Member Bill thanking Kent for his presentation
Last week Kent Fitch provided a fascinating presentation on the latest developments with autonomous driving vehicle systems, which would provide a viable alternative to replace our gas guzzling cars, light rail trains and public transport buses. Kent's modelling shows 34,000 full autonomous vehicles could replace 250,000 cars (with a few tradies’ trucks continuing to be used). They would turn up at your home within 1 to 5 minutes of being ordered, and take you to your destination at a fraction of the cost of a car.
There are a number of manufacturers testing these new cars and it looks like they will inevitably come to our cities within a few years. Canberra is ideally suited to autonomous cars so we hope our government and private developers will move ahead with this project as quickly as possible. Laws, attitudes and infrastructure have to adapt and the whole city will have to move ahead in unison to make it work.
Imagine our city with fewer cars, less pollution and no rush-hour headaches? Dare we dream?
Bill Andrews
Rotary Satellite Club to Full Charter
I read with interest Faye Powell's item on the satellite club in Ballina in last week's issue of News Notes.
Readers of News Notes may be interested to know that our former District 9710 used this mechanism almost twenty years ago to establish what became the Rotary Club of Gungahlin.
More recently, a satellite club was established through the Rotary Club of Canberra Sunrise, which led to the chartering of a new Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Canberra Sundowners. Targeted mainly at younger people, the satellite club was successful in attracting many former Rotaractors, leading to its chartering as a fully-fledged Rotary Club in August 2021.
I attended the Changeover of the Sundowners Rotary Club on 4 July, and can report that it is thriving under young and enthusiastic leadership.
Monica Garrett
Calling all civil engineers
I am writing to request your help in finding a “Civil Engineer” for a BMX project we are working on in getting problem kids off the streets.
The requirement is to design and then oversee construction by Rotary Club of Aurora Gungahlin (RCAG) members.
If any reader with appropriate qualifications and experience is willing to help, please contact me, John Platten, on 0404 827 394.
John Platten
President, RCAG
Aussie Peace Walk
Registrations for the 2024 Aussie Peace Walk (to be held 23-24 March 2024) are now open! The earlybird discounted price ends on 30 September. For more details and to register, see:
https://aussiepeacewalk.com.au/.
Stephen McMillan.
Next meeting
This Thursday, 13 July, we will hear from Carlos Moreira-Alvarez in Costa Rica, via Zoom. Carlos is a former Rotary Peace Scholar who graduated from the University of Queensland. He visited Canberra during his studies. He is now a Rotarian was recently made a Paul Harris Fellow.
The link for the Zoom meeting is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82035457730. Michael Rabey will kindly open the link at noon to enable social interaction before the formal meeting starts at 12:30 pm.
Duty Roster
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Date
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13 July
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20 July
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27 July
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3 August
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Door
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Ross Brown
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Ross Brown
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Informal meeting
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Ross Brown
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Open meeting; introduce President; and Toast to Rotary
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Sally Goodspeed
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Liz Scrivener
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Informal meeting
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Juris Jakovics
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Thank speaker and write up for Bulletin
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John Little
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Keith Gray
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Informal meeting
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Russell Dew
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If you are not able to perform your allocated duty this week, please arrange a replacement and advise Acting President Stephen. Please advise Stephen of any planned absences to avoid being rostered on while away.
NTA Donors Trip
Want to visit some of NTA’s activity locations and see firsthand how your funds are being used to assist poor farming communities in eastern Indonesia? NTA is running a trip to our locations in Flores specifically to introduce donors to the communities we support and to show how your funds are being used.
This is a fabulous opportunity to visit communities and institutions in this area, to be introduced to their customs, issues and with how we are working together to improve their lives.
Budget/costing
Trip total: estimated $2500 + Bali Vacation and transit:
What you are responsible for (but we can provide advice):
- Flights (International to Bali): $1000
- Bali / Flores return $500
- Accommodation in Bali (usually at least 1 night when flying from Australia)
What NTA provides:
- NTA Package: 6 Nights Flores: $ 900
Including: transport, visits to project sites, lunches, 2 x dinners with NTA staff, guide/translator, accommodation at Hotel Wailiti, Maumere/Flores https://www.hotelwailiti.com/
What is involved:
We intend to see current projects for:
- Water and Sanitation
- Agriculture
- Education
- Ikat Weaving – Income generation
- Regional School Music Festival
Leaders for the trip will include a senior member of NTA with significant experience travelling in eastern Indonesia and senior members of the NTAs peak Indonesian partner – NTA Indonesia.
Additional Information
A trip extension to West Timor will depend on interested participants. The programs are similar but there are differences in cultural practices and the environment. The highlands, for example, are steep and infertile making life particularly hard, whilst Semau Island is very flat and dry. An overnight transit in Bali is required, prior to the morning flight to Flores.
- Attractive trips prior or after the donor visit program can be facilitated for Bali or Flores (e.g., overland-trip Flores, Hiking/Snorkeling/diving in Komodo National Park etc. @ own cost).
Interested?
Contact Phil Domaschenz, Executive Officer, Nusa Tenggara Association:
Following medical advice
