2019 AGM
Thirty seven of AIDA’s approximately 450 members attended the 2019 AIDA Annual General Meeting, which was held on Saturday 27th April at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall.
AIDA president Charlotte Allen welcomed councillor Margot Smith, who thanked AIDA for inviting her to attend the AGM and gave a short presentation. Margot reported that consultation on the future use of the Alcoa site in Anglesea is continuing and the State Government has released its plan on the Futures Land Use for the area. However, not all the community is happy with it and, in particular people want to retain the bike path in its current location. With respect to planning matters, Margot reported that in her ward of Anglesea two planning applications had been refused due to over-development, one for the old motel site of a 3-story building which would have been built out to the edges and another for the hardware store whose proposed redevelopment was over the height limit, built out to the edges and would have limited vegetation. The community had been encouraged to submit objections, and these were supported by the Surf Coast Shire. Finally, Margo advised that although she deliberately would not talk about the Painkalac Valley, she nevertheless appreciated all the work that AIDA had done and for its information and opinions. There were no questions from attendees.
During the formal portion of the AGM Charlotte Allen presented the President’s 2018 Annual Report. Ian Godfrey and Charlotte then outlined the mediation agreement and took questions from the floor (a detailed report of the mediation and responses is included in the Minutes of the AGM, see below for link). The financial report was then accepted and the election of the 2019/20 Committee was held. Charlotte Allen thanked retiring committee members Janice Carpenter, Gary Johnson, Lecki Ord and Ian Godfrey for their service and then reported that, there being no more than one person nominated for each position on the committee, the new AIDA Committee was declared to have been elected.Click the following links for the meeting papers (AGM2019 Agenda & Financial Report, President’s Report, AIDA AGM 2019 Minutes).
2018 AGM
Forty-two of AIDA’s approximately 400 members attended the 2018 AIDA Annual General Meeting, which was held on Saturday 28th April at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall. AIDA president Charlotte Allen welcomed councillors Margot Smith and Libby Coker and CEO of the Surf Coast Shire Keith Baillie to speak on current issues.
Margot and Libby said they would welcome AIDA’s feedback on the council draft budget. Consultation on the future use of the Alcoa site in Anglesea is continuing. Margot noted that feedback from the Anglesea community showed a consensus against too much development and support for maintaining the diversity and character of the area.
Keith Baillie said that a current issue of interest to AIDA is Alcoa’s reopening of Coalmine Road, which until about ten years ago was used mostly by locals as a back way to Aireys via its connection to Bambra Road. The road is in a very poor state and would need significant expenditure before reopening to traffic. Use of the road as an Anglesea bypass could impact properties along Distillery Creek Road and Bambra Road. Keith Baillie then raised the management of the Great Ocean Road as another issue likely to be of interest to AIDA. Currently governance of the GOR is by sixteen different authorities. A state government-initiated GOR taskforce, under the bipartisan joint chairmanship of ex-transport ministers Peter Bachelor and Terry Mulder, is considering the possibility of an overarching authority for the whole length of the GOR. Questions include how this would interact with the current authorities. Requirements for funding investments on and along the GOR raise the issue of how growth in tourist numbers can be managed and revenue generated without unreasonably affecting residents of the region and changing the desirable character of the coast and its communities. Keith Baillie is on the taskforce representing the Surf Coast Shire. NB: AIDA’s submission to the GOR taskforce is included in this newsletter. Finally Keith Baillie noted that increases in council rates are capped at 2.5 per cent in line with the CPI. The garbage charge is a particular difficulty with the costs increasing dramatically, but council intends to maintain recycling services.
During a question and answer session Margot Smith and Keith Baillie responded to a question about aged-care services for elderly people in the area by noting that changes legislated as part of ‘My Aged Care’ will lead to increased privatisation and that Council is still working out its role under requirements for competitive neutrality. The main change is that each person is empowered to choose their provider and council needs to decide if it will be a provider or not. However, council’s position is that it will not leave the market and abandon people with no access to services. The current level of subsidy is about $1.4 million. Several AIDA members then commented on the Painkalac Valley, supporting public ownership and rehabilitation of the valley land but cautioning about the pathway and the effect of increased tourist numbers on the resident kangaroos and birdlife.
During the formal portion of the AGM Charlotte Allen presented the President’s 2017 Annual Report. The financial report was then accepted and the election of the 2018/19 Committee was held. Charlotte Allen thanked retiring committee members Angela Berry, Greg Day, Gretel Lamont and Adam Rudy for their service and then reported that, there being no more than one person nominated for each position on the committee, the new AIDA Committee was declared to have been elected. Chris Ryan sent a nomination form after the meeting and has joined the committee.
Finally, a motion was proposed ‘that the AIDA Committee consider holding the AGM in early January each year or, if this is not practical due to concerns about days of high fire risk, hold a community meeting in early January’. After considerable discussion the motion was passed unanimously with advice to the committee that the members present at the meeting strongly supported there being two meetings each year, a community meeting or forum in January sponsored by AIDA and the AGM later in the first half of the year, preferably during the Easter school holidays.
Click the following links for the meeting papers (Agenda, President’s Report, 2017 Financial Report, Minutes).
The AGM was followed by short presentations from two students who are doing PhD research relevant to our area. Ross Wissing is investigating the role of the home garden in sustainably meeting human and ecological needs in urban Geelong. Ross also works in open space planning at the Surf Coast Shire with a focus on land management, policy and master plan development, and Aboriginal cultural heritage. Krista Bonfantine, a watershed ecologist, shared a brief description of her research project, which is focused on the Painkalac Creek. Krista is a watershed ecologist, who has spent much of her life in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico and Colorado but has also worked along both coasts of the United States.
2017 AGM
About 40 of our approximately 400 members bravely turned out on a wet and wild afternoon on Saturday 8 April to attend the 2017 AIDA AGM.
We were pleased to welcome to the meeting our two Anglesea ward councillors, Margot Smith and Libby Coker, and the shire’s CEO Keith Baillie. The mayor, Brian McKiterick, and Cr Clive Goldsworthy, whose Lorne ward includes Moggs Creek and Eastern View, were apologies. Margot and Libby spoke briefly about current local issues while Keith spoke about the shire’s four-year Strategic Plan and the difficulties of balancing priorities when everything is a priority. He encouraged community input to help shape the plan for 2017–21 using the online survey.
Charlotte Allen presented her President’s Report focusing on the year’s main concern: the Painkalac Valley. The financial report was accepted. All members of the previous committee renominated and were re-elected. Nominations were also received from Greg Day and Adam Rudy and were accepted by members. The committee warmly welcomes Greg and Adam and looks forward to working with them. Click the following links for the meeting papers (Agenda, President’s Report, AIDA 2016 Financial Statement and Minutes).
The AGM was followed by stimulating talks by two long-time residents of Aireys Inlet, Greg Day and Jane Grant, who gave fascinating and very moving accounts of their personal and emotional connections to our area. Greg, a local writer and musician, spoke about connection to place and how he came to be teaching the Wadawurrung language at the primary school. He performed a musical item that he sings in language with the students. Jane, a past president and secretary of AIDA, spoke about her family’s connection to Aireys and the Painkalac Valley as well as their experience of the Ash Wednesday fires. People stayed on for light refreshments and the opportunity to talk to the committee and other members.
2016 AGM
The 2016 AIDA AGM was held on Saturday 9th April at 3.30 pm at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall with 55 members in attendance
We were pleased to welcome our Ward Councillor Margot Smith and the shire’s CEO Keith Baillie to the meeting. Mayor Rose Hodge and Cr Libby Coker sent apologies.
Keith Baillie gave a very informative talk on a range of items on which the council is currently working, including how to identify and assist vulnerable people in communities such as Aireys Inlet. He also spoke briefly about issues such as the Fairhaven underpass and the Bottom Shops pedestrian crossing. His talk was followed by questions from the floor.
The President’s Report and some information about community interest in purchasing the Painkalac Valley land followed.
The Treasurer’s report was presented and accepted unanimously and then nominees to the 2016/17 AIDA Committee were elected unopposed. Click the following links for the meeting papers (Agenda, President’s 2015/16 Report, AIDA 2015 Financial Statement and Minutes).
An excellent and informative forum about the management of the Painkalac Creek, its estuary and water flows followed the AGM.
2015 AGM and Celebration of AIDA’s 50th Anniversary
The 2015 AIDA AGM was held on Saturday 11th April at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall. The 45 members in attendance heard presentations from the new Surf Coast Shire CEO Keith Baillie and from Mayor Margot Smith and local councillor Libby Coker. The President’s and Treasurer’s reports were presented and accepted unanimously and then nominees to the 2015/16 AIDA Committee were elected unopposed. Click the following links for the meeting papers (Agenda, President’s 2014/15 Report, AGM Financial Statement 31-12-2014 and Minutes).
The AGM was followed by a wonderful display of “then and now” photographs of our district as well as an illustrated time line of AIDA’s activities and achievements over the past 50 years.
2014 AGM
The 2014 AIDA AGM was held on Sunday 20th April at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall. The ~50 members present heard presentations from local Surf Coast Shire councillors Libby Coker and Margot Smith, received the President’s and Treasurer’s reports and elected the 2014/15 AIDA Committee. Click the following links for the meeting papers ( Agenda, President’s 2013 Report, Notice of Special Resolution of Proposed AIDA New Rules, Treasurer’s Report to 31-12-2013 and Minutes). Following the AGM a Community Forum was held, chaired by former shire councillor and mayor Libby Mears and with speakers from the Fairhaven Life Saving Club (Paul Shannon), the Tourism & Traders Association (David and Anne Dansick) and the Community Garden (Terrence Hoffman). Light refreshments were served by AIDA at the conclusion of the Forum, which was judged to be a great success worthy of repeating at next year’s AGM with speakers from other local community groups.
A major item at the 2014 AGM was the adoption of new Rules to replace AIDA’s existing constitution.
In 2012 state parliament passed the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012, replacing the Act of 1981. The government has proposed new model rules conforming with the Act. These govern the operational and financial provisions to be followed by not-for-profit associations like AIDA, and are designed to ensure proper accountabilities and to protect the rights of members.
The AIDA committee recommended to the members that we adopt the new model rules in their entirety, except that ‘members’ would be added to the list of those to whom the committee may delegate responsibilities. This addition is designed to give future committees greater flexibility.
The motion “that the Aireys Inlet and District Association adopt new rules under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012, in accordance with the Model Rules provided by the Government – with the discretionary text required in Model Rules 1, 2, and 3 and a proposed change to Model Rule 43 as highlighted in the document circulated at the meeting” was passed unanimously.
Our new rules do not significantly affect the way AIDA now operates. We are able to retain our policy of each family or household membership carrying two votes at an AGM. There are more detailed provisions for the process of becoming and remaining a member: membership lapses if dues are not paid for one year. If needed, there are clear procedures mandated for special general meetings, removal of membership, and so on. In addition, the committee may now decide to allow the use of new technologies to enable participation at meetings.
2013 AGM
The 2013 AIDA AGM was held on Friday 25th January 2013 in the Aireys Inlet Community Hall. The guest speakers were representatives of the Surf Coast Shire, CEO Stephen Wall and local councillors Libby Coker and Margot Smith. Click the following links for the meeting papers (Agenda, President’s 2012 Report, Treasurer’s Report and Minutes).
2012 AGM
The 2012 AGM was held on January 13th 2012. Click the following links for the meeting papers (Agenda, President’s 2011 Report, Treasurer’s Report and Minutes).
President’s Reports for earlier years
2008
2007
2006
2005