ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022
22 MARCH 2022
BACKGROUND
In accordance with its practice from the preceding two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division Council at its December 2021 meeting determined that this meeting should be held on-line via Zoom.
ATTENDANCE
Mr Sammar Abbas, Prof Jonathan Binns, Mr Jim Black, Mr Craig Boulton (Treasurer), Mr Adrian Broadbent, Mr Nathan Chappell, Mr Peter Dandy, Mr Donal Gallagher, Mr Rob Gehling (Secretary), Mr Ken Goh, Mr Andy Harris, Mr John Jeremy, Dr Kim Klaka, Mr Gordon MacDonald (President), Prof Martin Renilson, Mr Karl Slater, Assoc Prof Warren Smith, Mr Graham Taylor and Mr Nathan Wallace.
1. OPENING
The Division President, Mr MacDonald, noting that a quorum of more than 12 members was present including at least 4 Corporate members, welcomed members to the Annual General Meeting of the Australian Division and declared the meeting open at 20.06hrs AEDT.
2. APOLOGIES
The Secretary reported that an apology had been received from RAdm Trevor Ruting. Members, including Council members, who had accepted but did not attend were Dr Walid Amin, Mr John Butler, Mr John Colquhoun, Mr Alan Dowd, Dr Yuriy Drobyshevsky, Ms Violeta Gabrovska (Vice President), Mr Phil Helmore, Ms Jennifer Knox, Mr Adrian MacMillan, Mr Alistair Smith, Ms Emma Tongue, Mr Cameron Whitten, Ms Sigrid Wilson and Assoc Prof Michael Woodward.
3. CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE VIRTUAL AGM HELD BY ZOOM ON WEDNESDAY 17TH MARCH 2021.
The Minutes of the previous AGM had been circulated to members.
There being no questions or comments on the Minutes, Mr Taylor moved and Dr Klaka seconded that the Minutes be taken as read and signed as a true record of that meeting.
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Carried
4. PRESIDENTS REPORT The President’s report was circulated to members by email prior to the meeting.
In introducing his report, noting that he would be retiring at the conclusion of the AGM, thanked members for their support during his Presidency and wished Mr Black for his Presidential term.
There being no questions or comments on the report, Mr Jeremy moved and Mr Goh seconded that the President’s report be accepted.
Carried
5. RECEIVE, CONSIDER AND ADOPT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2021
The Treasurer introduced the Financial Statement as audited by W L Browne & Associates of Gordon, NSW, dated the same day as the meeting, 22nd March 2022. An unsigned copy of the Statement had been distributed to members prior to the meeting. In relation to the stated income, the Treasurer pointed out to the meeting that the Division had not received its annual grant from RINA Headquarters within the year but it had been credited together with the current year’s grant prior to the meeting.
The Secretary drew the meeting’s attention to differences between the name of the Division as incorporated and the name used within the financial statements which could be confused with the Institution (world-wide); this would be amended if necessary but made no difference to the financial statements but would be corrected if required by authorities.
There being no other questions, Mr Black moved and Mr Dandy seconded that the Treasurer’s Financial Report be received.
Carried.
6. APPOINTMENTS TO COUNCIL OF THE AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
The Secretary advised the meeting that in accordance with the Division’s By-Laws, the following Council members appointed by their Sections reach the end of their terms at the end of the current AGM:
Mr Adrian Broadbent (NSW)
Dr Yuriy Drobyshevsky (WA)
Mr Peter Dandy (SA-NT)
Mr Nathan Wallace (Vic)
Assoc Prof Michael Woodward (Tas)
Mr Alistair Smith (ACT)
Mr Cameron Whitten (Qld).
The Secretary advised that, as a result of responses to the call for Sections to appoint members to these vacancies, Mr Broadbent and Mr Wallace had been re-appointed, while Ms Emma Tongue (WA), Mr Phil Bevan (SA-NT), Mr Chris Davies (Tas) and Mr Nic Bentley (Qld) were appointed to
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join Council following nomination by their Sections. A/Prof Smith, as Chairman of ACT Section, indicated that their nominee would be decided in the coming weeks.
7. OTHER BUSINESS
The President invited any other business.
7.1 The incoming President, Mr Black, thanked Council for entrusting him to lead the Division over the coming two years and for its continuing support. He also thanked Council for its work over the past years and in particular Immediate Past President Prof Renilson who was retiring from Council after many years of service.
7.2 Mr MacDonald, as retiring President, thanked Council and particularly the Treasurer and Secretary for their support during his term.
7.3 A/Prof Smith congratulated Sections on the technical meetings conducted on-line during the COVID pandemic and proposed that future technical meetings should be conducted through a nationally-coordinated program. The President referred this proposal to the Improvement Committee established by the Division Council, noting comments that hybrid physical/online meetings are likely to be more difficult to manage but can be made to work and can become routine.
7.4 A/Prof Smith brought attention to the commencement of the accredited naval architecture course at UNSW Canberra which had started with small numbers but was actively looking to recruit students.
8. CLOSURE
The President closed the meeting at 20.28hrs AEDT.
