Bulletin #45 13 June 2025

Presidential Proceedings

President Kelly gave an update from our Roving Club Service Director Brian Johnson and then teased us with not introducing the mystery guest speaker - shhh - all will be revealed! 

President Kelly then invited Alison Thair to perform the induction of Diane Allen.

As usual the induction was carried out to perfection with Diane being formally introduced to her Committee Director, Mentor and the  President. 

Diane gave a brief account of her Rotary involvement in the past and how she was thrilled to be a member of Mill Point RC. Members welcomed Diane to the club with a standing ovation. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mystery Speaker - Wayne Muller: "The Man Who Made Australia"

Wayne spoke about his hero - Andrew Fisher who was born at Crosshouse, Ayrshire, Scotland, on 29 August 1862. 

Andrew went to the local school but left at the age of ten to start work in the coal mines. He worked twelve hours a day for six days of the week, and four hours on Sunday. Even so, he and his brother walked four kilometres every night to go to night school .

His grandfather had been victimised by the colliery owners for his industrial activities. His father died from pneumoconiosis, dust on the lungs, then a common disease of miners. Fisher became active in the local miners' union, with its secretary at seventeen, and was blacklisted for his part in the 1881 miners' strike. He came under the influence of the militant miners' leader Keir Hardie, and other early British Labour leaders.

In 1885 Fisher and his brother James emigrated on steam ship via Suez Canal, to Australia. He went to work as a miner at the Queensland Colliery Company's mine at Howard, near Maryborough, Queensland, was soon active in union affairs, and became both president and secretary of the Gympie branch of the Amalgamated Miners Association.

 When in 1893 Fisher stood as a Labor candidate for the Gympie seat in the Queensland Parliament he topped the poll at every booth. He was an enthusiast for Federation, even though there was considerable opposition to it in the Labour Party, particularly in Queensland. 

In 1901 Fisher moved to Federal Parliament as the member for Wide Bay. When the post of deputy leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party was created in 1905, he beat Hughes by one vote and when Watson resigned as leader in 1907, he took over.

 In 1908 Labor decided that its 27 members in the House gave it a better claim to government than did Deakin's Protectionists, which relied on Labor support. Fisher stood up in the House and said so, whereupon on 10 November 1908 Deakin resigned, and Fisher formed a government.

The Government then spent the remainder of the session finishing off business introduced by Deakin.

During the recess however the non-Labor forces in Parliament had resolved that the need to get Labor out of office bound them more closely than their differences separated them and agreed to form a Fusion Government as soon as Parliament reassembled. 

The critical vote came on 27 May 1909, the day after the House met, when most of the Deakin and Cook followers voted to defeat the Government. Fisher asked the Governor-General for a dissolution, which he refused, and Deakin became Prime Minister again.

 But Fisher was Prime Minister again within a year. At the Federal election held on 13 April 1910, Labor won 42 seats in the House of Representatives and all 18 of those falling vacant in the Senate, which gave it 23 of the 36 seats in that chamber.

 In its election manifesto, issued by Fisher in March 1910, Labor had promised several things. New Protection would become a reality. Monopolies would be nationalized. A cumulative land tax would be levied on all large estates until they burst. When that had been accomplished immigrants would be welcome. Defence would be put on a firmer basis. A Commonwealth Bank would be set up. The States would be treated well financially. Old-age pensions would be made more liberal. If the Commonwealth lacked the Constitutional power to do these things, Labor would ask the people to amend the Constitution.

The Fisher Government soon took over the note issue from the private banks. The Australian Notes Act authorized the Treasury to issue notes and specified that the Commonwealth was to back the notes by holding gold coin equal to one-quarter of the notes issued. The notes were redeemable in gold but only on presentation at the Treasury in Melbourne.

Since the Commonwealth had no notes of its own to issue, it bought the unsigned and unissued notes of the trading banks and over-printed them with the words 'Australian note' and the signatures of two Treasury officials. By 1912, only the notes of the National Bank were being used. In 1913 the Commonwealth introduced its own notes including Australia's first 10 shilling notes.

The Government also established the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in 1911. Denison Miller, former metropolitan inspector of the Bank of New South Wales, became the new bank's first governor at £4,000 a year. 

The first savings account was that of Andrew Fisher. The new bank soon had branches right across the continent, including one in a rail motor on the new trans-continental railway from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie. 

In its defence planning, the Fisher Government adopted most of the proposals of Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener, who had come to Australia late in 1909 and spent two months surveying Australia's future defence needs.  

A system of universal compulsory military training was established from 1 January 1911, and an Australian Navy - which was to consist of four cruisers, six destroyers, three submarines - was created. These defence plans were broadly in line with those the Fusion Government had planned.

Construction of the Trans-Australia Railway between Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie started while Fisher was Prime Minister. The railway was a favourite project of Sir John Forrest who, although not an enthusiast for Labor, was probably glad of the consistent support he got from King O'Malley who was present at Port Augusta on 14 September 1912 to hand the Governor-General, Lord Denman, the full-sized nickel plated shovel with which he turned the ceremonial sod that officially started work .

In April 1911 the Government announced an international competition for the design of the new capital city, the first prize being £1,750. O'Malley was to be the sole judge, although he was to have the shortness of time and the inadequacy of the prize money, caused quite a storm and a widespread boycott of the competition. Cabinet overruled O'Malley and in effect appointed itself final arbiter of the 126 entries, awarding the prize to a young Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin.

The election on 31 May 1913 went against Fisher, giving Cook's Liberals a majority of one in the House of Representatives. Labor had probably made a tactical error in holding the election on the same day as it submitted six proposed constitutional amendments to referendum.

The date of the election was set as is September 1914. By then Australia was at war, and Fisher had made his famous Colac promise that Australia would support Britain to 'the last man and the last shilling'. He became Prime Minister again with a comfortable majority-42 seats in the House of Representatives and 31 in the Senate . 

His most immediate problem was the despatch of the Australian Imperial Force to Egypt. The Japanese battlecruiser Ibuki was a major part of the escort for the 41 ships that sailed from Australian waters with 40,000 men in November 1914, and Australia's security throughout much of World War I depended to a considerable extent on the protection of the Japanese navy.

With Labor back in power, tensions between Fisher and Hughes began to get more serious. Fisher had beaten Hughes by only one vote in the election for deputy-leader ten years previously, and Hughes was probably getting restive about the long wait for the succession.

Fisher offered Hughes the job as High Commissioner in London and, when Hughes refused, decided he would take the job himself. He resigned as Prime Minister on 27 October 1915 and recommended to the Governor-General to commission Hughes to form a new ministry.

Fisher was not happy working under Hughes' direction. He served out his term as High Commissioner faithfully but with no particular distinction. After the war he tried to re-enter politics for Labor both in England and Australia, but he could not gain selection. His health by now was bad, his mental powers were failing.

He lived on quietly in England until his death on 22 October 1928.

 Directors' Reports and Member Announcements

Chris Herman:

• Launch of Global Hand Charity event "Offtraq" at the Vines Resort 22 June 2-4pm - see Events page. 

Veronica:

• Membership meeting after breakfast, the last one for this Rotary year.
• Ride the Train to End Polio - 24 October - see Events page.

David Rowell:

• "Gala" luncheon on Friday 27 June, celebrating our Club's handover.  Use the TryBooking link here trybooking.com/DBENN 

 Lyn M:

• Invoices have been sent out for Club fees - please pay asap.

 Joy:

Next week's speaker is Bob Beecroft on the subject of "Out of the frying pan into the fire" and will have copies of his book available for sale at $30 CASH (no eftpos). 

A Fine(s) One To Talk...

Owen took the podium with much confidence and called out...

• President Kelly - Ad-libbing with the formalities and being hen-pecked by three females
• Alison, Diane and Veronica - being "The Three"
• Diane - First fine, many more to come...
• Chris H - Missing In Action for far too long
• Dietmar - Remembering or forgetting Anne-Marie's birthday, doesn't matter, pay up!
• Ross - who knew you had friends? Pay for them.
• Lorrie - back in uniform (purple T-shirt)
• Honours List Awardees :
• OBE'S - Over Bloody Eighty - Ken and Wayne M
• OA's - Of Australia - all those born in Australia 
• Lorrie (again) - for any indecent as well as decent photo's
• 1971 enthusiasts - The Beatle's fans who heard 'Let it Be' for the first time.
• Kelly (again) - for not paying attention to the finesmaster
• Lew T bought the box in honour of Chris Herman - the original "Linen Man" 

Winner of Heads and Tails

Taking the toss himself, Owen threw several combinations which resulted in guest Chris Hermann taking out the bottle of Grog! Thanks to Lyn and Margaret Metcalf for their constant supply!

Attendance

30 attendees in all, including mystery guest speaker Wayne Muller, and visitors Christopher, Tony, and Chris H.

Bulletin #44 : 6 June 2025

President Kelly

Whilst missing in action last week to attend his father's 100th birthday (not his 95th as previously mis-reported - and I didn't even cop a fine!) President Kelly returned to a welcome fit for a hero! 

Guest Speaker - Dr Terry Humphries - Hydrogen Storage

Wayne Duke introduced Terry who he met at Levy Stapleton's first birthday party, Terry being good friends with Jaclyn and Jackson. One thing led to another resulting in Terry being invited to speak to us today.

Terry is a senior research fellow at Curtin university and part of the Hydrogen Storage Research Group (HSRG) which is a world-class research group in the field of hydrogen and energy storage, focusing on innovative solutions for hydrogen storage and its applications.

Since its establishment the group has been at the forefront of research, addressing industry challenges and advancing technologies for a sustainable energy future. Their work spans a wide range of areas, including the development of solid-state hydrogen carriers and export materials, thermochemical energy storage systems and next generation solid state batteries. The HSRG also collaborates with international partners and industries ensuring their research addresses real-world needs and contributes to the global hydrogen economy.

Terry loves to give talks to different groups creating awareness in communities of the HSRG  and began his presentation with an acknowledgment of Country.

The HSRG is led by Professor Craig Buckley for the last 20 years and the group consists of about eight or nine staff and eight or nine PhD students which increase and decrease as the year goes along. The research would not be possible without the various funding agencies and industrial partners needed to run the project.

 

Hydrogen economy is a necessary transition that is needed to make way from fossil fuels. 

It's not just the fact that fossil fuels are going to run out and the fact that we can't keep up with production or with the ongoing demand for energy that we need today. It is mainly pushed by climate change as well. We are all seeing the issues whether it be the forest fires, bushfires, floods that we are seeing in NSW and Qld and that's all to do with climate change, so we need to be able to build up our renewable energy and hopefully everyone is getting on board with this.

We need to come up with a way to actually store this energy because we need it for applications such as phones, watches, and cars where we tend to use batteries because it's nice and simple. 

However we need to start thinking about large-scale applications where batteries aren't so good, they're very expensive and not got much energy density, so if we are going to power a city or a mining site then large-scale is where we need to go, especially if we have to store energy for seasonal storage.

Not many people are aware of hydrogen at the moment, yet it's been in many country manifestos since 2019.

Hydrogen's extremely low density and small molecular size make it difficult to store and transport efficiently, especially compared to fossil fuels.  

However, hydrogen is the smallest and lightest element; 1L of gasoline weighs about 0.74kg, while 1L of hydrogen at standard temperature and pressure weighs only 0.009kg. Storing large quantities without massive infrastructure is a significant challenge.

Hydrogen is categorized by production method: grey/black/brown (from fossil fuels), blue (from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage or utilization), green (from renewables via electrolysis), and white (naturally occurring, geologically sourced hydrogen). The transition to a hydrogen economy involves moving from fossil-based hydrogen to green hydrogen, with blue hydrogen as a transitional option and white hydrogen as a potential supplementary source.

Green hydrogen is the ultimate goal for a sustainable hydrogen economy, but blue and white hydrogen may play important transitional or supplementary roles. 

The hydrogen economy requires coordinated advancements in four main areas: production, utilization, distribution, and storage. Each area presents unique challenges and opportunities. Production can use grid energy and electrolysers; utilization includes vehicles, synthetic fuels, ammonia, and green steel; distribution and storage are technically challenging and are the main focus of the research group.  

Australia has significant potential for hydrogen production, especially using solar photovoltaics in coastal areas. Maps show that the best regions for hydrogen production are near ports, facilitating export. Projected hydrogen demand is 2-9 million tonnes by 2030 and 20-230 million tonnes by 2050. Many energy-deficient countries are seeking to import hydrogen, and Australia is seen as a reliable supplier.  

The four main export methods are liquid hydrogen (requires storage at -253°C, very expensive ships); ammonia (already widely shipped, but toxic and requires high temperatures for hydrogen release); liquid organic hydrogen carriers (recyclable, but need heating to 200°C to release hydrogen); and sodium borohydride (can be shipped on standard cargo ships, potentially as low as $4.40/kg, and is safe and stable). 

The group is developing a process to produce sodium borohydride using green electricity, ship it globally, and release hydrogen by adding water at the destination. The byproduct, sodium borate, is shipped back for recycling in Australia. The project received $8 million in government funding in 2023. Sodium borohydride has been used in industry since the 1950s and contains 10.7% hydrogen by weight; when reacted with water, the effective hydrogen yield is 21.4%. Electrochemical regeneration is being developed to recycle sodium borate back to sodium borohydride without the need for electrolysers. The main challenges are scaling up production, perfecting recycling, and ensuring the process is economically viable. 

Hydrogen vehicles require a network of refueling stations for practical use across regions. Heavy haulage trucks, though only 4% of vehicles, contribute 27% of transport emissions. Replacing diesel with hydrogen in these trucks could reduce CO2 emissions by 57%. There is high demand for hydrogen vehicles, but supply is limited and infrastructure is lacking. 

Hydrogen is invisible and odorless, making leak detection critical for safety and exploration. The group is developing Raman scattering-based sensors for airborne and pipeline detection. White hydrogen, naturally occurring, was recently discovered in France (92 million tonnes in Moselle, March 2025), and similar reserves may exist in Australia due to geological processes. The sensors can be mounted on planes or used in plants and pipelines to detect leaks or natural emissions.

Hydrogen can cause embrittlement in metals and permeate non-metals, leading to potential pipeline failure. The group is testing materials and developing composite solutions, such as pipelines with liners and metal cores, to balance permeability and resistance to embrittlement. Permeability rigs and other testing setups are being used to evaluate materials.

 Terry explained that there is reseach being carried out on solid-state batteries as a safer alternvie to liquid electrolyte batteries which can catch fire in accidents and discussed the overall prospects and challenges for the hydrogen economy  covering cost efficiency recycling and public perspectives. However according to the 2024 Australian strategy, Australia has the most hydrogen projects globally, though progress is slow. The US (especially California) and China are also highlighted as active producers, with California having hydrogen refueling sites at petrol stations. Main production areas are those with abundant renewable energy.

To date there have been no known safety incidents with hydrogen-fueled vehicleds. Atco's hydrogen cars in Jandakot were cited, with detailed safety features such as pressure and temperature sensors, safety valves, and the behavior of hydrogen in case of a tank rupture (hydrogen rises and burns quickly, reducing risk).  

Hydrogen storage and usage have historically experienced cycles of progress and decline, often driven by external factors such as oil prices. The current momentum is driven by climate change concerns and has lasted about 10 years, with significant funding and global investment. However, progress is still considered slow, and more sustained effort is needed to avoid repeating past failures.

A full presentation can be found on the Club website.

Directors' Reports and Member Announcements

Veronica :

• Membership meeting next week after breakfast
• Launch of the Global Hand Charity major fundraising event "Offtraq" take a flyer and support this event.
• The funeral of Dr Alan Eggleston, long time member of this club will be held Saturday 7 June at Christchurch Grammar 10am.

David R:

• Gala luncheon to celebrate our Changeover on Friday 27 June. Details in the Events page (scroll down after reading this) or book at trybooking.com/DBENN 

Wayne M: 

• Last weekend when Kelly was MIA, saw the publishing of a double volume of the 'Gillen Dynasty' which Kelly had put together to celebrate his father's 100 birthday. As well the number of invitees doubled on the day - a testimony to his father's reputation in the community.

Lew T:

• 34 years ago Reg Willis, a member of our Club was appointed District Governor of D9465, his theme for that year was 'Simply the Best' and was most fitting for Reg's dedication and commitment to Rotary. This year another member of our club - Veronica Lawrance - has been nominated as District Governor of D9423 - the combined Districts of 9465 and 9455 - now covering the whole of Western Australia. 
• Please come and show Mill Point support as she takes up the mantle of DG on Saturday 14 June at the Leederville Function Centre 6.00pm, $55 pp two course meal, dress Cocktail. Book at https://www.trybooking.com/DBDYO

Kelly:

• In April the Council of Legislation (CoL) met (Governing body for Rotary International). 86 enactments were transmitted to the CoL who adopted 31 recommendations and rejected 37. The Mill Point RC Board have met and reviewed the proposals finding no direct impact on the club and so will vote on these recommendations in the positive. A copy of the report (37 pages) will be uploaded to the Club's website page in the Member's only section. 

One Fine(s) Day...

• Soccer fans and has-beens who saw the goal last night Australia 1: Japan 0. 
• End Of Year (EOY) tragics who hit the sales and now have heaps of stuff they don't know what to do with.
• BoM says from June to August days and nights will be warmer and wetter in WA, so those who've given up or tossed their snorkels and flippers away - cough up your dollars! 
• Telstra supporters now that Telstra has been caught colluding with Starlink to provide regional service they were already supposed to be providing!
• Fishermen and women for another "Doomsday" oarfish otherwise known as the 'King of Herring' found on a beach in Tassie by dog-walkers. Can grow up to 8m long and lives in depths of 150-800m deep.
• The incoming DG before she spends all her cash on 'chicken dinners' visiting other clubs! 

Winner of Heads and Tails

President Kelly took up the reigns as the weekly 'Tosser' throwing 2 x Heads, 2 x Tails, a Head & Tail and finally 2 Tails which saw newly inducted Bassem take out the wine of the week. Doesn't he look happy! 

Attendance

36 attendees in all, including guest speaker Dr Terry Humphries, 3rd time visitor and prospective member Diane Allen (who will be inducted next week), and visitors Carole and Shaun O'Brien.

Bulletin #43

President Missing In Action

In the absence of President Kelly who was busy boogy-ing at his dad's 90th birthday, Past President Tricia Smith held court to thunderous applause!

Our Fabulous Unsung Heroes!

Herliana Gunaway and Thiyagarajan Renganathan (Rajan)

It is an honour to nominate Herliana Gunawan and husband Rajan Renganathan for the Unsung Hero Award in recognition of her exceptional dedication and selfless service to the community through her volunteer work at Seeds of Hope Services Inc., located in the City of Perth. Herliana's and Rajan’s unwavering commitment to supporting those in need embodies the true spirit of compassion, resilience, and generosity.

For several years since July 2020, Herliana and Rajan have been a cornerstone of Seeds of Hope Services Inc., dedicating countless hours to aiding marginalized individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Whether it is cooking and distributing food each week for up to 150 homeless and needy individuals, offering emotional support, or organizing community outreach programs, they consistently go above and beyond to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our society receive the help they deserve.

Their ability to connect with people from all walks of life and offer them hope and encouragement is truly inspiring. They work tirelessly behind the scenes, often without recognition, to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those who are struggling. Their positive attitude, strong work ethic, and compassionate heart have earned them the respect and admiration of both their peers and the individuals they serve.

In a world where acts of kindness often go unnoticed, They exemplify what it means to be an unsung hero. Their humility, dedication, and relentless pursuit of making a difference make them deserving recipients of this award. By honoring their contributions, we not only recognize their efforts but also inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

Other family members, including her daughter Rani and mother are also involved in the charity. Their daughter Rani helps out after school on Monday afternoon distributing food at the city.  

Mike Harrison  Manning Men’s Shed

The Manning Men’s Shed offers a few programs for men and women in the community. These programs are designed to help with mental health and have been very effective in addressing levels of depression, social anxiety, and loneliness.

We also get approached by schools in the local area who have children who don’t fit into the typical academic environment.

Typically, these children are autistic or on the spectrum. We’ve been running this program for a few years now, and each year, Mike has taken the lead in caring for the young teenage males who come along.

When these young men first join, they are usually non-verbal and rather insular. Mike takes them under his wing and gets them to do simple things like sanding, nailing, and putting in or taking out screws. This repetitive behaviour seems to appeal to people on the autism spectrum, and it’s amazing to see the transformation that takes place in these young teenage boys.

After a few weeks, they really come out of themselves. Soon, they’re chatting with other men in the shed and taking on new projects to be repaired, all under the watchful eye of Mike.

In the end, Mike just stands back and lets them do their thing. I recently heard that of the two boys who recently attended, one of them has gotten a job, and the other is on the shortlist to start working as well. At the end of the program, we get them to make a little pencil case and we 3D print their names on it. They take these back to school and show them to the other students.

The students who were previously hesitant to join the program now see what they can do at the shed and there at least a dozen students who would now like to join the program.

There are a few things we do at the Shed that I’m very proud of, but the program that I am most proud of is the one that Mike runs. Mike Harrison is an outstanding individual and a very worthy candidate for the unsung hero Award.

Enda Fahy CEO of Southcare on behalf of Sally Marks, Southcare volunteer

It is a great pleasure to honour City of South Perth resident and long-time volunteer Sally Marks, whose quiet yet powerful leadership has made a lasting impact on our community.

Since 2022, Sally has served as the volunteer ambassador of Southcare’s weekly Knitting Circle - a welcoming space where creativity and connection flourish. Through her warmth, skill, and tireless dedication, Sally has transformed this group into a vibrant hub of social interaction, supporting dozens of people of all ages and abilities. Her work directly tackles the growing issue of social isolation, particularly among older Australians, by fostering meaningful connections, reducing loneliness, and promoting mental well-being.

As Southcare’s first Community Ambassador, Sally leads by example - bringing Southcare’s vision of an engaged, supported community to life, one stitch at a time. From complete beginners to seasoned crafters, all are welcomed into a safe, inclusive space where stories are shared, friendships are formed, and purpose is rediscovered.

Beyond her weekly sessions, Sally has championed projects with real impact. She led the group’s contribution to the Purple Road project, raising awareness of elder abuse through hundreds of hand-crafted purple flowers displayed at Parliament House. She coordinated the creation of knitted poppies for a moving Remembrance Day tribute at the Royal Perth Golf Club, and her group crafted beanies for the Soroptimist “Beanies Made with Love” campaign to support Perth’s homeless community.

Sally Marks embodies the Southcare values of Quality, Respect, Integrity, Cooperation and Empathy. Her actions may be quiet, but their ripple effect is profound.

Today, we proudly celebrate Sally as an Unsung Hero - a woman whose compassion, creativity and community spirit continue to enrich lives, one loop, one laugh, and one loving gesture at a time.

 

Congratulations to each of these worthy recipients!

 

Fine(s) and Dandy!

Our little ray of sunshine and joy (Burnett) dished the dirt when describing the deeds of the day...

Past President Tricia was first for cutting Joy's fines session short and also for interrupting whilst she was eating her brekkie...

1.   Top of th list – Lyn Metcalf…welcome back! Now the last time you drove across the Nullarbor, you copped a speeding ticket, this time it was a windscreen, that’s a bit more expensive than the speeding ticket, so I let's grab a dollar before that lovely Bluey comes in - just in case

2.   Anyone NOT wearing Stripes or checks!

Winner of Heads and Tails

Visitor John Marks took out the grog with an excellent win and a huge smile - well done John and thanks to Lyn and Margaret Metcalf for their kind donation of the wine each week.

Attendance

36 attendees in all, including heroes and heroines Herliana Gunaway, Thiyagarajan Renganathan, Mike Harrison, and Sally Marks; visitors Anton Nazzer, Enda Fahy, Graham Rennie, Mandy Sneeuwjagt, John Grohovaz, Christine Tanaka, Mark Jones,  Rani Gunawa, and Jonathan Marks.