Secretary 2022/23: Michael Archer

 

 

 

 

Present: President Jan Dempsey; David Brownson; Owen McCluggage; Murray Gillespie,  Dennis Eales, Stephen Bovett, Wally Garrett, Geoff Harding, Harry Duynhoven, Sally Morch, David Lusk, Michael Archer, John Pitman, Des Friedrich, Gary Brown, Simon Northrop

 

Guests :Marie Brown, David McLeod- Guest Speaker

 

Apologies , David Gibson, Judy Hanline, LOA Ian Smiley

 

Simon Northrop welcomed everyone especially guest  speaker David McLeod

                 

Thanks for the meal were given by David Brownson

 

Fines : Stephen Bovett fined members depending on their length of service in the Club.

 

3 Minute Talk- Simon Northrop- Interviewing potential staff

 

Talked about the trials and tribulation of interviewing for Engineering staff in Prague where potential applicants had to be able to speak English. He interviewed 2 Thomas's one who had come for a an interview but obviously for the wrong job (could not speak English) and the right one who could and was employed.

 

Also travelling to interview a person in Luton from Edinburgh by a new budget airline. Unfortunately they were unable to land because of visibility issues and he ended up arriving by bus in protracted way in Luton only to be in time to catch a train home.

 

 

Guest Speaker: David McLeod- National Party Candidate for New Plymouth

 

 

David is married with 3 grown up children all living at home to save for OE experience.

Trained as an Electrician took over an Electrical company in Hawera, purchased and sold  after rebranding as Linepower (an electrical Lines Company he bought)

Chair of Taranaki Regional Council for 22 years. Current Director of Port Taranaki and Fonterra

 

 

 

 

David believes that his background was the main reason he was shoulder tapped to stand for National at the next Election. 

 

Originally he didn't want a bar of joining Central Government. "Too much playing the man not the ball" He believes there is a real need to attract and retain people (regardless of political affiliations) in Parliament by establishing a good culture.

 

He feels he has the ability to engage and listen to people and represent their interests.

 

He sees major challenges ahead for Health and Education.

 

Couldn't understand why needed South African Drs were not renewed with Visas at the time Covid struck the country. Processes aren't helping.

 

He believes currently that the country is not executing and delivering sustainable and enduring outcomes.

 

His main area of interest is Energy.

 

Sees real issues in delivering Peak Power  with insufficient Natural Gas in the interim before tgetting to the 2050 target for renewables (which he agrees with)

 

While there are solutions with wind and solar power, connecting to the national grid will be a major issue as experienced in the Upper North Island when installing higher power pylons created difficulty in getting consents from landowners.

 

He has the utmost respect for the current and past MPs's standing for election in New Plymouth- not easy.

 

 

 

 

 

Murray Gillespie indicated that this was a successful fun night for 30 members, parents and friends. $50 has been given to the club excess income over expenditure. 

 

 

Des indicated that the Board had been restructured

Wally Garrett- Treasurer

Simon Northrop Secretary

Geoff Harding- Flats Grounds manager

Stephen Bovett- member liaison for working bees.

 

Fences, retaining walls and resealing carpark at the Flats current projects.

 

To date $18,000 profit has been donated to charities.

 

 

While the planting of 4600 trees has largely been completed with a well over 90% strike rate. There is a need to clear weeds from mainly the hebe's planted before inspection and release of remaining money. Working bee to do this will eb advised by Des.

 

 

John indicated he had a friend who was in desperate need of assistance to tidy her property up. He was intending to get a working bee together to help and requested assistance from the club. A number of members indicated they would be available.

 

 

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies"