NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS

TELECONFERENCE
TUESDAY 29^th March 2001 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

MINUTES

Present:
Phil Roberts (Chair) SA President
Ian Burleigh TAS Secretary
Andrew Cosby VIC Treasurer
Anthony Jokantas VIC Vice President
Rowland Clark ACT Publicity Officer
Patrick McCann NSW
Lindsay McNeill WA
Brad Ensbey QLD
Peter Lyons QLD

29/03/01
Time 8:30 pm  Eastern Standard Time

Chairman opened the meeting welcoming 8 reps from all States at 8:35 PM.

Apologies were asked for and none forthcoming. (No contact from Northern Territory).

Minutes of the previous teleconference were read and accepted as correct.

Chairman asked for any correspondence from secretary. Very little apart from email messages from W.A. VIC N.SW. with details of each States office bearers. It was noted that no replies on this matter from QLD , NT, & S.A. (S.A. recently elected new executive).

Chairman then asked that a progress report on organisation of 2002 NAAE Biennial Conference be given. Tasmanian representative Ian Burleigh outlined how the Tas organising committee had for a nominal cost, successfully engaged Mr. Kent Harbutt to assist with Conference organisation. Tasmania requested information to assist with collation of a database of past and current interested persons so that an updated database could be used for contacting delegates for conference 2002 and 2004. The venue (University of Tasmania Agricultural sciences Faculty) was being examined for its suitability and appropriateness. Accommodation option of on campus budget style shared room facility was being explored, but a range of accommodation to suit all budgets was available in the vicinity. Some further discussion re format of actual daily program and field trips was discussed and consensus was that the organising State should be allowed to organise without interference from other States. Offers of advice re sponsorship from other States and/or request can be forwarded to Kent Harbutt. <harbutt@iprimus.com.au>

Business arising from minutes:

Chairman asked Rowland Clarke to update progress on NAAE website.
Rowland had not put it up due to lack of reliable information. Secretary had forwarded information from W.A. NSW TAS and VIC re office bearers. Some info OK but much of this was already out of date or not in appropriate format.
Some discussion as to the actual name of the site and the URL. Nothing definite as yet except that it is to be called NAAE Website.

The issue of travel assistance for State Delegates to attend biennial Conferences was raised. A motion put up by Tasmania was read and discussed;
“that the NAAE encourage and support delegates from remote regional areas to attend Biennial Conference by partially reimbursing travel expense to conference by an amount equal to half the cost of the cheapest pre-booked airfare from their nearest regional airport. No more than two delegates from any one State or Territory are eligible, and request are to be forwarded to NAAE Executive two months prior to conference for consideration”.
Most reps felt that this motion was likely to open the floodgates for ‘rorting’. A suitable amendment was moved by WA and duly seconded by Victoria. The motion was then put to the vote and passed in the affirmative by the majority.
“At the discretion of the NAAE Executive, States with a small membership base (less than 25) could receive up to one half of one discount airfare to assist a delegate attend the National Biennial Conference”.
Those for the motion felt that States with a large membership base could assist delegates in cases of hardship without assistance from National body.
Dissenting votes from QLD and NSW who felt that the issue of inequity could be seen to be advantageous for Tas and NT delegates.
Chairman reiterated that in line with his recent Presidents Address in the Newsletter that the value of the National Association was in the role of disseminating information from Commonwealth Government Initiatives, Education Research and that all members get value for their $5:00 due to the fact that without interaction between states biennial conferences would be nearly impossible to organise.

Treasurer's Report
Treasurer was then asked to give a report on the current financial position.
The balance was approximately $7822 . It was felt that sufficient funds would be available to subsidise two delegates to attend conference if needed.
Treasurer also noted that the ABN number was still to be provided. Treasurer queried if NAAE was subject to GST. NSW rep has on good advice that no GST implications for NAAE as its annual turnover less than $50,000.
Some discussion as to the level of subs levied for National body. It was agreed to leave subs at $5:00 for the immediate future.
Treasurer reported that the $1000 seeding grant for Tasmanian Conference was in the mail plus the subsidised monies for travel expenses incurred by delegates from Tasmania to attend Perth Conference. He just is unsure who to send it to. Again it was stated that to the best of the Tasmanian reps knowledge, Jake Tammens Sheffield District High School  4 Henry Street Sheffield was the previous Tasmanian Agricultural Educators treasurer.

The chairman then gave a glowing report of the recent SA conference at Loxton and surrounding district.
The theme “Sustainable Agriculture” was demonstrated through projects such as Bannrock Wetlands, Landcare issues, water issues re irrigation from Murray River and other states drawing too much water from Murray before it get to South Australia.
Some interesting speakers and field trips to Almond orchards and wineries and Australian Native Produce, Loxton research centre for cereal crops and dried fruits were very worthwhile, topical and enjoyed by delegates.

A final request was made to state reps to supply a contact person from each state so that the states could exchange publications and therefore disseminate information that way.

Each state rep was then asked if there was any further business.
All negative so the meeting was closed at approximately 9:30 p.m.