The AGM was held at 6:30pm on Wednesday 12th April 2000 at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. It followed an interesting talk by Christine Cowrie of the NSW Department of Health, and preceded a joint meeting with Women in Water.
The facilitator for the AGM was Rosemary Sutton, National convenor
Agenda
1. Welcome and Apologies
2. Minutes of July 1999 meeting
3.
Finance Report (Sarah Miller)
Motion to increase
membership fees
4. Report on Activities and Projects (Rosemary Sutton)
5. Tabling of Web report (Jean Hollis Weber)
6. Journal Report (Julie Evans)
7. Membership report (Julianne Crowley)
8. Nomination of Central Link Team Members – National Convenor, deputy, Editor, deputy, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Web site manager, Additional members. Sydney convenor
9. Other business Sue Serjeantson
10. Close
1. Apologies
Marge Hynoski, DeidreTronson, Mary Garson, Rosemary Irrgang, Ruth Boydell, Sharon Robinson and Wendy Russell from Wollongong, Sue Turner (Q), Sarah Ashmole (Q), Mary O’Kane (SA).
2. Minutes
Minutes of the last AGM July 1999 were tabled (see WISENETJ.52:19-24 November 1999 issue) and a motion approving them was passed.
3. Finance Report - Sarah Miller Treasure
Financially, 1999 was another good a year for WISENET, leaving us with a balance of $7800 (see financial statement on page ). This was slightly higher than the balance at the end of 1998 of $6770 and still much higher than the balance at the end of 1997 of $1761.
The main reason for the healthy balance was the slight increase in subscriptions from $7014 to $7248. This was particularly pleasing given the poor prognosis in May 1999 when subscriptions reached only $3475 and it appeared unlikely that we would reach $7000. The other significant income for 1999 was a donation of $563. This was from a university group similar to WISENET which folded and we were extremely fortunate that they remembered us.
With the impending introduction of the GST, it is likely that our costs will increase. The auditor has advised that WISENET need not apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) since our annual turnover is well less than $50,000. However, to continue to obtain subscriptions and/or grants from Government or other organisations WISENET will need to quote its ABN or forfeit 50% of the payment.
WISENET should continue to look at ways of generating income, particularly through grants. By undertaking projects such as Science Futures we not only get paid to achieve our objectives but also gain promotion and publicity.
A motion increasing subscriptions for 2001 to $35 for individuals, $40 for institutions and overseas members, and $15 for students and unwaged people was passed.
3. Report on Activities – Rosemary Sutton National Convenor
Last year was one of difficulties and changes for WISENET. Diana Temple, who has heroically and wonderfully combined the tasks National Convenor and Sydney Convenor for many years, stood down at the last AGM in June, agreeing to an acting role until a replacement was found. At a special September meeting, I agreed to take on the National Convenor role, with Diana and Julie Evans sharing the Sydney Convenor position. The link teams in other cities were also finding it hard to get together, an issue we need to address if WISENET is to survive.
With many of us very busy with work and family and/or other commitments we need to find ways so that we can all do a bit and achieve a lot collectively! We also received notice that we no longer have a place at the annual Round Table organised by Office of Status of Women. We were not alone with about 30 other of the original 50 women’s organisations, also excluded. A consolation was that the University Women’s Association offered to represent us, particularly on the issue of the WISET recommendations.
However, there were several highlights to the year as well. (Events since the July AGM are reported below).
Conferences.
In July WISENET organised a session at the Pacific Conference with high profile women scientists as speakers. The Women Achieving in Science conference in Melbourne in 12th November 1999 was excellent. It was brought about by the hard work of Pauline Gallagher, backed by a team of CSIRO Staff Association workers and an organising committee composed of representatives from the 4 conference partners – the NTEU, CSIRO-SA, FASTS, and ourselves; and a host of sponsors. The WAIS committee anticipates there will be another second WAIS conference in early 2002 in Sydney.
Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in grant applications to both Office of Status of Women and for a Science and Technology Awareness Project for funding to do a special publication on Women Achieving in Science and to upgrade our Web-site including this material. However we are trying again for STAP funding this time with Sarah Miller and Jean Weber doing most of the writing! The grant would provide funds for both a website and CDs to encourage girls and women in rural and regional Australia to pursue science studies.
Networking and Communication with Members
We remain firmly committed to production of the WISENET Journal 3 times a year, since it provides the major point of contact with many members. However, the web site and the email system provide an excellent avenue for rapid communication that is becoming increasingly important. If you have email access and have not been receiving emails please send me your address!!(rosemary.sutton@li.csiro.au). Sarah Miller arranged with CSIRO to have a discussion group set up which I hope this year to revive. Any member of the group can then email information to the rest of the group. * To join simply send an email to wimset-request@its.csiro.au with a one word message - subscribe. I anticipate that using the wimset email discussion group to disseminate information on conferences and FASTS valuable lobbying activities, as well as getting discussion of issues of prime interest to us all.
WISENET is affiliated with Federation of Science and Technological Societies (FASTS) and Women into Politics (WIP). WISENET has maintained its affiliate membership of FASTS ($2:50 a member) although we will probably need to convert this to a full membership ($5-$5:50 per full member). The membership has been valuable and we are delighted that Professor Sue Serjeantson of the ANU, and a WISENET member, is now president of FASTS. One of our Sydney members Elizabeth Elenius participated in the highly successful SMP Science Meets Parliament day (reported in the April 2000 Journal).
WISENET shared a table with women from the Jessie Street library at WIP dinner in October. It was a convivial evening, with women politicians from Liberal, Labor and Democrat parties giving entertaining brief speeches. I believe it is essential that WISENET remains party-apolitical, but at the same time, willing to advise politicians of our views.
Sydney Activities.
The central link teams meets as required – about 6 times a year. We also have 3 evenings each year to package the journal, and Sydneysiders are welcome to join in the work and fun.
Julie Evans and I attended an alternate Round Table in Sydney organised by the ALP Caucus Committee on Status of Women to enable 5 ALP federal women politicians to listen to the problems identified by representatives from a dozen women’s groups in Sydney. It was a friendly discussion and very worthwhile. The issues we face as women scientists pale into lesser significance beside the difficulties faced by some aboriginal, single parent and migrant groups.
I also represented WISENET at a pre-National Science Week in NSW function for science communicators and presenters at the Australian Technology Park last week (April). It also was an opportunity to meet some members of the NSW branch of the Australian Science Communicators, including their convenor Robyn Stutchbury, the source of many emails on science talks and events coming up which I forward to the NSW WISENET members on email. Thanks Robyn!
This year (2000) we have about 6 get togethers planned in Sydney. To lighten the load, we have asked people to volunteer to organise one function each. Julie
Evans arranged the first meeting at the Australian Museum where Anne Skates gave us a highly informative powerpoint presentation on “Beyond Surfing: Tools and Techniques for Searching the Web”. Anne, Necia Agnew and Samantha Fenton then provided backup in a hands on session using different web search engines. Leeta Caiger has organised tonight’s meetings and the dinner in conjunction with Therese Flapper of Women in Water. Leeta is also organising the WISENET and WIW speakers for National Science Week Powerhouse Museum Seminars “Science is for Girls” in May. Diana Temple and Julianne Crowley are planning a debate in July on academic performance enhancing drugs, jointly with ANZAAS and North Sydney Boys High. Doreen Clark has volunteered to organise a WISENET breakfast in August and Cathy Foley will run a meeting later in the year.
Finally I’d like to thank the central link team and all the interstate links for all their WISENET contributions!!
4. Website report from Jean Weber, WISENET Webmistress
The WISENET website continues to be hosted at the University of Sydney, http://www.usyd.edu.au/wisenet/ . I have kept the site up to date by changing information as needed (for example, contact information for link team members), and adding links to events and other sites when the information is passed on to me. I have also scanned quite a few profiles from back issues of the Journal and added them to the site.
The website definitely needs an improvement in its appearance, to be more appealing to young people, without making it slow-loading or difficult to read with older hardware or software. I would like to see a bright, fresh, but simple design (appropriate for the target audience) developed by a designer. I could then put the existing website pages, and any new pages, into the new design.
With or without a new design, I plan to continue scanning back journal material and adding it to the site. I also have several relatively recent journals in electronic form to be added. I would also like to add a site-search engine, a guestbook, and perhaps some other features. None of these are difficult to do; they just take time. We also need someone toput some effort into publicising the website, getting it into the search engines, and so on. I know how to do this, but lack the time.
We had hoped to get some grant money in 1999-2000 to improve the website, but were unsuccessful in our application. We're trying again this year. If we fail to get the money, I do have some ideas for improving the appearance of the website and will try to find time to do that.
5. Journal Report – Julie Evans Editor
In 1999, the three editions of the Journal (J50 - J52) were issued by the Sydney Editorial Team comprising Julie Evans (Hon Editor), Nicola Elliot (Deputy Editor), Margaret Hartley, Judy Mackinolty, Heather Rossiter and Diana Temple. I would like to welcome Nicola to the team and to specially thank Judy Mackinolty who has now retired as our diligent collator of News and Notes.
Thanks are also due to Andrew Netherwood who has created the attractive layouts and continues to upgrade the production method. Image Desktop Publishing has responded to our cries for a "special rushed job" with patience and efficiency. The cost of producing the journal has been a concern and we have considered ways of reducing our costs, though the only action we have taken so far is to reduce the size slightly.
A number of articles last year addressed the issue of family friendly policies in the workplace and I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Rosemary Sutton who wrote "Is CSIRO still a man's world?" for Journal 51 and a supplementary Editorial in J52.
Plans for 2000:
April issue: Wollongong Team, headed by Wendy Russell
July issue: Sydney Team are producing a Special Edition devoted to the Women Achieving in Science Conference in November 1999.
November Issue: West Australian Team.
6. Membership Report – Julianne Crowley Membership Secretary
The current financial membership as of 4 April 2000 stands at 111 with 100 members still to renew membership from 1999. We have 22 honorary members or organizations making a total membership of 233.
New member numbers reflect the activities of the organization with 46 new members joining in 1998; the year Science Futures was produced.
Table 1: Table showing new member numbers by year of joining
|
Year |
New members |
|
1995 |
17 |
|
1996 |
13 |
|
1997 |
32 |
|
1998 |
46 |
|
1999 |
24 |
|
To March 2000 |
6 |
The database was moved to Access this year, allowing easier information generation. For example, the counting and sorting of divisions when journals are labeled for posting.
The current arrangement with membership information being reposted from the post box to my home address appears to be working well and will hopefully reduce the problems that can arise when several people are involved in moving information about town.
In order to update the database and correct errors, link team members have been phoning unfinancial members from 1997 and 1998. While this has increased the number of members resigning it has also had the effect of numerous unfinancial members renewing their membership.
At a recent link team meeting in Sydney it was recommended that new members be sent a welcome email. It was also decided that link team members in the states from which the new members originate be informed of new state members. This will hopefully encourage contact between local individuals. This practice has now commenced and we would appreciate feedback on this initiative.
I
am at present emailing members renewing their membership with their receipt
numbers rather than posting them. This allows me to check the accuracy of the
address as Wisenet hopes to increase the use of this form of communication for
several reasons including cost saving. If anyone needs the actual receipt
please let me know and it will be posted out.
7. Nomination of Central Team Link Members
The current committee members (elected in the special meeting in September
1999) were renominated and Cathy Foley was also nominated as a committee
member (see page XX of the journal).
8. Other business Address from the FASTS President
Sue Serjeantson, who is WISENET member, had driven from Canberra to talk to us about her new role. FASTS is a small executive group which represents most of the scientific and technological societies in Australia, and works hard to establish the consensus views of scientists and to actively represent those views to politicians and government. The President of FASTS also has a position on PMSEC (the Prime Ministers Science and Engineering Council) a powerful group which meet 3 times a year and which make recommendations to the PM on selected issues of national concern where science can play a significant role (for example dry land salinity, DNA testing for crime). Sue welcomed input from WISENET on issues we see as important. Thank you Sue!
This meeting was followed by a joint meeting with the Women in Water Sydney group arranged and chaired by Leeta Caiger. Both Therese Flapper who is on the Australian Water Association and who set up WIW, and Mehreen Facqui the current state coordinator for Women in Water (WIW) spoke to the group.
Following the two meetings, most of us then went to the Star of Siam Restaurant in nearby Darling Harbour for a relaxed Thai dinner.
Christine was the speaker at the AGM this year on the topic “Water And Health -The Nexus”.
Christine Cowie is Manager of the Water Unit of the NSW Dept of Health. The unit provides public heath policy advice on a statewide basis for issues relating to drinking water, wastewater reuse and disposal, and recreational water.
The Water Unit is specifically responsible for the public health of regulatory oversight of the Sydney Water Corporation and the Sydney Catchment Authority, also providing public health oversight of rural water suppliers.
Her work experience includes environmental health with Local Government, metropolitan public health units in NSW and the NSW Health Department. She has also coordinated and participated in epidemiological studies researching human exposure to lead and recreational water contact with blue-green algae.
Christine gave us a fascinating talk on public health issues arising from water quality, delving into history – cholera epidemics in England – to current day issues of special interest to her audience – the giardia contamination of Sydney’s water, which had us all boiling our drinking water for a while.
