May General Meeting Minutes

General Meeting

12 May 2021
Held at Menangle Country Club

Welcome – Steve Moore, Vice President

Steve welcomed everyone to another fantastic meeting of Narellan Chamber.  He acknowledged the traditional owners of the land.  He welcomed everyone to the meeting – life members, members of the Board of Club Menangle, Councillors of Wollondilly Shire Council, Chamber President’s for Appin, Campbelltown and Picton, Chamber Vice President for Picton, tonight’s guest speaker Dr Norman Swan, members and guests.  Please remember the current COVID restrictions.

President’s Report – Shaun Pereira, President

• Welcome to fellow Macarthur Region Chambers
• 120 in attendance tonight
• Christmas in Narellan – 13 November, 10 year event, biggest event yet
• Sponsors pre-drinks – thank you to our sponsors for this year and congratulations
• Blue Wren House fundraiser on June 19^th – there will be raffles, etc.  Business to donate to raffle.  Building a shelter for DV and the Chamber is proud to support the event
• Board roles – AGM in September, open for nominations, see Shaun for enquiries

Secretary’s Report – Carla Upfill, Secretary

Carla advised the Minutes from 14 April 2021 were on the website and were moved by Steve Moore, seconded by Pania Gregson and accepted.  No business was arising from those Minutes.

Treasurer’s Report – Karina Rauch, Treasurer

Karina presented the Treasurers Report as of 30 April 2021.  Total income for April $7,004, total expenses for April $7,710, net loss for April ($706), net loss for YTD ($17,165).  Current cash at bank is $132,151.  The report was moved by Sue Robinson, seconded by Sandra Bartlett and accepted.

Membership Update – Sandra Bartlett, Membership Co-ordinator

The new sponsors banner up around the room look great.

Current financial membership is 142 financial, 4 life members, 26 sponsors and contra sponsors, CIN 2 members and 3 new members. 

Of this are 3 New members – CLT Electrical Pty Ltd, St Patrick’s College for Girls, and Wollondilly Shire Council.

Member Shout Outs:

• Sue Robinson of The Strictly Limited Company thanked Fusion Shutters and Blinds
• Amy Woodley of Start Fresh Accounting thanked Debbie Roberts of Debbie Roberts Consulting
• Alison Attard of BNI thanked Marsdens Law Group
• John Payne from Gregory Hills Hotel thanked Charlie from CLT Electrical

Member Spotlight promo draw for May 2021 meeting – Sue-Anne Collings of Guardian Funerals.

Members Facebook promo draw – Sotoria Self Development.

Business Tip – Andrew Hreszczuk from Lifestyle & Sports Physiotherapy

• Health
  Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in which disease and infirmity are absent.
• Workplace Health and Safety

Wellbeing
The state of being comfortable, health or happy.
Look at longevity and happiness
9 healthy lifestyle habits
All stopped for 5 minutes per day
Stopped eating at 50% full
Less meat in diet, wine at 5pm
Belong to the right tribe
Be around positive people in the Chamber

What’s On – Steve Moore

Steve advised the following upcoming events:

• 19 May – Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce at Wests Leumeah with guest speaker Melanie Withnall of the ABC
• 2021 Kids of Macarthur Health Foundation 21^st Annual Ball
• 30 May – Markets at Lakeside
• 31 July – Youth Solutions 2021 Annual Charity Event

Local Update – Vi Girgis from Camden Council

• Support business and investment in the local area
• Goal is to support business and with with stakeholders with the new airport
• Raised $16,000 for Blue Wren House
• Outdoor dining policy implemented

Sponsorship Update – Sue Robinson, Sponsorship Co-ordinator

Before tonights meeting, there was a Sponsors thank you event.  Sponsors were able to meet each other and network.  Bronze sponsors will be acknowledged at the next meeting.  Currently 3 Gold Sponsors, 10 Silver Sponsors, 10 Bronze Sponsors and 6 media/support sponsors.

Sponsor Presentation

Bronze – Nicole Cusack of Nictricious

Silver – John Payne of Gregory Hills Hotel

Speaker Presentation

Dr Norman Swan
Dr Swan is host of The Health Report on ABC radio, co-host of the popular Coronacast podcast and health commentator on ABC Television’s 7.30.  A physician by training, Dr Swan has been the highest profile commentator in Australia on the pandemic.

Thank you for having me to speak tonight.

• There is a sense for this “thing” to be over
• Podcasting now for 15 months – community interest and 75,000 questions, people want to know what is happening
• Perspective for you – news current as of tonight – only 20 months since 1 person COVID 19 in September 2019, now hundreds of thousands and numbers are under estimated.
• How has it come to this – be ready for the next pandemic.  For a long time it was HIV in the 80s, AIDS has been around for 100 years but blew out in the 80s.
• Created fear and no one wanted to be transparent about it.
• World Health Organisation frightened of China and everyone was advised too late.
• Borders should have been closed to overseas
• Vaccines – people worried that production has been rushed, evidence that vaccine has worked with tens of thousands recruited for trials.  1 in 40,000 side effects.
• Australia not opening up until mid 2022
• Vaccine rollout not successful due to poor productivity statistics – not good procurement.
• Message for business – Wellness should be in every marketing plan – consumer interest in this is enormous.
• Book coming out in June 2021 – social connectedness is key in all our lives.
• 1.  Get immunised
  2.  Wear masks on public transport
  3.  Cant afford to do hotel quarantine – must be open air
• Need 80-90% immunisation in Australia – 12years old or above will be immunised.

Questions and Answer time was then had.

Leanne Wolf presented Dr Swan with a  thank you gift for his presentation tonight.

Lucky Door Prize

Prizes from John Payne, Gregory Hills Hotel    

• won by Pest Go
• won by Debbie Ogden of Your Weigh

Prize from Nictricious – won by Jeanette Griffiths of PowerSave

Prize from FlusedEco – won by Adam Bromley of Texo

Closing Remarks – Steve Moore

Steve thanked everyone attending and supporting the meeting including the sponsors, our guest speaker, and Club Menangle. 

The next meeting will by on 9 June (State of Origin night) at Woodlands @ Harrington Grove.  Meeting will commence from 5pm for a 5.30pm start.  Guest speaker is from the ATO.

There being no further business, the meeting was closed.