President’s Report 2013 AGM
It gives me great pleasure to present this report for the third year of the association’s existence.
Military History and Heritage Inc. has had another full and productive year and I believe that we have continued to achieve our aims.
In November 2012 we hosted, in partnership with MHHV member the RAAF Museum, a one day conference called By the Seat of Their Pants: Australian Airmen and their Machines 1915-1918.
Between February and April 2013 we presented, in partnership with MHHV supporter the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, a major centenary exhibition called Fear God and Honour the King: HMAS Melbourne 1912-1928 to celebrate the arrival of Australia’s first cruiser in Melbourne 100 years ago. Coinciding with the exhibition, we also launched Andrew Kilsby’s and Greg Swinden’s book The Forgotten Cruiser: HMAS Melbourne 1913-1928.
In late April, as part of Military History and Heritage Week 2013 we conducted, in partnership with MHHV member and event partner the National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM), a one day conference called Choppers: Helicopters and the Vietnam War; with a Museum dinner that night, followed by an open day exposition at the NVVM offering a range of events and activities for all comers. The success of this format has encouraged the NVVM to run this weekend of activities on an annual basis.
Our website and Facebook page continue to grow in popularity – adding to the reach of promoting military history and heritage events and activities. In particular, I am pleased that each of our events has a page that permanently records the occasion and for conference events publishes the papers presented. I would like to publicly recognise the imaginative work of Jason McGregor as our Webmaster in maintaining and developing this valuable asset to the association.
I am very pleased that almost all of our members have chosen to renew their membership in the last month and we continue to attract new individual members. We presently have nearly 30 organisational members and over 40 individual members.
Looking ahead, after the success of our one day conference at the RAAF Museum last year, on 11 November 2013 we will run, again in partnership with MHHV member the RAAF Museum, a one day conference called The Angry Sky: Australia’s Air War over Europe 1939-1945.
In April 2014 we will run, in partnership with Ballarat Regional Tourism a significant series of events and activities as part of Military History and Heritage Week Ballarat 2014. More details about this promising initiative will be promulgated soon.
And then in September 2014 we will run, in partnership with the Australian National University, a two-day international conference INTERFET: Reflections on the 1999 East Timor Crisis with several high profile speakers.
Turning now to matters of governance. We remain fortunate to have patrons and vice-patrons who are engaged and highly supportive of the organisation. Our Council has continued to attract high calibre individuals, such as Dr Daryl Moran and Dr Steven Cooke who have joined us over the past few months.
In June the Council reviewed and re-promulgated our five-year rolling Strategic Plan taking into account the evolution of the association and our efforts over the last 12 months. And later in this AGM we will review and hopefully approve a new constitution to ensure we conform to the new Victorian Government legislation for incorporated associations. Importantly, as the treasurer will cover shortly, the association remains financial.
I would like to publicly recognise the efforts of Andrew Kilsby who was the driving force behind the creation of this association and has held the position of Executive Officer since inception. He has worked tirelessly to develop our networks and has also been directly responsible for organising a number of our events and activities. His vision and efforts have been instrumental to getting the association to where it is today and he has now decided that we no longer require his ‘guiding influence’. On behalf of all of you, I would like to thank him for his tremendous contribution.
So, it continues to be full steam ahead and I thank all those putting so much effort into organising these marvellous events and activities.
In closing, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all those who have volunteered their valuable time and energy to help get MHHV Inc. to its third birthday.
I have been honoured to lead such a fine group. I am confident that the association’s fourth year will continue to further burnish the association’s reputation.
Thanks for your support over 2013-14 and I look forward to your continuing interest and support over the coming year.
Marcus Fielding
President
27 September 2013
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 2 October 2012 at Victoria Barracks, Blamey Room,
St. Kilda Road, Melbourne at 6 p.m.
MINUTES
Present:
Marcus Fielding (MF), Mac Gregory (MG), Andrew Kilsby (AK), Jason McGregor (JM), Daryl Moran (DM), Jim Wood (JW), Joe Lukaitis (JL), Peter Fielding (PF), Donald Edwards (DE).
Apologies:
Jim Barry (JB), Tony Hastings (TH), Jan Roberts- Billet (JR), David Gardiner (DG).
Meeting Opened: 1800 hrs.
AK declared that a quorum of members was present.
MF welcomed attendees to the 3rd MHHV AGM.
Minutes of Previous AGM. MF reviewed the Minutes of the 2nd AGM. MG proposed that they be accepted. PF seconded. Carried.
President’s Report. MF presented his President’s Report (attached).
Treasurer’s Report. PF presented the 2013 Financial Report as at 1 October 2013 (attached). JW proposed that the report be accepted. DE seconded. Carried.
Resolutions. MF briefed on the need to replace the existing MHHV Rules with a MHHV Constitution in order to conform with the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. MF proposed that the draft MHHV Constitution (attached) be adopted. PF seconded. Carried.
Elections. MF declared all Executive Committee positions vacant and handed over to JL as the Returning Officer. The following members, who nominated in writing were elected unopposed as Office Bearers and/or to the MHHV Committee.
Office Holders:
President – Marcus Fielding.
Vice-President – Mackenzie Gregory.
Secretary – Jason McGregor.
Treasurer – Peter Fielding.
Committee Members:
Daryl Moran.
MF advised that Doug Perry had agreed to continue to act as the Honorary Auditor for MHHV.
MF welcomed all members to the Committee.
MF advised that the next AGM will be held in October 2014 and that a Committee meeting will be held immediately following the AGM.
The AGM was declared closed at 1830.
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