1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. australia and new zealand

Rotary Club of
Port Macquarie West Inc.
Westport Bowling Club, Buller Street,
Port Macquarie
Tuesdays 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Rotary Report from the 24th March & Notices for the 31st March 2015
Volume 46 No. 35
Chartered 26th April 1971 by the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Website: www.rotarypmwest.org.au PO Box 330, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Apologies for meetings please call Barry Bird (02) 65826633 Presidents Thoughts
Our guest speaker gave us a lot to think about with what is to come. His present model does a great job but many miss out with this system. However it seems to me that all broad reaching schemes run by governments will work on the lowest common denominator as they always do. This will mean those who have been missing out will get much more than they ever have but those who have been getting help will get less. Government is ever so! On another note I have had apologies from some new members about their involvement in the club. Please do not think that when you first join you have to be constantly involved in our projects. Come along to as many meetings as you can manage, get to know us, and more about Rotary, have fun and relax with us. Jobs will come along that you will think “I can help with that” and you will start to do some service work. No one can jump in and get things done immediately. Rotary seldom works like that. We prefer to look at what we can do and do it properly. If that means slowly at first, so be it, but if that gets the job done correctly then that is our aim. So just enjoy a Tuesday night out, a good speaker and some fellowship. President: Peter Gray President Elect: Keiren Freeman, Vice President: John Channon, Secretary: Stephen Maxwell, Treasurer: Peter Kenny Rotary Foundation and International: David Gleeson, Membership: Trevor Gilson Vocational: Darrel Moore, Community Service: Rick Eller, Club Administration: Barry Bird, Youth Director: Helen Gleeson, Past President: John Harlow Visitors
Guest Speaker: John Faithfull from ACES Katie Gibbons Amy Zhang Michael Dixon from Maitland Club From the Podium
Trevor – Outback links / Frontier Services Rock and Roll night just over $3000 was raised on the night. Last Friday a meeting was held with Cynthia Fitzpatrick and Mel O’Dell about the driving program. Mel has a full distribution list now and she will send the emails out directly to members. Please check the roster regardless, just in case there is an error so we can eliminate any potential problems. If you are on the roster, please reply to Mel to confirm you are available at your allocated time. Coffee catch up this week is at Bitter Sweet Café at Lighthouse Beach. John Channon – Mock Interviews at Westport High School. If you are available, please contact John Channon. 31st March and 1st April. Book now for our weekend away in South West Rocks. When you do book in, can you please advise Alan Naylor. Calendar
MARCH 31st March APRIL 7th April 14th April 18th – 19th April 21st April 28th April MAY 3rd May 5th May 12th May 19th May 26th May 29th – 30th May JUNE 2nd June 9th June 16th June 20th June 23rd June 27th June 30th June JULY 1st July WATER AND SANITATION MONTH Tony Dawson – History on School of Arts MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH MONTH George Mills – RAM – Malaria Board Meeting Gary Blacker – Probus and Rotary – Intro: Barry Bird President Elect Training Session – Tamworth Anzac Night – Greg Laird RSL Sub Branch President – Intro Barry Hacker – Partners Night Kerry McFariane – The New Palliative Care Unit at Wauchope Hospital YOUTH SERVICE MONTH District Assembly – Port Macquarie Marilyn Chambers – Update on Kenya – Partners Night Michael DeGroote Board Meeting Neil Yates – Sea Rescue Darren Gray – Healthy Brain South West Rocks – Tourist Caravan Park – Weekend Away ROTARY FELLOWSHIP MONTH PMCQ West Rotary Club Change Over Rod Nugent – Special Olympics Combined Board Meeting Catherine Doran -­‐ Organ and Tissue Donation – Intro: Anne Meister. Partners Night Sunrise Changeover Transfer Meeting for Wauchope Change Over District Changeover at Inverell Betty Allman AUSTRALIAN ROTARY HEALTH Port Macquarie Change over Working with Children Check
Please note that all Working with Children Check’s should be submitted to Steve Maxwell by the 31st of March. If you are unsure if your check is still required, please confirm with Steve directly. Guest Speaker – John Faithfull on the NDIS
(National Disability Insurance Scheme)
Note from Editor: I feel there were quite a few unanswered questions on Tuesday night and quite a bit of confusion regarding the NDIS. Therefore, I have prepared the following information directly from the NDIS Website: www.ndis.gov.au The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is an independent statutory agency whose role is to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will support a better life for hundreds of thousands of Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers. The NDIS will mean peace of mind for every Australian, for anyone who has, or might acquire, a disability. Our priority is to ensure people with disability continue to get the support they need. The changes that are required to existing disability support systems are significant. Arrangements are being made to ensure the scheme can be introduced gradually, ensuring a smooth transition for people with disability and support providers. From 1 July 2013, the first stage of the Scheme rolled out in South Australia, Tasmania, the Barwon area of Victoria and the Hunter area in New South Wales. Western Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory joined the launch in July 2014. We will continue to talk to people and providers in upcoming launch sites about what they need to do to prepare for the rollout of the scheme. What is the National Disability Insurance Scheme The NDIS supports people with a permanent and significant disability that affects their ability to take part in everyday activities. We will work with you to identify supports you need to live your life. Supports may help you achieve goals in many aspects of your life, including independence, involvement in your community, education, employment and health and wellbeing. The NDIS gives you more choice and control over how, when and where your supports are provided, and gives you certainty you will receive the support you need over your lifetime. It also focuses on early intervention where getting early supports can reduce the impact of disability on you or your child. For people who access the NDIS (participants) If you are able to access the NDIS as a participant, we will look at the supports you currently receive and how well they are working for you. This may include your family, friends, mainstream or other community services. If required, the NDIS will also fund reasonable and necessary supports that help you achieve your goals such as therapies, equipment, home modifications, mobility equipment, taking part in community activities or assistance with employment. A plan of supports tailored to your individual needs will be developed to help you achieve your goals. This could include your existing supports if you are happy with your arrangements and if they meet your needs and goals. Note: NDIS provides disability support. Assistance from the NDIS is not means tested and has no impact on income support such as the disability support pension and carers allowance. For people who need some assistance Anyone with or affected by disability can ask us for information and referrals, including families and carers of people with disability. This can include better access to information about the most effective support options, links to local support groups, clubs and programs, or referrals to relevant community services and supports. For families and carers We work with families and carers to make sure the support they give can be sustained. We consider the carer’s role when developing plans with participants including the support they provide, other responsibilities, and their own life plans. We also recognise some people with disability may want the support of family and carers to make informed decisions, and we value their views, knowledge and experience. Can I access the NDIS? You need to meet the following requirements: • have a permanent and significant disability that affects your ability to take part in everyday activities • be aged less than 65 when you first access the scheme • be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen who holds a Protected Special Category Visa • live in a trial site location (during the trial) Use My Access Checker (ndis.gov.au/my-­‐access-­‐checker) to find out if you might be able to receive assistance from the NDIS and the next steps. For people living outside a trial site, existing national and state-­‐based services and supports will continue until the NDIS is introduced in your area or extended to your age group. Next steps Once the NDIS has confirmed you can access the scheme, a planner will arrange to meet with you. Together, you will discuss your needs, goals and aspirations and the supports you currently receive. This may take more than one meeting and you can bring someone with you for support. Using this information, your planner will then develop a plan of supports that best meets your needs and your goals. Where is the NDIS? The NDIS is being trialled in the following locations because it is a big change to the current system and we want to get it right. The scheme will be rolled out nationally from 2016. 1. Barwon region, Victoria 2. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie areas, New South Wales 3. South Australia (age 13 and under on 1 July 2014) 4. Tasmania (for people age 15–24) 5. Australian Capital Territory 6. Barkly region, Northern Territory 7. Perth Hills area, Western Australia For more information Visit: ndis.gov.au Email: [email protected] Call: 1800 800 110*, 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday For people with hearing or speech loss TTY 1800 555 677* Speak and listen 1800 555 727* For people who need help with EnglishTIS 131 450 Follow us on Twitter @NDIS *1800 calls from fixed lines are free. Calls from mobiles may be charged. Coffee Club Details
1st Thursday 2nd Thursday 3rd Thursday 4th Thursday 5th Thursday The Corner (cnr Clarence and Munster Street) The Rainforest Café (Sea Acres) Café 8 (Port Home Zone – Harvey Norman) Bitter Sweet Café (Watonga St Shops) Rivermark Café (261 Hastings River Dr) 10:15am 10:15am 10:15am 10:15am 10:15am ANZAC Tribute Night
Tuesday 21st April 2015
Commemorating 100 Years of ANZAC
We will be conducting an ANZAC Tribute evening and would like as many members
as possible to invite a friend(s) to this special event.
However, numbers will be limited due to the size of our meeting room.
Cost for the evening will be $20 per person.
Payments to the Treasurer by 7th April.
Please notify PDG Barry Hacker by Tuesday 7th April of the names of any guests,
who will be accompanying you. This should include your wife/husband.
Fellowship from 5.45pm – Dinner at 6.30pm
Guest speaker on the evening – President of the Port Macquarie RSL Sub-Branch, Mr Greg Laird
Dress for Men – Jacket and Tie and Service Medals (If Applicable)
Duty Roster
DATE Speaker/s Subject Meet, Greet and Welcome Minute On Me Introduce and Thank Speaker/s Set up and Clean up Last Word:
31st March Tony Dawson History of the School of Arts Steve Towle Anne Meister N/A Kevin Pike 7th April Board Meeting George Mills RAM Rotarians Against Malaria David Gleeson David Comish N/A Michael DeGroot 14th April Gary Blacker Probus and Rotary Stewart Tucker Ray Laws Lesley Cleaver Brian Hutchinson Darrel Moore N/A Barry Bird