Opening
President Rhonda opened the meeting, welcomed everyone, and handed over to chair Patsy Beckett
Guest Speaker: Tony Schapel - Who speaks for the dead?
Patsy announced that Tony had spent his professional life in the criminal justice system as a barrister and criminal prosecutor in South Australia and Hong Kong, as a magistrate, and as Deputy SA Coroner from 2005 - 2021.
Tony said that the coronial system was established to examine deaths which needed explanation as to how and why they occurred.....including the unexpected, unnatural, violent and inexplicable eg:
- apparent murder, suicide or death by drug overdose
- deaths in custody or while being detained
- deaths within 24 hours of being discharged from hospital
- deaths while under guardianship order
- absence of death certificate
South Australia records about 16,000 deaths annually of which 3,500 are referred to the coroner. The evidence is examined to determine the cause and circumstances of the death; often an autopsy is needed - about 900 each year.
Fans of the British series Silent Witness could have been forgiven for imagining Schapel with a sharp scalpel.
The coronial system is a mark of a decent society where life is important. Once having determined the cause of death, the coroner must dispose of the remains in consultation with their families. There are 3 coroners in SA with counsel assisting. The coroner has the power to make recommendations, as happens with suicides while in custody where they could potentially have been avoided. Responsible government officers ignore such recommendations at their peril.
Coronial inquests are conducted in public with the powers of a Royal Commission such as the one he held after the Eyre Peninsula bushfires of 2005 when 9 lives were lost.and many injuries. 34 recommendations were made to improve bushfire safety and CFS operations.There are 40-50 inquests each year. Importantly the process must reduce the risk of future repetition and culpability is assigned where appropriate. He quoted the case of a Riverland man with serious psychiatric problems being discharged from hospital without reference to his long history of self harm, and then suiciding.
Tony was thanked by acclamation.
Behind the Badge - Jerry Casburn
Jerry was born in 1949, educated in England, married 3 times and has produced 4 children.
He opened his career with a clerical job at London Fire Brigade and rose to looking after computer operations at Greater London Council. He is a member of the British Computer Society and has an MBA from Macquarie University.
In 1974 he joined American Express in West Sussex, where he spent 22 years, and became responsible for systems acquisitions and software development for Europe, Middle East, Asia, Pacific and Australia. In 1998 he was appointed Vice President Operations for Australia. In 1990 a change of scenery for the worse when he joined AMP as Customer Service Manager. 1998 he was out on his own as a recruiting consultant before joining EDS in 2005....thence a year later as a supermarket owner-operator until retirement in 2016.
His Rotary journey began in 1991 when he was hijacked into joining St Ives in Sydney. On arrival in Adelaide in 2005 he joined our club. Meteoric rise to power followed.....Club President 2008/9 & 2009/10, District Secretary 2012/13 and District Governor 2014/15. We remember the District Conference in Ballarat with great affection. Bob Mills reported that Jerry was the 7th District Governor from Unley.
Health-wise the last 2 years have been lousy but he is now on the improve. Briony has been outstanding with her unstinting love and support.
Jerry was applauded.
Spots
President Rhonda reported the death of former long-serving member John Russell. His funeral will be on 29 June
Vivienne Wood announced that $920 of donations had been provided by club members for the Salvos Red Shield Appeal. She will contact Colin Sampson for the invoice to cover our matching grant. Christina and Stephen will attend the Salvos community meal event this Friday (normally every 3rd Friday evening) from 4-8.30pm to learn from Mitcham's Lee Camporeale on how to deliver in August.
Paul Duke has a working ANCO dishwasher from the Thrift Shop for anyone in need. He would be pleased to receive suggestions for worthwhile international projects.
Garry Taylor announced that discussions had been held with Unley Councillor Steve Finos who is also a member of the Unley Road Association. The Unley traders are keen to work with us to produce a big Christmas event on Sunday December 6, with a fair preceding the concert. This is being pursued.
Stephen Baker had been contacted by David Binks the organiser of the Rotary Youth Sailing Challenge, which our club has been enthusiastically supporting. Are there any members, friends or acquaintances who know of a 15-18yo who would benefit from this rigorous but happy experience?
John Peacham issued a request a month ago for members to indicate their committee preferences. To date only 50% have replied......please help by providing the details. We also need all meeting attendees to respond to each invitation to help with catering and room set up. - tonight there were 26 acceptances and 34 present.
President Rhonda:
- asked members to respond to Robert's 80th birthday celebration on 8 August
- recruited John Peacham to participate in a G3 zoom meeting which will be discussing a POOTY display at the Show
- announced Stage 2 of the Afghan Women's Project was underway with more computers and tuition in computer literacy and English language. She has received positive feedback and thanks for our club's support. To date $10,000 has been invested and $7,430 raised. The film festival event on 9 June was a great success.
David Middleton announced that the Club changeover on July 7 will be a splendid affair for members and partners.
Ross Smith was happy to be a judge at this year's Fish Tank competition 2 weeks ago. Innovative ideas were to the fore from the young contestants.
Finale
Paul Duke AGAIN snared the filthy lucre and Greg McLeod AGAIN the chockies......unbelievable!
The Prez closed proceedings at 8.10pm
Rogues Gallery
Fish Tank 2026 with Judge Ross hugging the MC and Mayor Michael Hewitson with the winners. It was a bumper night.
The successful Afghan Film Festival fundraiser with the dignitaries (Rhonda is the tiny one), and coffee chat with KEN
Rotary International News
Members from around the world gather in Taiwan to forge and renew friendships
By Etelka Lehoczky
A thunder of drums opened the 2026 Rotary International Convention’s first general session in Taipei, Taiwan. The rhythmic beats launched a vivid pageant that blended traditional and modern elements to evoke the city’s cosmopolitan nature and Rotary’s global spirit.
As RI President Francesco Arezzo took the stage on 14 June to welcome attendees, he described the experience of meeting Rotary members throughout his term: “Everywhere I went, I found the same spirit. Different languages, different food, different ways of welcoming a guest — but always the same Rotary heart.”
“As we begin this convention, enjoy this city and this magical island. Enjoy the rain. Enjoy this fellowship. Celebrate what we have done. And dream of what Rotary can still become,” said Arezzo, a member of the Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy.
In addition to forging and renewing relationships with Rotary and Rotaract club members, program participants, alumni, and guests from around the globe, convention attendees will hear from an array of thought-provoking leaders. Keynote speaker Malala Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate and an advocate for girls’ education. Rotary Peace Fellow Natalie Emery works with the World Food Programme to offer guidance and strategic support to countries experiencing humanitarian emergencies. Salome Agbaroji, a Nigerian-American spoken-word poet, was the U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate in 2023-24.
In addressing the opening session, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te described the event as a truly momentous occasion. “Special thanks go to Taiwan’s Rotary members for bringing the world to Taiwan, and to Rotary International leaders for their support,” he said.
Beyond the general sessions, convention-goers will have the opportunity to choose from dozens of breakout sessions. Many of them will highlight how clubs are working in Rotary’s areas of focus: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, improving maternal and child health, supporting education, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.
Fighting disease remains in the thoughts of many attendees as Rotary grapples with the difficult final stage of the fight against polio. The paralyzing disease has been eliminated in most of the world, but the goal of eradication has yet to be reached.
“This year was difficult,” Arezzo said in his opening remarks. “Funding became harder. Governments faced new pressures. But our efforts on polio do not disappear because the world grows tired of hearing about it. We have to keep our promise to the world’s children.”
Arezzo described visiting Pakistan to observe Rotary’s immunization efforts and seeing a child about three years old who had been paralyzed by polio. She used her hands to pull herself to join a group of children.
“That little girl is why we cannot stop,” Arezzo said. “We must finish because the next child is still waiting.”
Besides providing updates on our top causes, convention breakout sessions will cover many other ways that Rotary members are making a difference in the world. Planned sessions include Rotary Rising: Engaging the Next Generation, Anime Environmental Education: Inspiring Zero‑Waste Action, and AI for Good: Empowering Rotary’s Mission With AI.
Using technology to bring attendees together was a particular focus for members of the convention’s volunteer committee. They created an interpretation app to help attendees who don’t speak Taiwanese Mandarin or Taiwanese Hokkien, the nation’s primary languages. If attendees need help finding their way around or communicating with a convention volunteer, they can use the app to instantly start a video call with an interpreter. The interpreters speak English, Japanese, and Korean.
“We designed the app for attendees who have language barriers and need to find where their hotel is, get to the convention center, get medical services — even get to one of the city’s night markets or find a good restaurant,” said Volunteer Committee Chair Michael Tseng, a member of the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity, Taipei.
The 2026 Rotary International Convention continues through 17 June.
Coffee Chat at Impressa, Unley Shopping Centre
10.30 am on the second Friday of the month is good for a chat with Rotary friends and a caffeine fix - Next one is Friday 10 July 2026
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday 7 July 2026 6 for 6.30pm
Living Choice Nature's Providore
Event: Club Changeover
Welcoming team: Graham & Patsy Beckett
Tuesday 21 July 2026 6 for 6.30pm
Living Choice Nature's Providore
Guest Speaker: TBA
Welcoming team: Graham & Patsy Beckett
Apologies and Meeting Enquiries to: Secretary Greg McLeod on 0417 811 838 or email to secretary@unleyrotary.org.au
Venue Set-up Enquiries to: Bulletin Editor Stephen Baker on 0403 687 015
Saturday Thrift Shop Roster
Early Shift: 10.00am to 1.00pm Late Shift: 1.00pm to 4.00pm
Week 1: 4 July 2026
Early:Haydn & Sue Baillie | Late: Robyn Carnachan & Leonie Kewen
Week 2: 11 July 2026
Early: Stephen Baker (Greg Mcleod) & xxxxxxx| Late: Vera-Ann Stacy & Reno Elms
Week 3: 20 June 2026
Early: David Middleton & Nathan White | Late: Vera Holt & Rhonda Hoare
Week 4: 27 June 2026
Early: Greg McLeod (Stephen Baker) & Judi Corcoran | Late: Jason Booth & Vera-Ann Stacy
Week 5:
Early: Haydn & Sue Bailey | Late: Virginia Cossid & Paul Duke
Rotarians, who are unable to attend as rostered, please arrange a swap or as a very last resort contact: Vivienne Wood 0408 819 630; e-mail: vwood@ozemail.com.au
Mitre 10 and Bunnings Barbeques
The Mitre 10 BBQs are the first and third Saturdays of each month. Morning shift 8.30am - 12 noon; afternoon shift 12.00 - 3.30pm, then clean-up.....next scheduled is 20 June 2026
ALL the Bunnings Mile End Barbeque shifts are from 8am to 5pm
Morning shift: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Afternoon shift: 12.30 – 5pm
We have been allocated the last Monday of each month. Our next one will be 29 June 2026
The Tale End.....
Words of wisdom for 2026/27
