potent new communication tool between members , friends and associates , an interactive tool and one which is almost instantaneous. I commend you to go out of your way to understand and use this important social medium. Thank you Kieran and John for this forceful initiative.
Other communication matters which we need to address in the coming year are the publishing of the” PNGVR’s History” written by Bob Harvey – Hall and the personal stories of ”Our NGVR Men” collected and edited by Bob Collins . Unfortunately we cannot have our two Bobs with today as Bob Harvey- Hall is in hospital in Melbourne, but we have the other Bob . Bob Harvey- Hall has sent his best wishes and regrets his non- attendance. Get well Bob and we will see you soon.
The finances of the Association are strong. I will not steal our Treasurer’s thunder, for it is his ongoing and long going diligent oversight of our finances which allows the Association to advance its activities and try and/ or support new ones – well done Doug Ng and thank you. An unsung role is that of the Secretary of the Association - Colin Gould has been Secretary for so long I cannot remember. I offer Colin my esteem and admiration for your duty over the period , many of which were through difficult times - Colin , on behalf of all, thank you.
If there are two things which I feel are the most important focuses of our Association, they are: the Harim Tok Tok, our main communication tool amongst our widely distributed membership, and our NGVR/PNGVR Military Museum at Wacol. The editor or the Harim Tok Tok for the last 26 issues is Vice President Bob Collins who has revamped the production to the quality it is today , thank you Bob. John Holland, our founding Museum Curator, since late 2005 , continues to astound us with his passion and strong work ethic for his Museum- truly, without John we would not have the Museum- a very strong and sincere thank you John. Members and friends , please show our gratitude to these two gentlemen for their contribution to the Association over a long period of years. Bob and John , you are inspirations to all of us, congratulations and thank you.
The top table
L - R
Bob Collins, Doug Ng, President Phil Ainsworth
Front. Jesse Chee, Tony Boulter, Barry Wright.
More members...
John Holland, Leigh Eastwood, Mike Zimmerman, Mal Zimmerman, John Batze.
L - R
Lee Eastwood, Michael Zimmerman, Tony Boulter, John Batze
The BBQ after the AGM
Admiring Rudi's medal.
Tony Boulter, Mary-Ellen Chee and Rudi's daughter.
Rudi Buckley receives his Patron's Medal from Phil Ainsworth
Photos courtesy of the official photographer Snappy Tom
