President Jenny formally opened the meeting and welcomed the guests and members.  Her first delightful job was to make an award to the Lane Cove Youth Orchestra.
 
Awardee of the Tom and Thelma Tait award for the most noteworthy musician was Jessica Ellis. Jessica is an outstanding cellist in the Lane Cove Youth Orchestra that has produced many bright practitioners of that art who have gone on to become celebrated musicians and she is a potential leader in that group. Well done Jessica.

In her acceptance speech (of Churchillian proportions - brief and punchy), Jessica expressed her profound affection and admiration of the late Tom Tait who was ever willing to support and inspire the orchestra to ever greater heights.

President Jenny announced a long anticipated event of great excitement - the Induction of new member Karen Paull.  Welcomed enthusiastically by all, Karen has become a regular supporter of our club in thought, word and deed.  What a night to be inducted with Jessica Ellis and Paul Murphy both in attendance, along with her supporters and those of the Youth Orchestra and of the fabled broadcaster, Paul Murphy.

 
Karen joined the Community Service committee and was welcomed by the grateful Chairman.

Tania formally Welcomed the club's guests with suitable flair and vivacity.  Broadly, they were Bob Cartwright's  group, Paul Murphy's cohort, Jessica Ellis's excited supporters, and Karen and David Paull's family.  What a cast!

Jenny reminded members of the Rotary Foundation dinner on Monday 9 Nov.  She also spoke about District and Global Grants, leave for Ann, and Board elections in November (please consider a position for next rotary year.)

Swapma, the DG's Rep from RC Crows Nest was welcomed.

Margaret Siliink is urgently seeking a RYLA Candidate from the club.  we are running put of time.  Please have your nomination in ASAP.

Sergeant Adrienne:
....Fined all at  fair (Fair cop!)
....Chris Curtis who aws found asleep in his car after the Fair was over.  Well, that was at least two hours sleep in the last 24.  Well done Chris.

PP Chris Curtis intro guest speaker Paul Murphy, whose special interest is politics.

Paul:  Colleagues complained because he wouldn't turn on a tape recorder.  Watched and learned from Roger Climpson.  Born in Canberra.  Was on Chifleys knee at a BBQ.  Menzies gave Paul's dad London as a consolation prize.  Grew up there.
Lucky to work at the ABC. Sent to London office office. . Obviously became an excellent mime (you had to be there).
Met all pollies except Margaret Thatcher.  Dennis Healy was marvellous politician.  As was Harold Wilson.
Criticised for living in a classy suburb.  Surprised at their seriousness re class issue.
Glad he could compare the two eras.  Interviewed Harold Wilson at House of Lords.  Met Gough.  Was Remembered by him for spending too much time in the beer garden with son Tony instead of at lectures.
Paul Keating re his retiring... "Huh?  What took you so bloody long?"

Questions
Adrienne......Why not any affairs reported?    More important things going on than affairs.
Frank.......Duckmanton sensitive about his name?
Tom......Murdoch' influence over Australian press?    An awful lot because he's owns most of it.  Met Murdoch and asked if he was a member of the communist party at Oxford.   Ans... Who told you that?
Roger.....Impressions of what happened in Canberra lately?   Answer:  When I was Gore Hill, I was amazed at the patience of the present Prime minister.  Nothing different to the Labor Party.  Roger astonished.
John Donald......Lucky in Oz that parties not too polarised? Yes.
Tania.......Friend asked what do you think of news 24.  Overdone but watches a lot.  All marvellous.    Advertising on ABC?  Didn't harm SBS.
David Paull.....Can a great leader do it alone or needs a great team?  Do they need meetings to present a uniform message?  Does 24 hours add to environment or just filtration?  Answer:  Best thing for a democracy.
Harry......ABC criticised for being left wing. Reasonable balance at the moment?  Answer: It used to be balanced when I was there.
Roger..... Question time seems to be Peurile nonsense.  What am I missing?
Tom.....Bias in the ABC?  Which way?
Roger..... How do you see Australia in the world? How does PM deal with the world?  Answer:  We are taken seriously by Asia and USA. Seen as important by the rest of the world?  Answer:  Chinese were the first to take us seriously.
Roger......Hope that the truth is still told and that we retain our status as a lucky country.
Frankie....How would we handle if our system of govt if we went to the American model. Bob concerned about PMs change over.
Adrienne.....Obama? Very good especially as the first black President.
Terrorism - how big a problem?  Bigger in other countries?  Bigger characters in the old days?
Roger. Most embarrassing political moment of your life?  Good question. The funniest was Keating saying:  what took you so long?

Vote of Thanks by Roger.  Very grateful that you lived opposite the Dawes - many people wouldn't. (Response: I am very tolerant man.  Many riotous parties.
An absolute pleasure to be here in what is the best kept secret.

 
Alicia won raffle.  $120 from sergeant.  Attendance 22 Rotarians, two visitor Rotarians, and 17 guests!  Club assembly next week.
 
Julie:  Thanks for honouring dad and mum (Tom and Thelma).  Dad loved his Tuesday nights.  The award much appreciated by the family.

Thanks Karen - our newest member. David too.