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SOUTHERN CROSS
SOUTHERN CROSS
Newsletter of Toastmasters
International District 73
April 2015– Edition 114
Published bi-monthly. Editions
will be available online from the
Southern Cross page of the
District 73 website
(www.d73.toastmasters.org.au/
southerncross) on the first day
of the month available.
Next month, the District Convention comes to Launceston!
However, as seen in on the front cover of this edition of the
Southern Cross, the town of Launceston has been in the
Toastmasters news for a while now. This was the cover of The
Toastmaster magazine in March 1966, which recognised
Launceston as the Toastmasters Town of the Month. The
supporting article appears in this edition of the Southern Cross
on page 13.
The next edition of the Southern Cross will be delayed by two
weeks to give people time to write about the Convention.
Editor:
Andrew Breeden DTM
Email:
[email protected]
Publisher:
Anthony Murray DTM DG
Email:
[email protected]
The views and opinions
expressed in Southern Cross
are not necessarily those of the
editor, the district executive or
Toastmasters International.
To submit articles and photos
for Southern Cross:
Email them to the editor at
[email protected]
Next Edition:



June 2015
– Edition 115
Convention Review
Edition
Deadline for articles:
Wednesday June 1st
2015
Released on:
Wednesday June 15th
2015 at
www.d73.toastmasters.
org.au/southerncross
PAGE 2
Editorial.................................................................................. 2
What’s in this edition of the Southern Cross .......................... 2
District Governor’s Message .................................................. 3
Lt. Governor Education and Training’s Message ................... 4
Lt. Governor Marketing’s Message ................................. 5 & 6
Public Relations Officer’s Message ....................................... 7
Anthology of Speeches .......................................................... 8
Convention ............................................................................ 9
Convention – Draft Program ................................................ 10
Convention – Registration process ............................. 11 & 12
Convention – Launceston Toastmaster ............................... 13
Articles from past editions of the Southern Cross ....... 14 & 15
Club News – Naracoorte Toastmasters 1000th meeting ...... 16
Educational .......................................................................... 17
Contests - Some Recommendations From a Judge ... 18 & 19
Club News – Advanced to Community
– Metamorphosis or evolution..................................... 20 & 21
Dinner with the DG .............................................................. 22
District Officers .................................................................... 23
Awards Recipients ...................................................... 24 & 25
Delay in production of the Southern Cross .......................... 25
District Diary ........................................................................ 26
APRIL 2015
SOUTHERN CROSS
Like most of us, when I joined Toastmasters I
was very nervous and shy. My fellow
members were far more experienced than
me; and I was in awe of how they delivered
their speeches with apparent ease.
One of these experienced members was
Bob, who was also the founding member of
my home club Tea Tree Gully. Bob was a
gentleman who epitomised what it meant to
be a Toastmaster. Despite his age of ninetytwo, he very seldom missed a meeting and
was always ready to offer his wisdom. When
I asked him why he kept coming back at his
age, he looked at me very seriously and said,
“Because every time I come to a meeting I
learn something new.”
I know I have come a long way since my first
meeting. I am sure many of us have. We
feel far more comfortable today than when
we first walked into a meeting, but have you
been in Toastmasters for so long that you
feel you "know it all?" Have you achieved
you Competent Communicator or gone onto
advanced manuals and are thinking that
Toastmasters no longer offers anything of
benefit to you? Perhaps you have been a
club president or even an Area Governor and
feel you have a handle on leadership. Well,
have I got news for you!
Competent Leader manual and tell me they
did not learn something new with every
project.
The VPE often assigns the minor roles such
as Timer to the newer members; and it is
true that newer members learn a great deal
from this role; but if you are a Distinguished
Toastmaster, when was the last time you
were Timer? Why not ask your VPE to
assign this role to you? Remember that this
project teaches us the importance of time
management; so if you are a Distinguished
Toastmaster (DTM) that believes the
acronym stands for “Don’t Time Me” then I
recommend you do this pretty soon.
I have been a Toastmaster for 19 years, I am
a Distinguished Toastmaster and I am also
the current District Governor, but guess
what? I don’t know it all! That is why I have
two Competent Leader manuals on the go. I
bring one with me to every meeting because every time I do a new project I am
learning something new.
I think we sometimes need to go back to the
basics and start again.
If this is you, you are likely thinking the
Competent Communicator manual and the
Competent Leader manual is pretty basic
stuff, and you’d be right. They are both
designed to teach basic communication and
leadership skills to new members but I
challenge anybody to pick up either the
Competent Communicator manual or the
EDITION 114
PAGE 3
SOUTHERN CROSS
The May 2015 Annual District 73 Convention
is almost upon us. It is going to be amazing,
are you going?
I recall with much fondness my first
convention. It was held in Hahndorf South
Australia in May 2009 and I was the test
speaker for the Evaluation Contest. WOW.
To say the least I was overwhelmed – and a
little nervous! I was going to be speaking in
front of approximately 250 people – when
District 73 consisted of members from
Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and
Western Australia. Note to self – remember
to breathe!
On reflection, I can honestly say I am
extremely grateful for the opportunity I was
given and thank Sandra Glass DTM - from
the bottom of my heart - for approaching me
with this daunting yet amazing offer. Has an
opportunity like this been presented to you?
Have you jumped at the chance, eager, with
both hands open? I implore you. Don’t let
any opportunity pass you by - seize the
moment! You will not regret it!
Did I mention that I was also told that the
2009 convention was going to be a very,
very special convention? I know what you
are thinking. No, not because I was going to
be the test speaker… Oh no, this was a
special convention because the International
President of Toastmasters and Accredited
PAGE 4
Speaker Jana Barnhill DTM, was attending along with her husband Robert Barnhill,
DTM, who is also a past International
President and Accredited Speaker. No
pressure!!!
I am pleased to say they were both
absolutely wonderful, generous and kind and
I felt 10 feet tall, inspired and in awe for
many weeks after the event. Whilst my first
convention will always hold a special place in
my heart, I look forward to every event with
excited anticipation. The people, the
workshops, keynote/inspirational speakers,
the speech contests, gala dinner and
dancing… So much fun to be had with likeminded Toasties. Come on – are you going?
This year it will be held at the Country Club in
Launceston Tasmania, which is awesome
because I haven’t been to Launceston!
While I wait for May, I busy myself with club
visits, reading Area Governor reports with
our Lt. Governor Marketing Yoke-Ching Tan
and studying the district dashboard as I see
the number of clubs who have achieved 4 or
more Distinguished Club Points goals grow.
Keep up the wonderful work!
See you soon, warmest regards, your D73
Lt. Governor Education and Training.
APRIL 2015
SOUTHERN CROSS
clubs across District 73.
Dear Members,
I would like to start by thanking all clubs
(particularly Club Treasurers!) who have
commenced or completed the process of
collecting renewals from members for the
April-September 2015 period.
To complement these strategies, I would like
to share some membership retention ideas
that a number of clubs have successfully
implemented:



The timely payment of renewals will ensure
that clubs and their members can continue to
enjoy the wonderful benefits that
Toastmasters International has to offer.
Winners of the April membership renewal
incentives will be announced in the next
edition of this newsletter.
Membership Retention




Ask existing and new members what their
Toastmasters/personal goals are - by
understanding the needs of members,
club Vice President Educations and
mentors can better assist them in
achieving their objectives.
Incorporate variety into meeting agendas
- examples may include a club 'debate',
themed meetings and 'reverse' meetings.
Socialise outside of club meetings enable members and guests to connect
and develop friendships in a more
informal environment.
Ask members/club officers to visit other
clubs to experience different club
meetings and deliver
speeches/evaluations.
Ask experienced members from other
clubs to attend and assist at the club.
Run a 'Moments of Truth' session at a
club meeting - this is an opportunity for
members to evaluate the club, through
recognising strengths & areas of
improvement, and exploring development
opportunities.
Celebrate achievements - these can
include non-Toastmasters-related
accomplishments!
In last edition of the Southern Cross, I
provided examples of effective membership
building strategies that are working in our
EDITION 114
PAGE 5
SOUTHERN CROSS

Request a Club Coach (for clubs with 12
or fewer members, if the Club President
is agreeable) - if your club is interested in
having a Club Coach, please contact me
at [email protected].
All members (not just the Vice President
Membership/Vice President Public
Relations!) can play an active role in
membership building and retention.
There are also a number of opportunities to
achieve recognition in the Competent
Leadership manual (please see projects 6, 7,
8, 9 and 10).
One of my favourite Toastmasters memories
was my first (full) convention - the 2013 'Mind
Alive' District 73 Convention in Adelaide. I
attended this Convention with my friend and
former Toastmaster, Swati Gupta. Just like
the previous year's Convention in Melbourne,
the workshops and contests were exciting
and high quality. I also attended the Gala
Dinner for the first time - the theme was 'The
70s' and it was a lot of fun. I discovered that
Toastmasters members absolutely love to
dance! The dance floor proved to be way too
small for the vast number of Toasties who
danced and partied the night away to classic
70s hits performed by a lively band! After that
Convention, I was officially 'addicted' to
Toastmasters!
If you are attending, I look forward to seeing
you at the District 73 Convention! In the
meantime, I hope you are continuing to enjoy
your Toastmasters experiences within and
beyond your club(s)!
District 73 Convention
The 2015 Annual District 73 Convention "Discover Your Voice" is only a month away!
The convention is a wonderful opportunity to
attend an array of exciting workshops, meet
Toastmasters from across Victoria, South
Australia & Tasmania, and see the best
speakers/evaluators in action at the Districtlevel speech contests!
PAGE 6
APRIL 2015
SOUTHERN CROSS
It is getting exciting.
Before we realise it, all the efforts of the year
come to a head in the next few months.
So many clubs are kicking goals in the
annual Distinguished Club Program,
reflecting successes in training, growth and
leadership; and with Division Contests all
done, we have some fine speakers preparing
for our Annual Convention in Launceston.
I remember of my first convention in District
73. It was in Launceston too. I particularly
remember the keynote as the finale of the
event – a powerful presentation that showed
the great things happening through the
ARTS ROAR project in Launceston - finding
their voice – changing their world.
Since I had been to a convention in District
70 before, I didn’t identify myself as a firsttimer. That was a mistake!
While I met some great people from across
the Toastmasters community, I could have
had an even better introduction to District 73.
It’s that infectious enthusiasm that attracts
people to join our clubs, too. When we’re
sharing what we’re doing in Toastmasters
with our networks, they may not fully
understand the buzz we get from giving that
speech. They may not understand why it
takes the time it does. They may not even
really understand what Toastmasters really
is…
They will understand the enthusiasm that
you share about Toastmasters.
We know from our speaking that people
remember the feeling they had at the end
of your presentation. Just as I remember
the feeling about ROAR, you will remember
your feelings from your last convention, and
your network will remember the feelings you
give them about your involvement in
Toastmasters.
Remember to share what you’re doing in
Toastmasters – and pass on the passion
we have in our clubs.
Wearing a first-timer ribbon encourages
people to introduce themselves; and the
guided discovery helps you learn more about
the organisation and its people – and when
all is said and done, people are what makes
Toastmasters the great organisation that it is.
Attending a conference or a convention is
great way to extend your involvement in
Toastmasters. It would be hard not to find
something to enjoy, learn or inspire you
through to the next convention. “Bet you
can’t have just one!”
EDITION 114
PAGE 7
SOUTHERN CROSS
International Speech Contest
&
Humorous Speech Contest
World Championship
Championship Speeches
Competition Speeches
1999 to 2014
Included
ALSO
Interviews
What inspired them? How did they make the journey
from club to the dizzying heights of District 73
Champion?
Historical, Educational, Informative and very very
Order the 4 DVD Set
Entertaining.
$50 per DVD set
http://www.d73.toastmasters.org.au/Anthology2014
Available April 13, Contact
2015.
Norman Lingwood
[email protected]
“Winning is a
0411 403 880
by-product of speaking well”
Kevin Kosky
2007 Humorous Speech Champion
PAGE 8
APRIL 2015
SOUTHERN CROSS
“One of the hardest things in life is having
words in your heart that you can’t utter.”
James Earl Jones
Passion adds power to your voice. In May
2015, Discover Your Voice at the District
73 Annual Convention!
Your mission, should you choose to
accept it, is to congregate at the Country
Club Launceston, Tasmania with your
ideas, your hopes and your dreams.
Be prepared to be inspired, to be
motivated and to discover your voice.
Whether you are motivated by the beauty
and complexity of nature, of people, of
situations or by food, the weekend of May
15th - 17th promises to be liberating,
invigorating and captivating.
The keynote speakers will embolden you
to believe in your dreams, to accept the
challenges you face as mere stepping
stones to magnificence.
The workshops will offer opportunities for
personal and professional growth. Our
workshop presenters are vibrant,
enthusiastic and articulate.
An exciting masterclass to help you bring
your words from the page to the stage will
provide an opportunity to discover your
voice.
90% of the early bird tickets have been
purchased. Book your place now
http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annualtoastmasters-convention-may-2015/ from
the District 73 website.
EDITION 114
Options are available to order:

a DVD of the contests,

a CD of the photos,

your seat at the DTM breakfast,

extra Gala Dinner tickets,

full tickets without the Gala Dinner
for those wanting to sample the other
eating options in Launceston
Some members have expressed problems
with the online booking system. Check out
the instructions for registering found in this
issue of the Southern Cross.
Accommodation is available onsite at the
Country Club with the venue offering
discounted rates for members of
Toastmasters attending the Convention.
Accommodation can be booked by calling
the venue on 1800 420 156 and quoting a
secret squirrel code found on the following
pdf: http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2015/01/Toastmasters2015-TCC.pdf
The social event of the weekend is the
gala dinner. As Launceston is the last
contest before we travel to Las Vegas with
our District representative for the
International Convention, our theme is
Vegas, Baby! Bring your Celine Dion tshirts, your sequins, feathers, suits or
magician's outfits and dance the night
away with the band.
Discover Your Voice in Launceston May
15 - 17 at the 2015 District 73 Annual
Convention!
PAGE 9
SOUTHERN CROSS
DRAFT CONVENTION PROGRAM
Friday
2:30 pm Credentials Desk Opens
3:00 pm Registration and socialising
3:00 pm District 73 Council Meeting
4:30 pm Credentials Desk opens
Pre-dinner drinks and
6:30 pm socialising
5:30 pm Welcome Reception
7:00 pm Gala Dinner
7:00 pm Opening Ceremony
12:00 am Close
Keynote speaker - Charlie
7:20 pm Starrett DTM
2015 District 73 Humorous
8:00 pm Speech Contest
9:45 pm Close
Saturday
8:00 am Registration and socialising
Credentials Desk opens
2015 District 73 International
9:00 am Speech Contest
Sunday
8:00 am DTM Breakfast
Come and celebrate the
achievement of the year's new
Distinguished Toastmasters.
Be inspired by their stories of
how they achieved the highest
Toastmasters award.
Registration and socialising
2015 District 73 Evaluation
9:30 am Contest
11:00 am Morning Tea
10:40 am Morning Tea
11:30 am Workshops
11:10 am Workshops
12:30 am Lunch
12:10 pm Lunch
Master Class – Charlie Starrett
1:30 pm DTM
12:40 pm Credentials Desk
2:30 pm Inspirational – Terry Travers
2015 District 73 Table Topics
1:25 pm Contest
3:00 pm Closing Ceremony
2:30 pm Afternoon Tea
4:15 pm Close
EDITION 114
PAGE 10
SOUTHERN CROSS
Registration process for the District 73 Annual Convention
1. Access the website
http://d73.toastmasters.org.au
2. Click on the D73 Conventions link
4. Click on the link identified in the
image below with the yellow arrow
to go to the website
identified with a yellow lightning bolt
to go the website address
http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/conv
entions/
5. Click on the Register button
identified in the image below with a
3. Click on the links identified in the
yellow lightning bolt
image below with the yellow arrows
to go to the website address
http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annu
al-toastmasters-convention-may2015/
6. Select how many tickets you want
and the fee you want to pay e.g.
Early Bird
Enter your email address, first
name and last name
EDITION 114
PAGE 11
SOUTHERN CROSS
Click on the NEXT button identified
in the previous image with a yellow
lightning bolt
7. Complete the information on the
form as per the image below and
click on the NEXT button as
identified with a yellow lightning bolt
in the image below.
Click on the Next button to proceed to
the payment options
9. Credit Card option looks like this
EFT/Direct Deposit looks like this
8. Check the summary of the
information, complete the billing
address and select the payment
method. Please note that the
PAYPAL option will lead to a page
that allows you to pay by credit
card
PAGE 12
APRIL 2015
SOUTHERN CROSS
Launceston is a city of parks and gardens.
Foremost among its attractions is Cataract
Gorge. The City Park has 12 acres laid
out with lawns and flowers and the John
Hart Conservatory features beautiful
displays of Tasmanian flowers. Another
favourite attraction is the City Museum
with its Chinese Joss House. The city
forms the hub of the transport systems of
the northern half of the island state and is
a crucial link between Tasmania and the
Australian mainland. There is busy traffic
by both sea and air, shipping being
handled both at Launceston and at
wharves farther along the Tamar River.
The Tamar River is virtually the front door
to Tasmania and its deep water wharves
comfortably accommodate ships and
tankers. Along the banks of the Tamar,
which twists and turns, widens and.
narrows, are farms, orchards, towns and
bushland.
A reprinting of the Toastmasters Town of
the Month article from The Toastmaster,
March 1966, Page 11
LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA
Toastmasters Town of The Month
LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA,
is one of the oldest cities in the
Commonwealth of Australia. Only two
cities, Sydney and. Hobart, were
established before Launceston, which was
founded in 1806.
The geographic centre of the state,
Launceston has a population of 60,000.
Called the "Garden City," it is located
where the North and South Esk Rivers
meet to form the Tamar River, a navigable
river which flows 40 miles to Bass Strait.
EDITION 114
Chief exports from Launceston are
agricultural produce, wool, timber, textiles
and aluminium. Industries include woollen
mills, flour mills and breweries.
There is one Toastmasters club in
Launceston, Tasmanian Club 2751-TCA.
One of three clubs in Tasmania, the other
two being at Hobart and Devonport,
Launceston Toastmasters participate in
many exchange visits and inter-club
speech contests with the island's other
two Toastmasters clubs.
The Toastmaster salutes Launceston,
Tasmania, Australia, Toastmasters Town
of the Month.
PAGE 13
SOUTHERN CROSS
Here is an article from a past edition of the
Southern Cross. This one is from the April
2012 edition. It was entitled “Why I went to
that first convention (and became a
convention junkie)” and was by Marlene
Sinclair DTM PDG.
“Come to the Convention” they said
I had turned up as a visitor on Monday
night the convention was in Hobart the
coming Friday night.
“Come to the Convention”, they said. “I’m
new, what for?”, I wondered.
“Why should I go?” was the question I
mulled over for the next few days – surely
only seasoned Toastmasters go to
conventions?
Above: The cover of the April 2012 – Edition 87
Southern Cross
EDITION 114
I had met several very enthusiastic Knox
Toastmasters who encouraged me to take
the trip to Tasmania – the sad thing is that
if it wasn’t for their encouragement I might
never have gone, and that would have
been a tragedy!
PAGE 14
SOUTHERN CROSS
I considered my options: Stay at home
and miss out on an event that will never
occur in the same way again, or, plunge in
for a totally new experience. Where else
would you have the opportunity of seeing,
feeling and hearing the 6 (then) best
international speakers as well as the 6
best humorous speakers all at one time?
I couldn’t think of an answer, so I plunged.
I was thrown into one of the most
enthusiastic gatherings that I had ever
been involved in. Cocktail parties, gala
dinner dance apart it was chock-a-block
full of presentations and workshops. I still
remember my favourite workshop was on
speech writing, which was related with a
lot of humour and anecdotes, and I
learned early how easy and how much fun
it was to construct a good speech.
The speech competitions were held in a
large auditorium where an expectant hush
gave way to rousing applause at the end
of each incredible speech.
You can’t help but gain something when
you witness the best- watching how they
relate to the audience, how they present,
their body language, intonations and
expressions in person! You could feel the
buzz in the air, the atmosphere was
incredible. I have never forgotten some of
those humorous speeches either.
EDITION 114
The big night time event was the “Black
and Red” gala dinner. I had a black dress
and grabbed a red feather boa to
accompany me. That feather boa had
more fun than everyone else put together,
as it twisted its way around the room and
was worn by everyone at some stage
during the night. There were feathers from
one end of the room to the other, feathers
in the lift, on the stairs, in the casino, in
the gutter and the main street next dayeven in the men’s loo (I’m told…..)
I did and learnt so much just in my first
foray:
 the speeches, all different, all enthralling
 how to introduce speakers, done so
exceptionally
 how to write a speech and connect with
your audience
 the fun and lasting friendships made
there
 met the mentors who would help me
 red feathers in the loo
I had very few preconceived ideas before I
went, but I am certainly glad I got the last
seat on the plane. It is a well-known fact
that we are the sum total of all our
experiences and I feel THIS experience
certainly enriched me greatly. Thirty-six
conventions later……….
COME TO THE CONVENTION, SHE
SAID!
PAGE 15
SOUTHERN CROSS
Naracoorte Toastmasters 1000th Meeting
Naracoorte Toastmasters club is
celebrating 1000 meetings on Thursday
23rd April at 7pm during a dinner meeting
at the Naracoorte Hotel, 73 Ormerod
Street, Naracoorte.
However the fun does not end there,
sample the food and wine with a vibrant
volunteer from the Naracoorte club as she
takes you on a magical mystery tour of the
local wineries.
But wait! There is more. Friday night will
be a night of firsts for many of us with a
joint meeting of Toastmasters and the
local Square Dancing club. Who will
recruit more members? Will the dancers
become speakers or the speakers
become dancers - or will we all be Square
Toast?
Milton McKenzie from Southern Vales club
in South Australia will be our caller for the
night.
Email [email protected]
if you want to be one of the lucky
speakers to strut your speaking skills
during the evening. Let us know if you
want to speak early in the evening or if
you want to challenge your memory and
grasp of the English language after a few
sets of energetic dancing and sampling
fine beverages of your liking.
Still not convinced? Strathyre Woolshed
has been opened as our camping spot. No
charge! Enormous thanks to Peter Stuart
from Naracoorte club. He has graciously
promised a bonfire, BBQ (BYO meat and
salad to share), tall tales, ambience of
said bonfire, chatting all night long - what
more could a group of Toastmasters ask
for?
Organise a car load, a bus load, bring
your tents, swags, sleeping bags or
choose one of the many accommodation
options Naracoorte has to offer, practice
your tall tales, your toasts, your roasts,
bring marshmallows and pillows.
Join us for the celebration of 1000
meetings of the first club in South
Australia.
RSVP A.S.A.P to
[email protected] or
phone Karen 0488 556540. Numbers are
limited!
We’re making history... See you there!
EDITION 114
PAGE 16
SOUTHERN CROSS
By Darren Fleming, Adelaide
A better way to open.
In Toastmasters, we’re taught that it’s
great to open a presentation with a
question. Whilst opening with a question
can be good, it’s not as sophisticated as it
could be.
The logic behind opening with a question
is to get the audience to come on board
with your message. If you ask a question,
“Have you ever been to the beach? Have
you ever been for a drive? Have you ever
wondered what it’s like to be a multimillionaire?” the idea of those questions is
that people will say, “Yes,” and get on
board with your message.
Unfortunately, though, if you are putting
across a message that may be
challenging the audience, coming up with
a question can be tough. What happens
then is we end up creating questions that
are lame, they’re not as powerful as they
could be, and don’t encourage the
audience to follow the message.
take your question and deliver it as a
statement. Take the question, “Should you
go to the district conference?” If you open
a presentation with the question, “Should
you go to the district conference?” you’ll
have people in the room saying, “Yes, I
should go” or “no, I shouldn’t.” If you
reword it as a statement - as a directive people subconsciously get on board your
message and go along with the journey.
You do that is by taking the question,
“Should you go to the district conference?”
and stating it as, “At the district
conference, there will be…”
What this does is it gets people on the
train, on the journey of the message that
you’re sending. When you do this, it
positions you as someone who has
authority, someone who can stand there
and say, “This is the future, this is the way
we should be going.” That is what your
audience wants.
.
Cheers
Darren Fleming
A more powerful way to get the audience
on to your message is to open with a
statement. Instead of asking a question,
EDITION 114
PAGE 17
SOUTHERN CROSS
Some Recommendations From a Judge
By Keir Wells DTM
I’ll swear with the best of them,
thanks to nine years in the Army. But
once the meeting or contest starts,
swearing is simply not on. In the 80+
speeches I’ve given in Toastmasters
I have never once had to use a
profanity. There is always another
option.
Unbelievable! Totally unbelievable! Yep,
the number of Toastmasters speech
contest contestants whose level of
forethought and preparation is pretty well
negligible is something I find pretty well
unbelievable.
Here’s the reality. Most judges - good
judges - will be looking for areas to mark
you down. Utter a profanity, dress poorly
or offer even the slightest comment that
could offend, and there go the marks that
can make the difference between first and
last place.
Swearing: It’s a no go area. Frankly, I see
no reason at all to swear or
blaspheme (in any religious context)
in a speech. If anyone says
something along the lines of: “It’s
essential to the speech itself” then
they’re - in most cases - fooling
themselves.
EDITION 114
Crudities: If your speech is crude, then
rewrite it. Look, quite frankly I think
farting is funny. I really do! But get up
on stage and deliver a speech that
focuses on this subject and is crude
by its very language, and you’re
going to lose marks.
I’ve only ever seen it done
successfully once, and that was from
Judy Murphy (Lilydale) who is a
masterful speaker, both in delivery
and preparation. If you really feel the
need to cover subjects that can be
considered crude, get advice and put
real effort into making it funny rather
than just crude.
I listened recently to a speech in
which playing the piano was likened
to being with a woman. It was one of
the most offensive speeches I have
ever heard; and this was a sentiment
echoed by others at the meeting. It’s
all about common sense, folks.
PAGE 18
SOUTHERN CROSS
seen far too many contestants lose
big points simply because there was
no effort and respect.
Political: Politics can alienate. It doesn’t
matter what your opinion may be of a
politician and how many people you
may believe will agree with you, all
you need is one judge to disagree to
put you out of the running. Quite
simply, politics should be considered
a no-go area.
I chief judged at an International
Speech contest in which a contestant
gave nothing short of a “party
political” speech. No message. Just
a self-serving speech that had no
message of value to anyone except
the speaker. It’s no wonder the
speaker didn’t place. There was no
forethought at all for the audience and the judges knew it and marked
accordingly!
Read the form: Read the judging form.
Familiarise yourself with the criteria
against which you will be scored.
The judging forms are freely
available online at the Toastmasters
website. I have often sat down with
fellow members prior to a contest,
going over the form and refining their
speeches accordingly.
You may think you are delivering a
brilliant speech, but the fact of the
matter is that it is the judges who are
scoring you against set criteria who
drive the result.
Since joining Toastmasters in 2011, I have
spent an enormous amount of time
judging at club, area, division and district
contests. Those who have succeeded in
contests are those who have given
serious consideration to all these - and
more - factors.
Respect the audience and yourself, and
you’re more than half-way there.
What you wear: If you rock up to a
speech contest dressed like a bag of
umm...what’s a better
word?...fertiliser tied in the middle,
then be prepared to lose marks. Yes,
there are definitely areas on the
judging form that can be used to
mark you down in this area.
When you dress well, you’re
respecting Toastmasters, yourself
and, most importantly, the audience
(which includes the judges). I’ve
EDITION 114
PAGE 19
SOUTHERN CROSS
Advanced to Community - Metamorphosis or evolution
by Helen McKenzie-Fairlie
Saturday 13 December 2014 was a day
few Satdy Arvo Communicators members
will forget. The room was full, the
atmosphere tense, one former founding
member attended as a visitor, and two
district officers were also there for this
event.
The club members’ struggle over the past
few months had finally reached a climax.
Would the members of this originally
constituted advanced club willingly
sacrifice its advanced status to become a
community club welcoming would be offthe-street toastmasters or would they vote
against this change that threatened to turn
the club’s current agenda upside down.
WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?
Early days – health and growth
Satdy Arvo Communicators began as a
strong, healthy and vibrant club that
generously shared its skills and
experience (workshops) with other clubs
and was well regarded within the District.
The club was like a beautiful rose that had
not been regularly pruned for years.
EDITION 114
Consequently its health, growth, and
ability to flower were compromised to the
extent that by 2014 it needed to be pruned
hard yet with skill.
Recent evidence
Towards the end of 2013, Satdy Arvo
Communicators was no longer growing
numerically. By mid - 2014 several
members expressed concern with the
club’s lack of growth and inability to
demonstrate its advanced standard. From
September 2014 the club’s membership
decreased and the situation was
becoming critical to the extent that if this
were not addressed it could determine the
club’s eventual demise unless growth,
balance (age/speaking ability/interests)
and challenge were restored. The
rumblings grew and more members
expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s
current performance and wanted to “raise
the standards” rather than reform the club.
Action taken:
This concern was initially introduced to the
Executive Committee in October for
discussion. The Executive Committee
then decided to offer club members the
opportunity to discuss the club’s
membership eligibility status and whether
to relax or retain the club’s eligibility
criterion at its November meeting. Club
members’ views reflected several
concerns.
PAGE 20
SOUTHERN CROSS
It was evident that club members were
concerned about the club’s future and the
fact that meetings no longer demonstrated
the advanced standards that caused the
club to be esteemed within the district.
However it was also evident that had a
vote been taken at that meeting it would
not have succeeded in removing the
club’s eligibility criterion. At that point in
time change of status would not have
been accepted.
The Executive Committee reviewed the
members’ comments and debated how
best to frame a motion that could be put
before the members at its December
meeting, a motion that would be carried by
the majority. The Committee agreed upon
a motion that was simple, concise and
would direct the members to welcome the
need for change. The Committee also
decided to write an accompanying
document that would outline the
background and the club’s need for
change if it was going to grow into a
strong, vibrant and healthy club.
During this process the executive was
encouraged and supported by the
Northern Area Governor, Jacqueline
Bignell. Jacqueline saw this as the
opportunity the club needed to grow,
develop and to flourish once more.
Jacqueline attended regular meetings and
was witness to the club’s ground breaking
decision. Ground breaking because it was
not only the day of the birth of a
community club but it was also a day on
which a new born community club
recruited its first new member.
Finally, on 13 December, prior to voting,
President Vince Camilleri addressed the
club members as follows:
EDITION 114
“Satdy Arvo Communicators, as it is
presently constituted has served its
purpose. Just like the typewriter and the
Telex machine that were useful items that
served a purpose at a point in time, so
Satdy Arvo Communicators has served its
purpose. The world has moved on and
technology has evolved through a number
of iterations. Satdy Arvo Communicators
is at a crossroads and needs to evaluate
its identity. Why? Because it is
increasingly difficult to grow this club and
to grow within this club, in its present
format “advanced” members come and
go. I could do an evaluative analysis of
the type of advanced Toastmaster that
this club attracts. I could even go further
and do an analysis of why they leave. But
that would be a clear cut case of looking
far too long in the rear vision mirror.
I prefer to look forward and dream of what
this club might become in today’s modern
environment. I think that with the right
culture, it can truly grow into an advanced
club without any labels. Being an
advanced Toastmaster is not, as I see it, a
destination but rather an aspiration. And
that aspiration is that we continue to grow
individually and collectively to become the
best that we can be.
It is time for us to vote and move forward
into the 21st toastmaster century of
opportunity, growth and strength.
Looking forward:
Opening the door to community
membership is the beginning. Growth,
health and vigour are current goals to
pursue. Regular review will enable the
club to monitor and assess its progress
and to make whatever changes will be
necessary in the future.
PAGE 21
SOUTHERN CROSS
By Anthony Murray DTM
District Governor
It was my birthday last August and my
partner Jenny and I were on holiday in
Sydney. To celebrate we found a
wonderful new restaurant that had just
opened right on the Harbour, the views
were spectacular and the food and wine
superb. Our conversation was, well let’s
just say for the sake of this article private.
And then it happened. My phone rang,
and from across the table came “That
better not be Toastmasters, I thought we
were on holidays”. My phone screen
showed Private Number, “I better take
this” I said, “It may be important”
“Hello, my name is Daniel and I would like
to learn about Toastmasters”. I looked
across the table and I got that glare that
could only be described as - don’t even
think about it. Well what was I supposed
to do? After all, I'm the DG.
“Sure, well you’ve come to the right place
Daniel, I can help you”. I proceeded to
give Daniel an outline of the Toastmaster
program; he was very interested and
wanted to join immediately without even
visiting a club, and then came the really
exciting news. He told me he was the
Training Officer for an engineering
company with offices in three states and
he would like to add public speaking as
part of the training.
This got me very excited and I explained
about the Speechcraft program and how
Toastmasters can help the rest of his staff.
I gave him examples of other companies
that have benefited from the Speechcraft
program and how we can help set up a
Toastmaster club within his own business.
EDITION 114
The conversation was going really well but
then suddenly, I became conscious of the
stare I was getting from across the table.
It was time to close the conversation,
“Perhaps we can talk tomorrow and I can
give you more time” I said. “Sorry
Anthony, I’m flying to New Zealand
tomorrow”.
Right, it was time for me to think fast.
What was I to do now, a quiet romantic
dinner or Toastmasters?
Hmmmm! What a wonderful opportunity
Daniel had just presented to me, there is
no way I can let this go.
Hmmmm! What a wonderful romantic
dinner, there is no way I can let this go.
The stare across the table became
intense. The silence on the other end of
the phone waiting for my reply seemed to
go on for ever.
“I’m sorry Daniel, but I have to go, please
give me your email address, I’ll send you
some information and we can set up a
time to meet”.
There was still silence on the phone and I
realised the call had dropped out. I was
talking to myself.
The call was private so I had no way of
contacting Daniel, I waited for the call
back, but it never came.
Needless to say, dinner was very different
for the rest of the evening
So here’s my tip, always be prepared, you
never know when someone is going to ask
you about this great organisation of ours,
be ready to help them but remember there
are other things far more important.
PAGE 22
SOUTHERN CROSS
NEW TITLES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS IN 2015
At its February 2014 meeting, the Board of Directors decided on new district leader titles
that will take effect on July 1, 2015, when the incoming district leaders assume their new
leadership roles. They will be the first generation of leaders to carry the new and
contemporary district leader titles.
From a study of the competencies
required for district leaders, it became
clear that titles needed to evolve to better
reflect their responsibilities and real-world
practice. The new titles:





Are more modern.
Accurately reflect the focus and
responsibility of each role.
Are more familiar to potential
members.
Create a parallel between district
leadership and leadership in the
corporate and volunteer sectors.
Reflect the level of leadership
required in each position.
EDITION 114
The updated titles will apply to the elected
and/or appointed district leader positions
for the 2015-2016 program year. Leaders
holding district roles prior to July 1, 2015,
retain their current titles.
This change is a positive step for
Toastmasters International and is in
alignment with the organisation’s strategic
plan objective to modernise the programs
with a renewed focus on leadership.
PAGE 23
SOUTHERN CROSS
Competent Communicator
Tipple, Tamara
Southern Cross
Weerakoon, Shan Bayside
Cassar, Bibi
Carlton
Hartmann, Pascal Chesterville
Chatterers
Smithson, Julia
North Adelaide
Vivian, Goh
City Centre
Macpherson,
Hawthorn
Helen
He, Damian
North Melbourne
Jones, Vanessa
Bayside
Walliker, Simon
Frankston
Millsom, Rachael
Parkville
Hutchinson,
Essendon
Estella
Sharp, Steve
Docklands
Saber, Elle
CFA District 13
Chen, Ching-Rui
Mornington
Peninsula
Guillaume, Henri
Victorian Governors
He, Damian
Footscray Skyline
Schade,
Eastern Shore
Christopher
Cohen, Harvey
Maccabi
Belkin, Margaret
Maccabi
Sutherland, Ryan
Pushing The
Envelope
Goodman, Alain
Moorabbin Saints
Davis, Sarah
Essendon
Cullen, Tara
WorleyParsons
Melbourne
Nalla, Ramana
Moorabbin Saints
James, Mirella
WorleyParsons
Melbourne
Thillainadesan,
Footscray Skyline
Senthil
Le Lacheur, Paul
Synergy
Jayarangan,
Chadstone Oaks
Venkatesh
Roy, Ansuman
Chadstone Oaks
Schonafinger,
Wangaratta
Birgit
EDITION 114
Competent Communicator cont’d
Garrick, David
Werribee
Sheppard, Steven North Melbourne
James, Nicholas
Northern Exposure
Van Holsteyn,
Dandenong Ranges
John
Cranage, James
Glen Iris
Pollard, Graeme
Shepparton
Hickey, Carmen
Rev-Anew
Clancy, Michael
Carlton
Jacobs, Michael
Carlton
Duggan, Catherine Kingston
Communicators
Halapeti, Vani
505 Speakers
Corner
Competent Leader
Ball, Joanne
Frankston
Cornwell, Grace
Talking Blue
Hughes, David
Frankston
Cowell, Andrew
Diamond Valley
Hart, Natalie
Carlton
Olivier, Adolfo
Essendon
Hidalgo, Cecilia
Dandenong
Rieck, Adam
Caterpillar of
Australia
Weerakoon, Shan Bayside
Brunt, Ross
Docklands
Bignell, Jacqueline Footscray Skyline
Ariyadasa,
Adelaide City
Eshantha
Whiting, Paul
PMI Melbourne
Glass, Sandra
Hawthorn
Fleming, Darren
Adelaide
Glass, Sandra
Gourmet
Roy, Ansuman
Chadstone Oaks
Brunt, Ross
Brimbank
Coleman-Bock,
Box Hill Central
Ashley
Ballinger, Anna
Ivanhoe
James, Ray
Adelaide Hills
Sheppard, Steven North Melbourne
PAGE 24
SOUTHERN CROSS
Competent Leader cont’d
Davidson, Linda
Shepparton
Tran, Loc
Synergy
Duggan, Catherine Kingston
Communicators
Advanced Communicator Bronze
Rhodes, Phiona
Dandenong
Kneebone, Andrew Northern Exposure
Avedikian, Julian
Manningham
James, Nicholas
Nillumbik
Advanced Leader Bronze
Vella, Vanessa
Business Talk
Bignell, Jacqueline Footscray Skyline
Kim, Gia
Adelaide
Guy, Justin
Boroondara
Barredo Kuech,
Dandenong
Michael
Glass, Sandra
Gourmet
Allwood, Elizabeth South Yarra
Roy, Ansuman
Chadstone Oaks
Finlayson, Travis
Manningham
Advanced Communicator Silver
Sutherland, Ryan
Pushing The
Envelope
Millane, Brendan
Kew
Browne, Anthony
Carlton
Mikolaj, Derek
Southern Cross
Yow, Wang-Ling
Yarra Valley Water
Advanced Leader Silver
Cowell, Andrew
PMI Melbourne
Bhide, Rajnish
Wandin
Tan, Yoke-Ching
Victorian Governors
Delay in the production of the
Southern Cross
The production of the next edition of the
Southern Cross, June 2015 – Edition 115,
will be delayed by two weeks. Articles for this
edition will be due by Monday June 1st, with
the Southern Cross released on Monday
June 15th.
The delay is because of the 2015 District
Annual Convention finishes on Sunday May
17th. The usually deadline for articles would
be Monday May 18th. This would mean
people would have only one day to write
reports on the Annual Convention.
So to provide you with the best coverage of
the 2015 District Annual Convention we have
moved the schedule of the June edition
forward two weeks. This is a reminder to
those that want to write reports on the
convention, you have two weeks to write
them and submit them in after the
convention.
Advanced Communicator Gold
Lokot, Phillip
Rowville
Leadership Excellence
Yow, Wang-Ling
Yarra Valley Water
Shannahan, Paul
Southern Cross
Tan, Yoke-Ching
Victorian Governors
Roffey, Deborah
Kingston
Communicators
EDITION 114
PAGE 25
SOUTHERN CROSS
APRIL
Thu 23
Sat 2
Fri 15 –
Sun 17
Naracoorte 1000th Meeting
When: 7:00 pm
Where: Naracoorte Hotel,
73 Ormerod Street, Naracoorte
RSVP: by 3rd April to [email protected]
or phone Karen 0488 556540
MAY
Closing date for Above and Beyond, Positive Promotions Program,
Newsletter Contest
Send entries to [email protected]
2015 District 73 Annual Convention
When: Friday night, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Country Club Launceston, Tasmania
Booking: Go to http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annual-toastmastersconvention-may-2015/ and follow the instructions on pages 11 & 12
Mon 1
Mon 15
PAGE 26
JUNE
Southern Cross Article Deadline
Article Deadline for the June Southern Cross. Send to:
[email protected]
The deadline is delayed to allow people to write about the Convention
Southern Cross Released
June Southern Cross Released southerncross/d73.toastmasters.org.au
The release is delayed to allow people to write about the Convention
APRIL 2015