the country woman - cwa...the country woman june 2019 5 ceo’s report we are back in the office...

For all Women of NSW and the ACT

Volume 60 No 02 June 2019

THE

COUNTRY WOMAN

97th Annual Conference, Albury

2 June 2019 The Country Woman

State OfficeLevel 2, 244 Coward StMascot NSW 2020PO Box 222Mascot NSW 1460Ph: 02 8337 0200Fax: 02 8338 [email protected]

Honorary Editor Noelene Grainger30 Ruston AvenueValentine NSW 2280Ph: 0429 921 [email protected]

Communications and advertisingLeahPh: 02 8337 [email protected]

Journal PatronMrs Libby Fairfax

State PresidentStephanie StanhopePh: 0429 161 [email protected]

State Honorary SecretaryAnn AdamsPh: 0428 387 [email protected]

State Honorary TreasurerAnne Kotz Ph: 0428 511 [email protected]

State International OfficerLyn BraicoPh: 02 9487 [email protected]

State Agricultural & Environmental OfficerTanya JollyPh: 02 6975 [email protected]

State Social Issues OfficerBronwyn DunstonPh: 02 6576 4070 [email protected]

State Vice PresidentJudy HoughtonPh: 02 6342 [email protected]

State Vice PresidentAnnie KieferPh: 0405 690 [email protected]

Chief Executive OfficerDanica Leys

Cultural Committee SecretaryYvonne Davis31 Tripoli WayAlbion Park NSW 2527Ph: 02 4256 [email protected]

Show Catering Committee SecretaryLynette BuckPh: 0417 604 [email protected]

Handicraft Committee SecretaryPam WrightPh: 02 6767 [email protected]

Hospital Support Committee SecretarySusan HutchisonPh: 02 6554 [email protected]

Agricultural & Environmental Committee SecretaryRobin GodwinPh: 02 6888 [email protected]

“The Land” Cookery Committee SecretaryJan YoungPh: 0400 458 [email protected]

► The Country Woman is the official publication of the Country Women’s Association of New South Wales.

► Average Circulation: 7,917

► Article Submission Information: Members are welcome to submit articles for publication. Articles must be received by the 10th day of the month prior to publication and have a limit of 150 words. Please send articles by email or post to the Editor’s home address.

► The views expressed in The Country Woman are not necessarily the views of the Association. Acceptance of advertising for The Country Woman does not constitute endorsement of the advertisers’ products or services by the Association. The contents of this magazine are covered by copyright, but may be reproduced by any Country Women’s Association of NSW Branch or Group. The Honorary Editor reserves the right to select and edit materials submitted for publication. No responsibility can be accepted for loss of photos.

► Privacy Policy: The Country Women’s Association of NSW collects members’ personal details and maintains a database in the Association’s office. The Country Women’s Association of NSW will never sell or give away personal member information. Any information provided to the Association by members will only be used to assist the Association in providing and enhancing membership services and to refer new members to the Country Women’s Association of NSW.

Important dates

June19 Handicraft Workshop

July

22–25 State Executive Meeting

September

TBA CWA Awareness Week

4-5 Handicraft Workshops

14-15 Cultural Seminar

October

1 Membership fees due

15 Rural Women’s Day

31 Branch Office Bearers forms due at State Office

31 Group Motions due at State Office

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MottoHonour to God

Loyalty to the ThroneService to the Country

Through Country WomenFor Country WomenBy Country Women

Country Women’s Association of NSW Contacts

facebook.com/cwaofnsw@cwaofnsw

www.cwaofnsw.org.au

Cover: Annette Turner, State President (retiring) with Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC Governor of New South Wales. Back Cover: Members at the State Conference

The Country Woman June 2019 3

Contents

Since writing the last editorial I have been fortunate enough to have attended two important conferences, the ACWW World Conference in Melbourne and the State Conference in Albury.

The World Conference was held in an impressive venue alongside the Yarra River with beautiful autumn coloured trees in the landscaping.

The ceremonial “bringing in” of the national flags from many countries from around the world enhanced one’s vision of just how many countries and women are represented by ACWW and the important work it undertakes.

Attendees were entertained by talented teenagers performing several dance routines and a comedian who had us in “stitches”

as she staggered, talked, sang and played the guitar.

While the Conference in Albury, also held in an appealing venue, set in a landscaped park-like setting with trees and benches surrounded by coffee shops, galleries and a nearby commercial area.

The Journal this time contains much information from the State Conference, as well as, branch and group contributions. There have been many members attending Anzac Day ceremonies with the laying of wreaths and knitting of poppies. Celebrations have included branch anniversaries and one member celebrating her 100th birthday. While, a number of members, have undertaken “Women Walk the World” activities.

The topic for the Garry Prize Essay Competition for 2019 is:

“Unleashing the power of gender equity!”

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General 2015 stated:

“The world will never realise 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realise their full potential. When we unleash the power of women, we can secure the future for all.”

Is this statement relevant today?

Finally we congratulate Annette Turner for a job well done over the last three years on our behalf and welcome Stephanie Stanhope to her new role of State President.

Noelene GraingerHon Editor

From the Editor

State President’s Letter 4CEO’s Report 5News from State Office 5Letters 6Peter Hall’s 1968 Travel Sketchbook 6Telstra Update 8Comparator websites 9Committee Reports 10The Land Cookery New Recipes 14International Report 15ACWW World Conference 16Conference Overview 19Conference Resolutions Carried 21Committee Competition Results 24Winning Short Story 29Answers to Questions from Conference 30Garry Prize Essay Winner 31Welcome New Members 32Annual Education Grants 33Bowel Cancer Screening—FAQs 34Sudoku 35Celebrations 36From our Branches 36From our Groups 36 19

9

16

6


Hello members! I am so pleased to be able to give my first report for the journal as your State President. It is a huge honour and privilege to have this role bestowed on me and remains, at this time, somewhat surreal. I wish to express my thanks to those who took the time to give me words of support and encouragement; I was astounded and humbled by the kind words that were given to me by fellow members, both known and unknown to me, during the lead up and following the election.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks for the wonderful support I have received from my family; I have four living children, three sons and a daughter, as well as a daughter who was stillborn but who is also an important part of my family. I also have two adorable, toddling grandsons. As the youngest of ten siblings I am thankful for the ongoing support from my older brothers and sisters who continue to encourage their baby sister with all of my pursuits; although unfortunately for us we have lost two of these siblings in the last 12 months. I know I would not have obtained or be able to sustain this role without their ongoing support.

I’d also like to thank and congratulate Margaret Breust for nominating for this position as well. It is a difficult thing to put yourself out there and nominate for such a high-profile position and I commend her bravery in doing so; I know I was terrified!

Lastly—but certainly not least, I need to thank our outgoing State President, Annette Turner. Her leadership, tenacity and hard work have positioned the organisation

in such a way as for us to be able to move forward and build on your legacy as you did on that of those who came before you.

The 97th Annual CWA of NSW Conference was a great success in Albury this year, I enjoyed listening to the many and varied opinions our members expressed on the wide array of topics debated. I was proud to witness the depth of knowledge and understanding demonstrated in that room and know that I am part of such a diverse collective of understanding and experience.

There is of course, a multitude of issues to work on in this role that we, as a strong advocacy group, can have an influence on. One of the particular issues that I would like to work on further is the current food sustainability and security challenge. There are so many issues that need addressing in this area, right throughout the value chain.

I do not view this role as something that I do alone, I do it with the input from you, the members. I feel a strong sense of responsibility and obligation to listen to you and continue to be your voice on multiple platforms, about multiple issues, in order to express our collective opinions and make a change for the better. We may not always agree on all topics but I will do my best to listen and represent you as best I can.

CWA is a place for all women and this is what makes us strong. We are a powerful and influential voice for women and children, advocating for their and our needs is extremely important work. We provide a supportive place for individuals to participate in activities such as cooking and handicraft as we have done for many, many years. I believe it is important that we not only preserve our traditions but also that we build on these traditions to ensure that CWA remains relevant, strong and interesting for the generations to come.

I look forward to being your

State President’s LetterPresident and working with you to create a better NSW.

Stephanie

Honey Roll recipe

4 eggs110 g brown sugar60 g castor sugar2 teaspoons honey140 g self-raising flour½ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda15 g cornflour1 teaspoon butter2 tablespoons hot waterMock cream or whipped cream

Beat eggs in a medium bowl until thick, add sugars slowly and beat until light and thick. While beating, add honey. Sift dry ingredients several times and fold in lightly. Melt butter in hot water and fold in when hot. Prepare a Swiss roll pan and line with greaseproof paper. Pour mixture into the pan and bake in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes. Do not overcook, as this mixture burns easily. Turn out onto paper or cloth sprinkled with castor sugar. Trim edges and carefully roll up tightly. When cooled, unroll and fill with whipped or mock cream.

Recipe from “Everything I know about cooking I learned from the CWA of NSW” available from State Office Shop


CEO’s Report

We are back in the office after Conference and what a great Conference it was. It’s a busy week for our team, both onsite and in State Office, but we all enjoy the opportunity to meet with members and see all the work and preparations that have gone into the event come to life. Albury was a fantastic location for the event. I need to thank particularly the Albury Entertainment Centre staff who were just amazing with their help and hospitality during the week.

We were privileged again to have the support of a Destination NSW Regional Conferencing Grant which allows us to do so much more at Conference and provide many benefits to the town of Albury. We also had increased sponsorship support overall, as more and more companies and organisations recognise and understand the

fantastic opportunity to network with our members that the Conference represents. All sponsors were so impressed with the level of interest and engagement from attendees, and all have expressed strong interest in returning next year. This sponsorship and volunteer support allows us to deliver a Conference of immense breadth and depth at a fraction of the cost of many other corporate-style conferences. It allows us to showcase what is special about CWA and provide opportunities for policy debate, interaction at workshops, engagement with committees and activities such as handicraft and cooking, and let’s not forget the importance of fellowship and friendship (and fun!) It is important that we always remember the huge value to attendees that this Conference represents. There is no other event on this scale that I am aware of that provides free attendance and the ability to see and engage with so many different aspects of an organisation.

There are replies to some questions and suggestions in this edition of the journal. Attendees can also take the opportunity to provide feedback on Conference via the survey link

here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/cwaalbury. Feedback via the survey will be collated and provided to the State Executive Committee at their July meeting. Members that require a hard copy can call us here at State Office and we will send a copy to you.

For those not able to attend Conference, we hope you enjoy the information in this edition of the journal. There are also many other photos, videos for you to have a look at on the CWA of NSW Facebook page.

We have many issues to work on coming out of Conference and some of the work has already begun on pursuing the policies that were passed. We look forward to keeping you informed of progress against these policies throughout the year.

Kind regards,

Danica Leys,Chief Executive Officer

News from State OfficeWHS ReminderPlease ensure your branch/group has completed annual evaluation of safety in your meeting places if you haven’t already. The WHS kit, including safety checklists and the risk management database form, can be downloaded from the website (in the downloads section).

Membership payments to State OfficeIf branches wish to pay membership subscriptions directly into the State Office bank account please email or post the details of the member(s),

Conference 2020: NewcastleThe 2020 Conference will begin on Monday 4th May 2020 at the Newcastle City Hall with registration and Church Service on Sunday, 3rd May 2020. More information will be available in the December journal.

Conference Photos OnlineThe official photos from the Conference in Albury have been uploaded to a secure online photo album at www.cwaofnsw.shutterfly.com. The password for this site is cwaphotos

the amount paid and the date it was transferred to State Office.

Please do not send payments without emailing or mailing the accompanying details and please do not send the details before a payment is made, only after the transaction has gone through.

State Office is still very happy to receive membership payments with cheques so please keep sending this way if it’s convenient for your branch.

For more information, please contact State Office.

CWA Awareness WeekCWA Awareness Week will be held on 1-7th September 2019.

How will your branch connect with the communtiy this year?


LettersDear President and members of CWA,

Thank you for awarding me the Jean Martin Educational Grant for $500. I greatly appreciated it as it helped me tour Europe with the West of the Divide Wind Band and Choir.

I was able to travel to Italy, Slovenia and Croatia in January with 140 other musicians. We performed in phenomenal venues including Saint Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican City, The Pantheon, Postoijna Caves, Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Lisinski Hall in Croatia. We visited UNESCO Heritage sites, galleries (Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence) and museums.

We visited Italian schools for exchanges, enhancing our

perception of European schools and similarities to Australian schools.

I am currently studying Year 11, with my subject choices heavily influenced by the arts and musical experiences, thus, this grant has fuelled my ambition to pursue my musical dreams. By this I am hoping to occupy a spot in the creative and performing arts industry.

Yours truly

Louisa

Dear CWA

I would like to thank you for sending me on a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Summit to Sea-Outward Bound was a fantastic experience. Starting in Tharwa in Canberra; myself and 15 other boys and girls awaited to get started. We spent two days in Tharwa getting to know each other and preparing for our journey. On the third day we were driven to our first campsite. This is where we leant to set up a bivvy, our home for the next 23 days.

We hiked up mountains, along streams, down ravines and saw

many beautiful sights. We rode bikes from Lake Eucumbene to Mt Kosciuszko, paddled on the Snowy River and learnt the basics of white-water rafting.

We also had the challenge of a three day/two-night solo trip. We were given a tarp, 2 ropes, an esky with food and 10 litres of water, and told to stay within 10 meters of where we were dropped off. We had no reading material or even a watch.

After that experience we were given maps and without instructors had to walk back to the showgrounds in Nowa Nowa spending 4 days navigating through some very thick bushes and large rivers.

On the final day there was a 7km run to the mouth of the Snowy River where it meets the sea.

The trip was a life changing experience. I was asked to consider being an instructor, so now I am studying outdoor education in Lithgow.

Nicholas(this is an edited version of Nick’s experiences)LeeAnn Thompson presenting Louisa

with the Jean Martin Educational Grant.

Peter Hall’s 1968 Travel Sketchbook Across the curator’s desk—State Library NSW

This is a 1968 travel sketchbook of Peter Hall, the architect who took on the job to finish the construction of the Sydney Opera House after the resignation of Jorn Utzon in 1966.

After Peter Hall (as part of the consortium Hall, Todd and Littlemore) accepted the position of design architect for the Opera House he went on an extensive study tour of Europe, USA and Japan, especially to gather ideas on how to resolve the difficulties of the concert hall seating and acoustic design. Hall took on the job in an incredibly hostile environment—many people in the architectural community were protesting to bring back Utzon and

doubted Hall’s ability to complete the project. However, Hall was a talented and passionate architect—he won the Sir John Sulman Award in 1965 for his work on the dining hall at Goldstein Hall, University of New South Wales. He had completed a traineeship with the NSW Government Architect’s Office, where many of the best and brightest of the profession learnt their trade. In collaboration with engineers Ove Arup and Partners, Hall resolved a number of complex technical issues with the design of the concert hall and the enclosing glass walls despite an environment of political turbulence and constant scrutiny. This sketchbook shows Hall’s design thinking and attempts to solve many of the problems he

grappled with in the process of bringing the Opera House to fruition.

The State Library acquired Peter Hall’s archive of sketchbooks, photographs and personal correspondence from his work on the Sydney Opera House project in 2018.

© State Library of NSW, printed with permission.


Oak Tree care like familyWith passionate and understanding Village Managers on board, retirement village living can be the smartest choice for all the family.

Leading provider of retirement villages The Oak Tree Group says the business extends beyond just caring for residents to supporting extended families who have continued interest in mum/dad’s welfare.

“My goal as Village Manager is twofold; to help establish a community where my residents can feel secure and supported in retirement and, in turn, to give families peace of mind that mum and dad’s needs are being well looked after,” said Oak Tree Goonellabah Village Manager Catherine Bashforth.

“One of the greatest benefi ts that I can provide is a level of confi dence and assurance to both my residents, and their families, that I am effi ciently running the village, and am regularly on-site to make sure everything and everyone is OK.

Residents feel at ease knowing they are living in a community of like-minded friends and neighbours who offer genuine neighbourhood support.

“Residents have their own space but they are never alone and there is always someone nearby to help, share or talk with, not to mention a variety of social activities.”

Oak Tree’s relaxed and independent lifestyle, where all maintenance and repairs are managed by Village Management, helps free up time when family comes to visit. Even the light globes are replaced by Oak Tree.

“Instead of running around doing odd jobs and chores like mowing the lawns, I’m thrilled to see families relaxing and enjoying quality time together in the village or getting out and about making good use of the time,” said Catherine.

With over a decade’s experience in the industry Oak Tree understands a happy retirement community is about more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about making the retirement years count, creating memories, supporting one another and enjoying life.

“Oak Tree Retirement Villages have high expectations of me as a Village Manager, but they will never exceed my expectations of myself,” says Catherine.

“Every step of the way from the fi rst visit to the village, to moving and settling in, right through to the very last day or when it’s time to say goodbye, we are devoted to supporting our residents, and their families, to enjoy an easier way of life.

“I personally feel privileged to get to know my residents and be part of their lives.” said Catherine.

For more information about Oak Tree Retirement Villages phone 1300 367 155 or visit www.oaktreegroup.com.au

Oak Tree Goonellabah Village Manager Catherine Bashforth

CWA Full Page_Oak Tree Care Like Family_275x195mm_FINAL.indd 1 2/5/19 2:25 pm

Oak Tree care like familyWith passionate and understanding Village Managers on board, retirement village living can be the smartest choice for all the family.

Leading provider of retirement villages The Oak Tree Group says the business extends beyond just caring for residents to supporting extended families who have continued interest in mum/dad’s welfare.

“My goal as Village Manager is twofold; to help establish a community where my residents can feel secure and supported in retirement and, in turn, to give families peace of mind that mum and dad’s needs are being well looked after,” said Oak Tree Goonellabah Village Manager Catherine Bashforth.

“One of the greatest benefi ts that I can provide is a level of confi dence and assurance to both my residents, and their families, that I am effi ciently running the village, and am regularly on-site to make sure everything and everyone is OK.

Residents feel at ease knowing they are living in a community of like-minded friends and neighbours who offer genuine neighbourhood support.

“Residents have their own space but they are never alone and there is always someone nearby to help, share or talk with, not to mention a variety of social activities.”

Oak Tree’s relaxed and independent lifestyle, where all maintenance and repairs are managed by Village Management, helps free up time when family comes to visit. Even the light globes are replaced by Oak Tree.

“Instead of running around doing odd jobs and chores like mowing the lawns, I’m thrilled to see families relaxing and enjoying quality time together in the village or getting out and about making good use of the time,” said Catherine.

With over a decade’s experience in the industry Oak Tree understands a happy retirement community is about more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about making the retirement years count, creating memories, supporting one another and enjoying life.

“Oak Tree Retirement Villages have high expectations of me as a Village Manager, but they will never exceed my expectations of myself,” says Catherine.

“Every step of the way from the fi rst visit to the village, to moving and settling in, right through to the very last day or when it’s time to say goodbye, we are devoted to supporting our residents, and their families, to enjoy an easier way of life.

“I personally feel privileged to get to know my residents and be part of their lives.” said Catherine.

For more information about Oak Tree Retirement Villages phone 1300 367 155 or visit www.oaktreegroup.com.au

Oak Tree Goonellabah Village Manager Catherine Bashforth

CWA Full Page_Oak Tree Care Like Family_275x195mm_FINAL.indd 1 2/5/19 2:25 pm


Telstra is investing to deliver the increased network capacity required and unlock the benefits of new technologies to help regional, rural and remote communities thrive.

The organisation’s longstanding commitment to investing outside urban Australia was highlighted at the recent CWA Conference in Albury by Telstra’s Head of Rural and Regional Affairs, Dr Ben Gursansky.

Dr Gursansky noted that in the last three financial years alone Telstra spent $2.2 billion on its regional mobile network and is proud to continue this investment under the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP).

“Of the 650 mobile base stations to be installed as part of the program Telstra has now switched on over 500 sites, with more than 2,500 terabytes of data now downloaded in areas around these sites,” Dr Gursansky said.

“That amount of data is equivalent to people downloading more than half a million HD movies or 700 million songs.”

Telstra will now remove black spots at a further 131 locations of the 180 announced as part of MBSP Round 4, delivering solutions through a mix of new mobile base stations and small cells.

We will contribute $23.3 million of the $55.6 million co-investment necessary for the new Round 4 sites —delivering 18 sites in Queensland, 19 in South Australia, 22 in Victoria and 23 in Western Australia.

The largest recipient will be regional NSW with 49 sites delivered across the state, from Frogmore in the southeast to Packsaddle in the far northwest. These upgrades will bring better connectivity to farmers, households and business owners, many for the first time.

They will also improve coverage for nearby public interest areas, like tourist attractions, and health and

emergency services facilities.

Once Round 4 is complete, Telstra will have contributed over $280 million and built more than 780 new sites. This amounts to a significant proportion of all the 1,047 locations co-funded by government under the program since 2015.

Other good news is that the Federal Government has committed an additional $160 million towards MBSP Round 5 and 6, with further details still to be released.

In addition to ongoing upgrades to our mobile network, Telstra offers a range of devices to better connect regional customers. One of the most popular of these is the Telstra Go Repeater—an intelligent and cost-effective antenna solution designed to provide or improve mobile coverage and as result, help enhance voice quality and data speeds.

The Telstra Go Repeater is available as a stationary version for customers who need an on-premises solution and a portable version to boost coverage in their vehicles. Operating on 3G, 4G and 4GX technology, the device works by receiving mobile signals through an external antenna then enhancing and re-transmitting this signal to a single indoor or in-vehicle antenna to extend coverage.

The Telstra Go Repeater suits locations where coverage is patchy or customers need to move between areas of coverage, but what about people living in rural or remote places beyond the reach of Telstra’s existing coverage footprint?

For these customers we now offer a new solution—the Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell—that helps people living and working in some of Australia’s most remote places purchase their own coverage extension of the Telstra 4GX mobile service.

The Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell is a smaller, lower cost version of a standard mobile base station and represents a way to

Telstra Updatebridge the gap between what c u s t o m e r s want and what is financially viable. It gives c o n s u m e r s , businesses and local councils more control over where they can get mobile c o v e r a g e , making them part of the decision-making process.

This type of satellite small cell is funded by co-contributions from Telstra and the customer, where the customer pays an initial amount to cover the cost of installation and Telstra builds and maintains the small cell.

While the availability of this solution to individual customers is relatively new, Telstra has used small cells to extend coverage in rural and remote areas for several years. As part of the MBSP, we are installing up to 250 small cells in selected areas across Australia to bring high-speed 4G data services to small country towns.

As a result of our MBSP participation, devices like the Telstra Go Repeater and making the latest satellite small cell technology available to individual customers, Telstra is connecting millions of Australians to friends and families, businesses, farms, tourist spots and essential services across Australia and around the world.

Our nationwide communications investment is strengthened by close partnerships with regional institutions like the CWA. Working together enables Telstra to fully demonstrate our ongoing commitment to bringing better communications to regional and rural communities throughout Australia.

Telstra is CWA of NSW’s Community Partner

Dr Ben Gursansky speaking at State

Conference


Comparator websitescomparator sites.

▪ Check if there’s a commercial relationship. Comparator website operators may have commercial relationships with or receive financial inducements from listed businesses that can influence recommendations.

▪ Identify the site owner. Sometimes a comparator website is owned and operated by the same business that owns the products being compared. Check that the website tells you the identity of the business that owns and operates it.

▪ Work out what you need. Before you start searching, work out what non-price factors are important to you. When searching, make sure the search fields are tailored to meet your needs. Where the option is provided, consider ranking by ‘benefits’ or ‘value’ rather than by ‘price’.

▪ Check offer availability. Comparator website operators allow service providers to add or remove offers in a number of ways (e.g. placing restrictions on how many products can be sold in a month). A product that was available yesterday may no longer be available today. Check whether the offer is available on the service provider’s website.

▪ Double-check what’s covered. Product classification can vary between service providers (e.g. reconstructive surgery may also be classified as cosmetic surgery). When you receive your results, take a closer look at what is and is not covered. You may need to check the service providers’ own websites for the full details.

▪ Check the site’s privacy policy. Some operators use your information for purposes other than comparing products. Make sure you are comfortable with how your data will be used.

▪ Work out the total cost. Be

Comparator websites compare products offered by a range of suppliers and frequently include multiple products offered by the same supplier. Comparator websites can be a useful tool, but make sure you know how these sites work before relying on a comparison.

Benefits of comparator websites

▪ May save you time in researching and comparing offers for products or services by displaying relevant results on a single website.

▪ May enable you to compare offers for products that are often quite complex or involve a long-term investment (e.g. health insurance, energy or telecommunications offers).

▪ May find products or services that suit your preferences.

▪ May help you switch from one service provider to another with relative ease.

Your consumer rightsWhen you shop online, you have the same rights as you have when you buy in a store. You have the right to expect:

▪ truthful and accurate representations, statements or claims

▪ all the necessary and important information that you need

▪ transparent disclosure of commercial relationships.

Comparator website operators may be considered misleading if they omit to display (or incorrectly display) relevant information and are not transparent about commercial relationships.

Tips for using comparator websites

▪ Know what is being compared. Comparator websites may not compare all the offers or products in the market. Check what’s on offer across a range of

aware that these websites may compare the headline price only, with additional fees and charges only disclosed further down the track. The lowest headline price may not always equate to the lowest final price.

▪ Keep a record of any telephone calls. If you speak to a call centre operator, make sure you follow the above tips, don’t be pressured into making a quick decision, and ask for written confirmation of any offers.

Government comparator websitesThere are a number of comparator websites operated by government agencies. These websites are designed to provide consumers with industry-wide information and they are free of charge.Often businesses are required by law to provide information to these websites which makes them comprehensive.

▪ Energy—a number of states operate energy comparison websites and the Australian Energy Regulator operates www.energymadeeasy.gov.au.

▪ Health—the Commonwealth Ombudsman operates www.privatehealth.gov.au.

Make a consumer complaintIf you think you’ve been misled by a comparator website or its call centre staff, contact the ACCC. Go to www.accc.gov.au/contact-us/contact-the-accc or call their Infocentre on 1300 302 502.Printed with permission. Source: ACCC. © Commonwealth of Australia.


Show Catering ReportOnce again the 2019 Royal Easter Show Tea Room was a success with a line up for the Devonshire Teas from the first day to the last. Many thanks to all the members and volunteers who came along and made this possible.

We sold 49,977 scones over the 12 days of the Show and this was 1,378 more than last year.

Our Promotions table was well patronised and we had sold out by the first Sunday. A big thank you to all the members who send down

extra jams and cakes to carry us over to Easter Sunday when we sold out again. Our total jams, chutney and pickles sold was 1,204 jars along with 65 fruit cakes and a number of fruit loaves. Our raffle donated by Berenberg Jam was popular and $6786 has been donated to the Disaster Relief Fund.

The winners of the raffle were:

1st: Michael Allane, Mosman

2nd: Natasha O’Dwyer, Eastwood.

Our suppliers came to the party

once again with Manildra Flour donating three tonne of flour along with Sunshine Sugar and Pepe Saya butter.

The usual radio and TV interviews arranged by the RAS provided valuable publicity along with posts on Facebook.

Thank you to all the Committee, members and volunteers who make our Tea Rooms such a success year after year.

Carol Vincent, Chairperson


Handicraft Reportin September when the Schedule for next year is put together.

The June workshop on 19th June at State Office at Mascot will be a Judges refresher and Technique day with Barbara Reichert commencing at 9.30 am. The coupon for this workshop can be found in the April, 2019 Journal.

The Coupon for the two day workshop in Mudgee on 4th and 5th September, 2019 is in this month’s Journal. Examples of what will be taught were on display at the exhibition in Albury. Fairy Knitting, Intarsia Knitting and Filet Crochet will be taught by Jeanette Sell, Spiral Twist and Square Stitch Beading by Merle Barber and Creative Stitches by Sandra Hunter. I hope these workshops will be of interest to many of the members.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Sandra Hunter for all the work she has done for the Handicraft Committee. Her time as Chairperson has come to an end and I hope I can do justice to the position the same as Sandra has done for the past three and a half years.

Diana Frost,Chairperson

The Conference is once again over for another year. Congratulations to all winners and a big thank you to all who entered the competition, making it a huge success. The standard of workmanship was once again amazing making for a very beautiful display. Because we had such a large hall this year, all items were very easy to see. Without all these entries there would be no competition. Twenty-nine groups entered this year. Entries were 10% higher than last year, even without Section C “Branch Project”. There were 232 entries in Section 1, 104 in Sections A-F and 243 in The Land Section.

The Committee had a huge amount of work to do upon arrival in Albury, especially our Secretary who had to work on the computer until 10.30 pm each night. I think that all the Committee deserve a very big thank you for all their hard work. I would also like to thank the volunteers who helped with the judging, display and dismantling during the week. Without their help we would not have managed to get everything done in time.

About 40 ladies attended the Conference question and answer time and it was so exciting to see the level of interest in Handicraft. Many suggestions were made and taken on board. These suggestions will be discussed at our meeting

Handicraft Workshop 4-5th September 2019,

9.30amCWA rooms, Mudgee

I wish to attend Fairy knitting, Intarsia and Filet Crochet with Jeannette SellPreference:_____________

I wish to attend Beading with Merle Barber

I wish to attend Creative Stitches with Sandra Hunter

Name ________________

____________________

Address: ______________

____________________

_______ Post Code: _____

Phone: _______________

Email: ________________

____________________

I have enclosed $60 (cheque or money order) for the workshop (includes morning/afternoon teas and lunch).

Please send this coupon, a stamped, self-addressed envelope and payment by 16 August to:

Trudi Tritschler8 Lake RoadBungendore 2621

(Fairy knitting, Intarsia or Filet Crochet)

State Cultural Reportwith a view to updating any that require this. We will be informing you of all changes (if any) as soon as possible after that meeting.

There has been another successful Seminar with Seascape masterpieces being produced. We also ventured into the world of Mass Media Art—a fascinating study using paper, fabric, cotton and beads. At the moment we are finalising

At the time of writing this report we have just completed another successful Conference. The Cultural Committee were very happy with our display space, our raffle was a success and the standard of the entries was amazing. Thank you to entrants and viewers alike, and congratulations to all winners!

In June the Committee will be looking at schedules for all entries

arrangements for a full weekend Seminar at a country venue. That too will be sent to Cultural Officers when completed. Until then, keep the weekend of September 14 and 15 open!

Once again, congratulations to all Conference winners and thank you all Committee members who worked so hard and so well.

Lynne Dunn, Chairperson

September workshop samples


I would like to start off with congratulating & welcoming new committee members, the Agricultural & Environmental Committee for the coming year they are:

Robin Godwin (Secretary)Joy BeamesToni NugentMargaret MusprattMargaret RolphHelen RichAlexandra Bunton

Catherine Ford

We will have our first meeting on Thursday 25th July at State Office in Mascot.

Some really good motions came out at our State Conference which proves once again how passionate we all are in regard to agriculture & environment issues. Thanks to those who helped with the Agricultural & Environmental display as well as the Primary Product display. It was great to see so many members

Agricultural & Environmentalinterested in our topics.

I hope you all enjoy reading about the latest seminar which was held in Sydney.

On behalf of the committee, we’d like to thank those that attended our workshops—lots of interest was shown and lots of myths being broken.

Tanya Jolly, Agricultural & Environmental Officer

Hospital Support ReportThe Hospital Support Committee now has a full complement of committee members; these members nominations were all ratified at the Pre-Conference Meeting in Albury. The Committee held their AGM on Tuesday 7th May at Albury and all Committee positions remain unchanged and we welcome Maureen DeBrincat, Claire Ross and Susan Shearwood to the Committee.

A big thank you to all members for

your outstanding support during Conference, it is always good to meet and speak with members regarding both the work and needs of the Committee. Proceeds from the raffle and the sale of goods totalled over $1,700 and this will assist the Committee in continuing the sponsorship of our family room at Ronald McDonald House at the John Hunter Hospital. Thank you to all members who took advantage of the free lamb jumpers to be used

not only for lambs but also for small domestic pets. Our stock is now depleted and we do not have any further need for lamb jumpers.

The Committee will hold their next meeting at State Office on 30th May 2019 where we will be unpacking and sorting all the donations that have arrived since Conference.

Elisabeth Hodgson,Chairperson

The Land Cookery Reportdistances.

We have had lots of complements on our display and the venue has been excellent with lots of space and light to enhance viewing. The decorated section was again well supported, and thank you to the two judges, their expertise was appreciated.

To The Land for their continuing sponsorship, our grateful thanks as without them we wouldn’t have a competition. To the Conference Organising Committee who tendered to our needs with a smile many thanks.

To my wonderful Committee,

Congratulations to all the winners at conference the cooking was of a very high standard.

To all the contestants who had an entry, thank you for your interest and determination, keep up the good work, as your entry was just as important to the judges. To be able to enter at this level is indeed a great accomplishment. Getting an item to the competition can be an effort in its own.

Sincere appreciation to the judges, stewards and volunteers, we couldn’t have done it without you. Many people have had to travel long

once again, many thanks for your friendship and commitment in making another state competition come to fruition. I do appreciate your support.

The Group Cookery Officers now have the new recipes for the coming year and you can even make your own recipe for the sponge; we have been listening to you. These recipes are also printed on page 14.

I hope you enjoy the new schedule. Your branch competition is important and a chance to try those new recipes.

Denise Hawdon, chairperson


Agricultural & Environmental Seminar held at Mascot, 18th-19th March 2019Day 1

The first speakers from the Office of Environment & Heritage spoke about Threatened Species and The NSW Koala Strategy. The department works closely with Universities and LandCare groups.

The NSW government plans to purchase private land that contains priority habitat for new reserves and to increase our knowledge of koalas and their habitat, in order to stabilise and increase koala populations. Over 24,000 ha of state forest will be set aside as koala parks and reserves, as well as a number of other programs. Individuals can help by considering a Private Land Conservation Agreement, contributing to the community website, participating in the community wildlife survey and watching out for koalas on roads.

Next up was the head of the Agriculture Business Unit from BOM (Bureau of Meteorology). The Bureau’s strategy is to provide products and services that benefit the community and drive competitive advantage for Australian businesses and industry. They aim to provide useful and meaningful data to create value and have impact. Tens of thousands of observations are received from Automatic Weather Stations and manual observations; they have 1500 staff and a vast volunteer network. There are currently 65 radars and plans to build three more in NSW: Brewarrina, Parkes and Hillston/Ivanhoe. Satellite sharing with other countries is very important. Even though we have world class infrastructure (including a $150m super computer), BOM receives information from Japan every 10 minutes.

Our next speaker educated us on the “Australian Made”—green and gold kangaroo logo which applies to products that are made in Australia. The logo is administered by a not-for-profit company, established in 1999. Food labelling has the same logo but is managed by ACCC.

We heard from an entertaining husband and wife team from Harbour

Trust—North Head Sanctuary, Manly. This sanctuary is self-funded and has “something for everyone” including walks, lookouts, café and gallery. The North Fort Tunnel Tour will teach you about the WWII tunnels and gun emplacements, and how the fort was instrumental in the defence of Sydney. Many tours are available.

The Woolworths shopping exercise proved interesting. We were each given different grocery products to find, and then record the country of origin, the price and the amount of plastic packaging.

Day 2

The first speaker of the day was Emily Staniforth from the DPI (Department of Primary Industries). The topic, biosecurity, was delivered with an obvious passion and commitment. Weeds, pests and diseases, we were told, know no borders.

The Australian agricultural industry is internationally recognised as being free from diseases that are prevalent in other countries and this makes our products very sought after. Therefore, biosecurity is not only important for the health of Australian livestock and the environment but also very essential to the Australian economy as a whole.

The prolonged drought in NSW has farmers bringing in feed from interstate therefore, high risk weeds that do not exist in NSW are being brought in. However, lot of high-risk weeds are in suburban backyards where they can spread to the environment and our farms, and cause a huge negative impact. Then there are the feral pests such as foxes, rabbits, pigs, deer and cats to name a few. There are eradication practices in place for most of these pests but vigilance at our international borders is essential. Unfortunately, some of these eradication practices such as baits, have a negative impact on our native wildlife but there are no better solutions currently available, we were told.

Did you know that Australian bees are one of the only groups worldwide that are free from disease? We learnt

how important bees are to Australian agriculture.

The most important thing we learnt was that biosecurity is a shared responsibility and we all need to be vigilant. Know your pests, weeds and diseases, if you don’t know, find out and report what you find. Exotic Plant Pest Hotline: 1800 084 881, Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888, Invasive Species Hotline: 1800 680 244.

Our next adventure was our walk to, and guided tour of Sydney Park Wetlands. The walk to the park was a challenge to say the least. Roadworks made for a difficult traverse but it was well worth the effort.

Our guide explained the fascinating history of the area that is now Sydney Park Wetlands. From brickworks in the 19th and 20th century, the land was barren with no wildlife or native vegetation.

Today it is an oasis of green wetland that supports much birdlife, fish and turtles plus native vegetation. It was a wonderful experience to enjoy the peace and sounds of water and birds in such a busy city. The Park has four wetland areas that are supported by diverting storing and treating 850 million litres of stormwater annually. A pollution trap is used to remove litter then the water collects and is then filtered through plant roots, soil and reeds planted specifically for this purpose. Plantings are native to the area and are now well established. Some of the birds that use the wetlands are black winged stilts, black swans, Australasian reed-warblers, superb fairy-wrens. The Wetlands are also attracting frogs and eastern long neck turtles. A fabulous lunch was then enjoyed at the Wetlands Cafe.

Once back at Mascot we went quickly through a presentation sent by Waverly Council, as the presenter due to ill health was unable to attend.

Thanks, was then given to Joy Beames and the team for their efforts in organising the seminar.

Margaret McKenna & Jann Kalff


Peach Blossom Cake—Section 2, Class (b)Recipe supplied here must be usedIngredients190g butter at room temperature, chopped1¼ cups white sugar¾ cup milk1 teaspoon vanilla essence1½ cups plain flour¾ cup corn flour1½ level teaspoon baking powderpinch of salt6 egg whites—at room temperature1–2 drops rose-pink food coloring

Icing

1½ cups icing sugar10g butter2 tablespoons boiling waterfew drops of rose-pink food coloring

Method

Pre-heat the oven to slow (150°C). Grease a 20cm round, deep cake tin. Line the base of the tin with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar in the small bowl of an electric mixer until white and fluffy. Gradually add half the milk to help dissolve the sugar and beat well. Beat in the vanilla. Transfer to a larger bowl.

Sift the flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt together three times. Fold into the butter mixture, then add the remaining milk. In another bowl, use clean beaters to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold half the egg whites into the cake batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites.

Transfer 1 cup of the mixture to a smaller bowl and stir in the drops of food coloring. Take about ¾ cup of the white mixture and spread over the base of the tin. Take half the pink batter and spoon it in a ring about 1 cm in from the edge of the tin—it should be about 1–1.5cm wide.

Very carefully spread half the remaining white batter over, taking care not to disturb the pink ring. Spoon the remaining pink batter into the center of the tin, making a

round of about 8 cm. Spoon the rest of the white batter over the whole top, again taking care not to disturb the pink round.

Bake for about 70 minutes, until the cake is springy to a gentle touch in the center and comes away from the sides of the tin. It may appear slightly cracked in the center but should settle flat on cooling. Turn out onto a clean tea towel lined with a sheet of baking paper. Leave to cool.

To make the icing, combine the ingredients until smooth. Spread over the top of the cooled cake and leave to set.

Pickled Pears—Section 8, Class CRecipe supplied here must be usedIngredients

10 medium/large beurre bosc pears1 tsp allspice berries12 whole cloves2 cups vinegar (use half white and half malt or apple)1 stick of cinnamon—broken2½ cm chopped fresh ginger2 cups white sugar

Method

Peel core and slice into 8 wedges the pears.

Slowly bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil stirring till sugar dissolves.

Add pears and simmer till tender.

Drain with slotted spoon and add pears to sterilized hot jars.

Boil remaining syrup till thickened and top the pears in the jars with

The Land Cookery New Recipesthis syrup.

Seal immediately and store in fridge when opened.

Gluten Free Orange Ricotta Pound Cake—Section 9Recipe supplied here must be usedIngredients

160gm butter 1 ½ cups sugar 375gm fresh or packaged ricotta cheese 3 large eggs Grated zest of 1 orange 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 teaspoon vanilla essence½ teaspoon almond essence 1½ cups plain gluten free flour 2½ level teaspoons gluten free baking powder

Method

Preheat Oven to 160°C. Prepare a loaf tin (not a bar tin).

Sift together the dry ingredients, set aside.

Cream together butter, sugar and ricotta cheese until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add orange zest, orange juice and essences. Beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients a little at a time beating until just incorporated. Spoon mixture into prepared tin, smooth top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked. Depending on the density of the ricotta used, this may take 1¼ hours to fully cook.

Cool in tin for ten minutes, before turning out to finish cooling on a covered rack.

Notes on Section 10—Plain Traditional SpongeYour own recipe to be used.

A 20cm sponge sandwich filled with a red jam. The use of cornflour is permitted.

Layers to be evenly risen, identical in thickness and baking. Top should be smooth and without sugar spots. Texture should be fine, delicate and spongy when lightly pressed with fingertips. No icing sugar or dusting allowed on top.


I hope you have all returned home safely from our Albury Conference to paddocks with moisture and a new enthusiasm for CWA. What a beautiful town Albury is and I thank the Conference Organising Committee for their great work in the lead up to, and during, the event. Thanks also to our amazing Jackie for her co-ordination of the Conference; it’s a huge job and she keeps us on time and in tune at all times.

The 57th International Meeting at Albury was well-attended and was opened by Annette Turner, our Immediate Past State President. Guest Speaker, Andrea Williams, President of the PNG Association of Australia gave a wonderful account of her memories of growing up in Rabaul, PNG and the history of the Montevideo Maru. Ruth Shanks, AM (Immediate past ACWW World President) and Gail Commens (ACWW South Pacific Area President) also addressed the meeting and the International Prize-winners were presented by these speakers. Thank you to everyone for their positive feedback from this meeting and I have asked Mrs Williams for a copy of her talk and PowerPoint to distribute to branches for their International Study. I will send this out ASAP.

Congratulations also to the winners of the International Competitions. Judi Swain from Somerton Branch, Wanthella Group scooped the pool with a perfect score of 100 points for her International Book and equal 2nd for her Doll. The members of Leura Branch, Blue Mountains Group won the Doll and also the Packer’s Prize for their entry and this gorgeous figurine will now reside at State Office with the International Doll winners from previous years. The International Needlecraft was won by Vivienne Beaumont from Wingham Branch, Mid North Coast Group and the Student PowerPoint had two entries tied for first place, Sophie Stewart, Kendall Public School, Mid North Coast Group and Ashley Hanrahan & Nate Sheridan, Oaklands Central School, Murray Group. This year

the standards in all competitions were incredibly high, with only a few points separating first, second and third in most categories. Thank you to everyone who participated and I have sent out a full list of winners to the Group International Officers for their reports to their Groups.

The Conference workshops were well-attended and I thank Ruth Shanks, AM and Gail Commens for their input at the ACWW event on Thursday afternoon. The “WE Fund” (Women’s Empowerment Fund), the UN Sustainable Goals and CEDAW (The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women) were all highlighted during this Workshop. Jenny Chobdzynski prepared a great Bilum workshop for Friday morning with over 50 members attending. It was a lot of fun and we thank Jenny for her energy, research and preparation for this PNG Handicraft information session.

In the week leading up to Conference, many branches celebrated “Women Walk the World” raising money for ACWW and I thank them all for their wonderful efforts. If your branch participated in “Women Walk the World”, can you please send me photos and a short article so I can prepare a report for ACWW from

International ReportCWA of NSW. Thanks.

As I write this article, I have received public statement from our new ACWW World President Magdie de Kock regarding the International Day of the Family, which we celebrate on 15 May 2019. I have forwarded this to your Group International Officer for member’s distribution and I hope you all enjoyed a day with your families on the 15th.

Just over 80 members from NSW and ACT attended the recent Associate Country Women of the World Conference in Melbourne 4–10 April, 2019, and there is a separate report on this Conference in this Journal. This was a truly inspirational event and I encourage all members to attend a South Pacific Area or World Conference at least once in their lifetime; it is like no other event when you have such a diverse group of women, all championing for the empowerment of women and their communities worldwide.

Thank you to you the members for supporting the International portfolio and I look forward to working with you for another 12 months.

Yours in CWA Friendship,

Lyn Braico,State International Officer

ACWW South Pacific Area Conference 11–17 June 2020—Port Moresby, Papua New GuineaNominations are called for five CWA of NSW Delegates to attend the ACWW South Pacific Area Conference to be held in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

To be eligible, delegates must be or have been members of the CWA of NSW State Executive Committee. When nominating, please include your contact details, the years served on Executive, details of ACWW membership and a brief citation. Please also indicate if you wish to attend as an Observer if your nomination is unsuccessful.

Nominations close with the Chief Executive Officer on Friday, 11 October 2019 and will be considered at the November Executive Meeting.

Note to Observers: Please advise State Office if you will be attending the Conference as an Observer so that we can keep you updated with information as it comes to hand. Please note that registration and bookings are the responsibility of the member.


The 29th Triennial World Conference of Associated Country Women of the World was recently held in Melbourne and what an inspiring event for our members from CWA of NSW! Voting Delegates for our Association were Lyn Braico, State International Officer, Annette Turner, State President, Ann Adams, State Secretary, Anne Kotz, State Treasurer and Gail Kirby, member of the State International Committee. Together with the 89 observers from NSW, our CWA was well represented at the 29th Triennial ACWW World Conference in Melbourne April 2019.

Attendees had a full program for the duration of the event, starting with the Conference Registration and South Pacific Area (SPA) Pre Conference Area Meeting on Thursday 4th April 2019. Minutes for the SPA Pre Conference and Post Conference Meetings will be distributed to all SPA societies soon.

The Official Opening Ceremony on Friday morning was well-attended and enlisted the help of junior members from CWA of Victoria as the flagbearers for the procession of the flags. Entertainment was provided by local talent from the Victorian State School Spectacular, and these wonderful students sang and danced their way through a fantastic program.

Attendees were then introduced to the nominees standing for election to the Board of Trustees, who each gave a short address to introduce themselves to the ACWW Members. We congratulate Gail Commens, Ruth Cargill, Marie Bradbery and Suzanne Garrett for nominating for Board positions; it’s a huge

undertaking to consider taking on roles at this world level. The elections for the incoming Board were held by secret ballot.

On Saturday, the Conference sessions began in earnest. Resolutions were read and discussed, including the Adoption of the new constitution, by-laws, standing orders and rules of procedure as updated by the Ad Hoc Committee and approved by the ACWW Board of Trustees in March 2018. We acknowledge and thank Jenny Mitchell OAM for her work on this Ad Hoc Committee and her guidance during this process of updating the ACWW Constitution.

A new position of Chairman of the Agriculture Committee has been created, splitting this role from one of the previous duties of the Deputy World President. This reinforces the importance of women in agriculture, their knowledge and expertise throughout the world and will come into effect from the 30th Triennium Conference in Malaysia in 2022. The Chairman of the Agriculture Committee and the ACWW Deputy World President will then form two independent positions moving forward into the future.

Resolutions supporting the elimination of dog mediated rabies, registration of old landfills, the protection of shared marine environment, sustainable coral reefs and fish stocks and the call on governments to regulate the use of plastics in packaging and manufacturing were all carried unanimously. The resolution re action on climate change by supporting the historic Paris Climate

A g r e e m e n t 2015 at all levels of governments was discussed. A l t h o u g h not carried unanimously, this resolution

ACWW World Conferenceencouraged lively debate and together with the ACWW policy on Global Warming (passed at the 1992 Triennial Conference), gives member societies valuable guidelines to lobby for local, national and global change. For information on the Paris Agreement 2015, see www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/government/international/paris-agreement and https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/what-is-the-paris-agreement.

From environment to working conditions in textile, footwear and apparel companies and manufacturers, ACWW members voted to ensure fair pay and working conditions for all women workers throughout the world.

Concern about domestic violence was also on the Agenda and a resolution carried unanimously for ACWW members to urge their governments to develop and implement strategies to prevent this violence against women and girls. Discussion included awareness of violence against all members in our communities and the need to be able to support victims once they have escaped their violent situations.

The scope of the resolutions is varied and the next item carried on the Agenda was Resolution 13, the issue of iron deficiency and it’s impact on people and their communities. It is interesting to note that iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency and affects over 30% of the world’s population at all levels of social and economic development.

As in NSW and Australia, gender sensitive health care is a concern worldwide and the following resolution addressed the need for every man, woman and child to have the same access to health care, and to acknowledge the biological differences in gender when providing this healthcare. The amended (and carried) resolution Performers from the Victorian State School Spectacular


went on to urge governments to strive for gender sensitive health care by carrying out a gender analysis on all health policies as they are developed and before they are implemented.

ACWW societies support “Clean Water for All” and Resolution 15 went further to highlight the need for education re health and nutrition, training in sanitation, hygiene and waste disposal for vulnerable rural communities. Where possible, member societies should work towards increasing the knowledge of rural women to combat malnutrition and promote environmental health for rural women. This resolution can work alongside Resolution 13 and promote good nutrition and healthy well-being and environment for all communities.

CWA of NSW is highlighting the Australian Honey Bee this year as part of the Agricultural & Environmental Portfolio, and our concerns are a worldwide problem, as put forward in Resolution 16. The resolution addressed the need to continue to identify and reduce specific drivers of insect pollinator decline, develop agricultural pollinator-friendly practices and promote great public awareness of the role of insect pollination in global food production. This resolution was carried unanimously.

State President, Mrs Annette Turner, then presented Resolution

17—a call for societies to advocate to governments to increase funding to be made available to educate medical practitioners and alert communities about the identification, treatment and prevention of Q Fever and to implement a scheme to subsidise vaccination programs to prevent Q Fever in high risk areas. This resolution is a follow on from our CWA of NSW Conference in 2016 “That the policy of CWA of NSW shall be to advocate that funding be made available to a) educate medical practitioners and alert all communities about the identification, treatment and prevention of Q fever, and b) subsidise a further vaccination program and include Q-VAX on the national immunisation schedule”. Motion was carried and we thank Annette for her work on this resolution.

The final resolution was aimed to raise the standard of living of rural women and their families by putting specific emphasis on Goal 6 of the UN Sustainable Development Goal for water and sanitation, by including special and appropriate sanitary facilities for people with disabilities, serious illness and the elderly. This motion encouraged much discussion about the need for sanitary facilities for all members of our communities, and for education on water security and the basic entitlement of clean and safe toilets for women and children worldwide.

It is important to note that ACWW is working closely with the United Nations to promote both the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and The Sustainable D e v e l o p m e n t Goals (SDGs). I n f o r m a t i o n booklets on both these initiatives were available

for attendees and it is imperative that all members worldwide understand and promote these worldwide goals. See the following website for more information see www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw and www.un.org/s u s t a i n a b l e d e v e l o p m e n t /sustainable-development-goals.

Concurrent Sessions were convened during the Conference, with interesting speakers and topics. Nick Newland from ACWW Head Office in London ran a very informative session on ACWW’s role with the United Nations. ACWW has held special consultative status with the UN since 1947. Many UN organisations expect NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations, e.g. ACWW) to participate in Policy Working Groups, based on expertise that is present within their organisations. Participants of Working Groups meet, either in person or via the internet, regularly to discuss various relevant themes and provide evidence from their on-going, grass-roots investigations which can be used to influence UN policies. For more information on the role of ACWW with the UN and the Advocacy work of ACWW, see www.acww.org.uk/un---advocacy.html. Nick also ran through the Social Media Policy and the impact Social Media has on the promotion of ACWW and it’s work. This type of media is inexpensive and immediate, and it’s important to always use positive messages and posts to spread the ACWW word.

CWA of NSW Official Delegation and Her Majesty Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah

Iskandariah binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj –Queen of

Malaysia

NSW delegates and observers


Another Concurrent Session was hosted by Greg Hampton, Executive Chef of Charcoal Lane. This business is a Mission Australia social enterprise restaurant that provides guidance and opportunity to young Aboriginal people who are in need of a fresh start in life. The aim of the program is to create a skilled workforce for the hospitality industry, providing leadership and mentoring to help vulnerable young people achieve their potential and gain long-term independence. Greg shared his knowledge (and love) of Australian native foods and explained how the program worked to empower disadvantaged youth.

There was also a session on Looking Good and Feeling Good complete with a scarf workshop and promotion of Australian Merino products.

The Sustainable Goals from the UN and how to support these goals now and in the future was the next session. This lecture was presented by Warwick Shanks, son of Immediate Past World President Mrs Ruth Shanks, AM. Warwick is well travelled and has a passion for these important UN Principles, and how they can be used to empower others. Warwick highlighted the “Lazy Persons Guide to Saving the World” as a good introduction to understanding the SCGs and how to support these initiatives. www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction. Warwick presented a case study of the charity “So They Can”—a program in Africa that is creating a sustainable cycle

of education and empowerment of women and children in disadvantaged c o m m u n i t i e s . w w w.sotheycan .org/who-we-are/m i s s i o n - a n d -vision. Wonderful story and well worth reading up on.

Country Kitchens was another i n t e r e s t i n g session members

attended, highlighting a program promoting food literacy throughout Queensland. This program is promoted through QCWA and is supported by the Queensland Government. “Connecting women who have the power to heal communities” is their mission and this is achieved through education programs highlighting nutrition and food preparation. These hands on workshops are run by accredited nutritionists and have voluntary facilitators from QCWA Branches. www.qcwa.org.au/countrykitchens

Throughout the Conference there were presentations from the various ACWW Committees and guest speakers on topics that included a report of dog mediated rabies elimination, the heartbreaking issue of human trafficking and “a world without domestic violence”. It was important to note that Australia is the first country in the world to hold a Royal Commission into domestic violence. All speakers were passionate and informative, and gave attendees an insight into these issues and how they impact women, children, families and communities throughout the world.

On Monday, the results of the elections for the Board of Trustees for the next triennium were announced. Mrs Magdie de Kock, from South Africa was announced as the incoming ACWW World President for 2019-2022, Mrs Alison Burnett from Scotland was appointed the Deputy World President, Mrs Gail Commens returned for another term of

South Pacific Area President and Miss Ruth Cargill was confirmed as the new Honorary Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance and M e m b e r s h i p C o m m i t t e e . Congratulations Gail and Ruth! Unfortunately, Mrs Bradbery and Mrs Garrett were unsuccessful in their bids to be appointed to the Board of Trustees. The Gala Dinner was held on Monday night and was a wonderful opportunity to relax and mingle with delegates from around the globe. It was amazing that around 670 women (plus some men members of societies in USA) from some 60 countries attended this event and it was hard to think that the week of Conference had passed so quickly.

At the emotional Closing Ceremony on Tuesday, 9 April, 2019, Ruth Shanks, AM, stepped down as ACWW World President, a position that she had held for the past two trienniums. Ruth received two standing ovations, clearly a sign of love for her and respect for her outstanding championing for the empowerment of women and children as leader of ACWW for the last 6 years. Ruth’s husband Greg and son Warwick were present and Ruth thanked them for their ongoing support of her voluntary work over the years. Not a dry eye in the hall!

Following the Closing Ceremony, the South Pacific Area (SPA) Meeting was held and Mrs Gail Commens SPA President presented Ruth with a beautiful necklace and silver tray as a sign of appreciation from the SPA societies. Lyn Braico then presented Ruth Shanks and Gail Commens gifts on behalf of CWA of NSW members as a thank you for their leadership of ACWW and SPA respectively. What a wonderful Conference for all who attended—from all around the world!

Magdie de Kock, incoming World

PresidentTanya Cameron, Ruth Shanks, Annette Turner, Lyn Braico, Gail Kirby,

Anne Kotz and Gail Commons


The 97th Annual State Conference in Albury started on Sunday afternoon 5th May, with an Ecumenical Service held in the Albury Entertainment Centre which was the venue for the Conference. Rev Kathy Hodges and Father Martin Cruickshank presided over the service.

On Monday Aunty Nancy Rooke OAM, Wiradjuri Elder of the Wiradjuri Nation welcomed members to country. Aunty Nancy encouraged members to “walk softly on the land” and care for it.

The State President, Annette Turner, followed with her welcome to all present, as did Councillor, Acting Mayor, Dr Amanda Cohn of Albury City Council.

St Patrick’s Parish Year 6 School Band, conducted by Tony Smith, entertained members with a selection of numbers.

Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of NSW was the keynote speaker and opened the Conference.

The Governor stated she had a few connections to Albury. For example, her sister-in-law lives in Albury. Her husband owns a property in the area. Also, she had attended the Albury Base Hospital just the night before for treatment for an injury sustained in the area and acknowledged the

care given, otherwise she would not have managed to be present. She recognised the work of CWA and noted how the membership responded to events and needs of the time. The Governor encouraged CWA to continue to be known for advocacy, support and responsibility.

Mrs Annette Turner, State President, then gave her final report. Annette said she was tinged with sadness as her term was nearing its end, yet she was looking forward to staying at home to support family, friends and the small communities battling the crippling drought. Annette said, the CWA had been given the opportunity to distribute monies to drought affected families and so far had dispersed $11.2 million.

Looking back over the last twelve months, Annette suggested there had been significant changes within the Association. Members were now engaged through, the use of technology, with live updates on the members’ closed Facebook group. She also suggested the outlook for the Association is more than healthy and the membership should continue to promote, grow and thrive. Annette left members with the suggestion that we must continue to modernise, be refreshed and dynamic.

In the afternoon session, the sponsor address from Telstra was presented covering the various ways in which Telstra was helping in rural and regional NSW.

The Medical R e s e a r c h presentation on Endometriosis was delivered by Drs Fred Wong, Frank Manconi and Robert Markham from the University of Sydney. The academics were e n c o u r a g e d by the results

of their research so far and suggested there was a possibility of a breakthrough that could eliminate surgical procedures in the future and be more easily diagnosed by remote applications. A cheque for $34,000 was presented to them.

Once again, Breastscreen NSW made a presentation but this time featured on bowel cancer and the frightening statistics. Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer and it was stated that 36 people die each week from the disease. However, the disease can be treated successfully if caught early and people in the 50 to 74 years range should have tests every two years. Unfortunately, 60% of those receiving the bowel cancer kit have not been returning the kits, so members were encouraged to participate in the screening program.

Tanya Cameron, President of CWA of Australia, enlightened members with a presentation on the work of CWAA. It was formed in 1945 to speak with one voice on a national level and advance the rights and equity of women, families and communities in Australia through advocacy and empowerment, especially for those in regional, rural and remote Australia.

On Tuesday, another sponsor was NBN. The presentation was made by Amber Dornbusch who stated that NBN is keen to work closely with CWA members in their communities as NBN is rolled out across NSW.

Conference Overview

Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of NSW


The Conference provides a forum for members to debate and discuss motions proposed by branches throughout the state, relating to issues in their communities, thereby providing the opportunity to influence CWA policy and the ability to lobby for change. The most powerful element of the Association’s advocacy capacity was and is the ability for an issue raised by a tiny branch, in a small town to be listened to. As Annette has said, “being part of CWA ensures that the issue is taken up, goes to a regional group and then on to Conference where it is robustly debated and if passed, the State President has the power to speak to government on it”.

There were a quite a number of motions presented including: accessing the Farm Household Allowance; obligations under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW); inadequate quality of town water in regions; transparency, social, economic and environmental factors in water management, as well as, vehicles with sexist, racist and violent slogans being banned from Australian roads. There was also a push to ban manufacturers of plant-based drinks from calling their products “milk”, arguing that this hurts dairy farmers and confuses the public into thinking the products are of comparable nutritional value.

Ann Adams, State Hon Secretary, presented her report on Tuesday as well, in which she suggested the drought has taken up much time

and energy, and is a natural disaster. Ann said she had many telephone calls from people and organisations wanting to donate money to our Association and requests for representatives to come so donations could be presented. In January 2019, Ann, was awarded an OAM. Ann said she was proud and yet so humble to be given the honour as she has worked with great ladies and members in her CWA and community work and felt that this award was a tribute to them also.

Following Ann’s report, the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny made a surprise visit. The Prime Minister thanked CWA for being a partner to government. He suggested he didn’t know everything about the country, however, as a thirteen-year old city boy, along with his brother, his father had sent them to his uncle’s farm to experience the land and he understood how the land had to be protected and looked after. He suggested the CWA agenda was protecting the vibrancy of rural and regional communities. Mr Morrison also proposed an i-farm education program for children, in an endeavour for them to understand the life of regional and rural communities.

The representative from Audika, Abby Denham-McQuillen made a presentation on the effects of hearing loss and treatment. Hearing

loss can be affected by age as well as industrial issues. She claimed that hearing aid technology and design has improved. Abby said Audika is delighted to provide a special offer to all members of the CWA of NSW. By booking a free hearing test with Audika a donation of $40 will be made to the Association. This offer is also extended to family members and friends. Call the dedicated number 1800 191 316 and use the promotional code “CWA-NSW”.

The State Treasurer, Anne Kotz, suggested she still had her

“L plates” on as this was her first report. In the report, among other financial matters, Anne informed members of the great number of education and Potts Point grants, as well as, the drought relief donations that have been distributed.

As the sponsor representative of Oaktree Retirement Villages could not be present, members saw a video presentation from Mark Bindon. He suggested that through a drought it was the women that kept families together and who also played an important part in their local communities. He apologised for not being able to be present this year but wants to be part of the CWA future.

In the third business session Mr Tom Bull, Lambpro—The Weekly Times Coles 2018 Farmer of the Year addressed the gathering. His aim is to produce the best lamb chops available, focus on the consumer and the export market. He was five years old when he was given his first ewe and now has over six thousand ewes. He suggested famers and businesses must adapt to current periods. His focus is on the export market in USA, China and Japan where lamb can be see as an entertainment food of status and where consumers may eat smaller portions of meat but pay more for it.

The Country of Study information session was held on Tuesday afternoon. State International Officer, Lyn Braico, presented her first report. As Lyn said, CWA of NSW enjoys promoting international goodwill and friendship through the support of ACWW by individual or

Prime Minster, Scott Morrison with his wife, Jenny, enjoyed a scone with some of the Conference Organisating Committee

The Land Cookery judging


branch membership and Coins for Friendship. The guest speaker for this session was Andrea Williams from the PNG Association. Her grandparents moved there in 1918. PNG is a country of strategic position and importance for Australia, being only 4.5kms away. It is a country of enormous mountains, ravines and rivers. There are volcanoes in PNG, earthquakes have happened and road development has been slow due to the terrain. Andrea showed interesting personal photos of her time in PNG.

Ruth Shanks told of ACWW’s projects throughout the world. She has been excited during her term as world president with visits to inspect projects, such as access to fresh water and children’s education.

Gail Commens, South Pacific Area President of ACWW, also told of similar work in the South Pacific area.

In the fourth business session the ballot results were announced. The State Agricultural & E n v i r o n m e n t a l and International officers also

presented their reports.

On Wednesday, the introduction of current Group Presidents, new Group Representatives and State Office Bearers took place. Stephanie Stanhope was elected State President. Ann Adams—Secretary and Anne Cox—Treasurer were re-elected unopposed.

Sharyn Buck, from Hunter River Group, gave an insight into the staging of the 98th Conference to be held in Newcastle next year. The Church service will be at Christ Church Cathedral, the Conference to be held in Newcastle Town Hall.

On Wednesday night the Gala Dinner was held in the SS&A Club. While on Thursday the Agricultural & Environmental Committee

awards were presented. Followed by The Land Cookery Committee, Handicraft Committee, Hospital Support Committee, Show Catering Committee, Social Issues Committee and Cultural Committee reports and awards. The Honorary Editor’s report including the Garry Prize. The Wagga Daily Advertiser, Past State Presidents and Australian Event Services awards were also presented.

It was very much appreciated by members that the State Committee displays were open over an extended period this year. They were displayed in the Entertainment Centre and other spacious venues in different parts of the Albury CBD area.

Once again, the Conference was a wonderful experience and the venue spacious. The grounds were park-like, beautifully landscaped and the weather pleasant although somewhat chilly in the mornings with sunshine at lunch times.

For those who couldn’t attend the Conference this year, try and make the effort to attend next year in Newcastle. Conference is always a worthwhile experience and sets the agenda for lobbying to make a difference in your communities. It starts with us!

Constitution1. State Executive

“That Regulation 85 be amended to clarify the provisions.”

“That Regulation XXIII (i) be deleted”.

XXIII (i) An appointed Solicitor/s shall act as Solicitor for the Association and advise on all matters of law relating to the Association that may be referred to them by an Officer of the Association. The Solicitor/s shall have the custody of all title deeds of Association property.

Annual Conference Resolutions Carried3. Dubbo Evening Branch, Macquarie Group

“That the Association’s constitution be amended by:

(a) the words “Group Representatives to Executive Committee” being deleted from Regulation 48 and being replaced by the words “Election to State Executive Committee”;

(b) the words “Group Representative to Executive Committee” being deleted from Regulations 57 (d), 66 and 67 and being replaced by the words “State Executive Committee member”;

(c) the words “Group Representative” being deleted from Regulation 82 and being replaced with the words “the Group’s State Executive Committee member”;

(d) the words “Group Representatives” being deleted from Rule XXIV and being replaced with the words “State Executive Committee members elected by Group Conferences”;

(e) the words “nomination of the Group Representative” being deleted from rule XXVIII and being replaced by the words “election to the State Executive Committee of members elected by Group

State Cultural Display


Conferences”; and,

(f) the words “Group Representative” being deleted from Rule XXX and being replaced by the words “State Executive Committee member elected by a Group Conference”.

Association Activities1a) Barwon, Far South Coast, Gwydir, Mid North Coast, Namoi, Nepean, Northumberland, Phillip, Sturt, Wanthella and Wollondilly Groups

“That the specific Health Research Fund Annual Project for 2019-2020 be Endometriosis”.

2. Broken Hill Branch, Darling River Group (Amendment moved by Carcoar-Mandurama Branch, Central Western Group)

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be that Welcome to Country shall be conducted at the beginning of each State Conference and an Acknowledgement of Country is encouraged to be conducted at the beginning of each CWA Branch and Group meeting”.

Agricultural & Environmental3. Eurongilly Branch, Hume Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be that Magistrates impose maximum penalties when sentencing Rural Crime offenders and further investigations into proceeds of criminal offenders also be taken into account”.

4. Eurongilly Branch, Hume Group and Hornsby & District Branch, Northumberland Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW be to advocate that legislation be introduced to improve the protection of the privacy and property of individuals against remotely piloted aircraft (drones) and to define the term improper use”.

5. Manilla Branch, Namoi Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW be to advocate to the Federal Government to set up permanent assistance for the agricultural

industry in the form of incentive packages to encourage viable agriculture in Australia”.

6. Maules Creek Branch, Namoi Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to advocate for travelling stock routes and crown lands to remain in public ownership and be managed to ensure the ongoing valuable ecological and life-fulfilling roles they play for city and country people now and in the future”.

7. Merriwa Branch, Hunter River Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to advocate for the enforcement of the Food Safety Standards of Australia and New Zealand for the use of the terms covered by the definitions of ‘meat’ and ‘meat products’ as outlined in Standard 2.2.1”.

8. Morpeth Branch, Hunter River Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to advocate for the enforcement of the Food Safety Standards of Australia and New Zealand for the use of the term ‘milk’, being the mammary secretion of milking animals as defined in Standard 2.5.1”.

9. Camden Branch, Illawarra Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW shall be to advocate

(i) All levels of government to review the current classification of the African Olive (Olea europaea, subsp. cuspidata) and the implementation of control and eradication plans by all relevant land managers,

(ii) The allocation of funds to ensure the effective implementation of control and eradication plans and,

(iii) Funding research into more effective control methods for infestations, particularly of large areas of African Olive infestation”.

10. Campbelltown Branch, Illawarra Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW shall be to request the NSW Government to erect a wildlife overpass on the Appin Road”.

11. Hillston Branch, Murrumbidgee-Lachlan Group (Amendment moved by Sydney City Branch, Phillip Group)

“That the policy of CWA of NSW be to lobby for the urgent implementation of the recommendations of the three most recent dairy industry inquiries to address structural industry issues”.

12. State Executive

“That the policy of CWA of NSW be to request the relevant impounding authority to expedite the removal of all abandoned vehicles from roadsides in accordance with the Impounding Act 1993 No. 31 Section 16 Subsection 5 as they constitute a serious environmental hazard”.

Health & Social Security13. Wagga Wagga Branch, Riverina Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW shall be to advocate for public cancer clinics in regional, rural and remote areas to ensure public patients have affordable, accessible on-going treatment for all cancer related illnesses within an easily accessible area”.

14. Galore Branch, Riverina Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW shall be to encourage NSW Health Department to promote the dangers of Naegleria fowleri (a microorganism typically found in warm freshwater and soil which can cause a lethal infection of the brain if inhaled up the nose) in the media and especially covering rural and remote areas of NSW”.

15. Table Top Branch, Murray Group

“That the CWA of NSW lobby the NSW Government to change the unreasonable monopoly of post mortems undertaken in metropolitan areas to regional and rural centres where there are PET and CT scanners available for such procedures”.

16. Batemans Bay Branch, Far South Coast Group

“That the policy of the CWA of


NSW shall be to urge the NSW Government to employ more and work to retain registered nurses and enrolled nurses in rural and remote areas of NSW as current levels are deemed by the community to be inadequate for the operation of safe nursing care”.

17. Balgownie-Bulli Branch, Illawarra Group

“That the CWA requests the Government to pay the trainee nursing staff in aged care services, a wage to allow them to cover expenses whilst in training”.

18. Walcha Branch, Wanthella Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW shall be to call for an inquiry into the disparity of prices charged by health professionals”.

19. Walgett Branch, Barwon Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW shall be to advocate for all rural businesses who are not primary producers to be eligible for drought relief funding.”

20. Hillston Branch, Murrumbidgee Lachlan Group

“That CWA of NSW advocate for awareness of and screening for scoliosis at an appropriate age and the inclusion of bracing on Medicare as a non-invasive treatment option”.

21. Nundle Branch, Wanthella Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to lobby Government for the promotion of the registered symbol indicating the presence of an AED (Automated External Defibrilator), and to ask Government to hold a campaign to make that symbol instantly recognisable”.

Transport & Telecommunications22. Exeter Branch, Wollondilly Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW shall be to advocate for the NSW Government to:

i) amend the NSW Road Rules 2014 to reflect the NSW Road Users

Handbook with respect to safety around horse traffic, and

ii) fund and run a TV/media campaign (similar to that run for cyclists and motorbikes) to increase driver awareness of horse riders. The campaign should run in metropolitan areas as well as regional areas to increase awareness of city drivers on country roads”.

23. Bonny Hills Branch, Mid North Coast Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW shall be that the RMS identify a greater number of truck specific rest areas on all major transport routes in NSW. Fines should be applicable to other vehicles which use these areas”.

Miscellaneous 24. Canimbla Branch, South West Group

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW shall be to advocate appropriate State and Federal Governments, to ban all fast/instant cash loan machines”.

Motions of Urgency—Agricultural & Environmental1. State Executive

“That the CWA of NSW urgently write and seek position statements and/or commitments from the major political parties in relation to the following initiatives:

▪ Concessional loans and/or grants for replanting and restocking;

▪ Ongoing commitment to budgeted and announced funding for the CWA of Australia $5 million to continue with drought aid grants for households support; and

▪ The simplification, streamlining and reduction of red-tape for those accessing Farm Household Allowance”.

2. Sydney City Branch, Phillip Group

“That the policy of the CWA of

NSW shall be to work to increase the awareness of smallholders, urban and peri-urban farmers, city residents and tourists of their obligations under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW).

3. State Executive

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to draw attention to the current completely inadequate quality of town water including drinking water in many regional areas, and call for a prioritisation of water for critical human needs, and a minimum service guarantee for regional NSW. Regional water users in terms of both water supply and water quality should be afforded the same standards as metropolitan residents”.

4. State Executive

“That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to lobby the Federal, State and Local Governments, and relevant water management agencies, to increase transparency on decision making under the Murray Darling Basin Plan, including the allocation of water and the balance between social, economic and environmental factors in water management”.

Motion of Urgency—Transport & Telecommunications5. North Star Branch, Gwydir Group and Dubbo Evening Branch, Macquarie Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW be to request the Federal Government hold an independent enquiry into the “greenfield” routes of the Inland Rail and into the funding of the whole project”.

Motion of Urgency—Miscellaneous6. Bangalow Branch, Far North Coast Group

“That the policy of CWA of NSW be to have vehicles bearing slogans promoting sexism, racism and violence banned from Australian roads”.


Moore Agricultural & Environmental AwardWinner Mannering Park Branch

Agricultural & Environmental Award report award 1st Lisarow-Ourimbah Branch

Past State Presidents’ AwardWinner Keiraville BranchWinner Batemans Bay Branch

Recycled Article Competition1st Dee Hyams, Southern Tablelands

Group2nd Liz Janota, Monaro Group3rd Marilyn Brown, Mid North Coast

Group

Wagga Daily Advertiser AwardWinner Jan Humphreys, Pambula-

Merimbula Branch

International Doll Competition1st Leura Branch2nd Judi Swain, Somerton Branch2nd Alice Beasley, Georges River

Branch3rd Rebecca Ryan, Keiraville Branch

International Needlecraft Competition1st Vivian Beaumont, Wingham

Branch2nd Pamela Wright, Kootingal Branch3rd Ruth Shanks AM, Dubbo Evening

Branch

Earle Page College Award For Best International Book1st Judi Swain, Somerton Branch2nd Jenny Standfield, Macksville

Branch3rd Faye Elaine Owner, Bellingen

Branch3rd Fleur Wanderer, Leura Branch

Lister International Trophy For The Best Group Report1st Marge Hopwood, North Coast

Group

Garry Prize1st Clare Oliver, Gerogery Branch2nd Sandra Berner, Berry Branch3rd Karen Weller, Tamworth Evening

Branch

Australian Event Services AwardFor the biggest increase in membership from 2015/16 to 2017/181st Tamworth Evening Branch2nd Woy Woy Branch3rd Leura Evening Branch

State Raffle1st Sue Munns2nd Margaret Clinton3rd Anne McPhee

State Cultural Committee Raffle1st Rhonda Widdows2nd Fiona Hall3rd Anne Chartorisky

State Handicraft Committee Raffle1st M. Harris2nd Eunice Turner3rd Judy Campbell

The Land Cookery Committee Raffle1st Dimity Colwell2nd Jan Gibson3rd Carroll Smith

Hospital Support Committee Raffle1st Kathy Shepherd2nd Annette Fischer3rd Lesley Cotterill4th Ray Pries

Committee Competition results are on pages 25–28.

Competition and Raffle Winners Winning Poem—A New YearThe old one sighs, she knows the end is nearA new year no longer holds charmShe has lived a good life and is ready to go Swapping this mayhem for Heaven’s calm

The noise grows louder, soon a countdown will startAnd the old one stirs for a whileA bevy of youngsters gather round her kneesAnd her old eyes light up with a smile

You must stand up Gran for Auld Lang SyneWe will help you—just hold on tightOur new year wish is spending time with youYou are our very own guiding light

And her spirits lift as “Happy New Year” rings outShe knows just what she must doResolve to keep going for her family’s sakeAnd make more memories—start living anew

She will have picnics and tea parties, bake them a cakeTeach them to garden and knit and sewShare stories—maybe cry—but laugh a lotMake sure her love they always will know.

For memories are such a precious family thingAnd a new year can be a new startTo forget your woes and put others firstAnd spread love, straight from the heart.

Joy Ballard


Senior Photography—Section A1st Kay Beagle, Gungahlin Branch

2nd Yvonne Davis, Albion Park Evening Branch

3rd Donna Robertson, Barellan Branch

3rd Aimee Blazek, Barellan Branch

Senior Photography—Section B1st Catherine Milander, Balgowine-

Bulli Branch

2nd Annette Forsythe, Humula Branch

3rd Dianne Peters, Hillston Branch

3rd Anne Morley, Dapto Branch

Junior Photography8 Years and Under

1st Lachlan Goodworth, Curlewis Branch

2nd Samantha Davis, Albion Park Evening Branch

9-12 Years

1st Ella Grosland, Bundarra Branch

2nd Elise Smith, Bundarra Branch

Bush Ballad1st Joan Jones, Oura Branch

2nd Carole Storrier, Hillston Branch

3rd Jenny Birtles, Eurongilly Branch

Poem1st Joy Ballard, Kootingal Branch

2nd Catherine Milander, Balgownie-Bulli Branch

3rd Jill Byrne, Nowra Branch

Junior Short Story8 Years and Under

1st Flynn Helyar, Tullibigeal Branch

2nd Tahlia Bendall, Tullibigeal Branch

3rd Kieran Middleton, Glen-Mannus Branch

9-12 Years

1st Miranda Barnes, Tullibigeal Branch

2nd Sopnie Luelf, Tullibigeal Branch

3rd Lulu Farrell, Glen-Mannus Branch

3rd Scarlett Hall, Bathurst Evening Branch

13-18 Years

1st Kelly Orr, Tullibigeal Branch

2nd Grace Dillon, Tullibigeal Branch

Group Cultural Books1st Kootingal Branch, Wanthella

Group

2nd Mudgee Evening Branch, Castlereagh Country Group

3rd Canberra Branch, Monaro Group

Senior Short Stories1st Sue Armstrong, Tooraweenah

Branch

2nd Sue Maynes, Woodstock Branch

3rd Melissa Bearup, Tamworth Evening Branch

Art Section1A Oil

1st Noela Woods, Kurrajong Branch

2nd Aileen LeBreton-Hogan, Merriwa Branch

3rd Marnie Steer, Berrigan Branch

Art Section 1B Watercolour

1st Margaret O’Connor, Blackville Branch

2nd Jenny Halliday, Bermagui Branch

3rd Marnie Steer, Berrigan Branch

Art Section 1C Acrylic

1st Theresa McCarten, Griffith Branch

2nd Lyn Haynes, Keiraville Branch

3rd Lorraine Maddigan, Willala Branch

Art Section 2 Novice

1st Karen Troy, Walgett Branch

2nd Margaret Nixon, Morpeth Branch

3rd Pam Cocks, Leura Branch

Art Section 3 Any Other Medium

1st Aileen LeBreton-Hogan, Merriwa Branch

2nd Karen Troy, Walgett Branch

3rd Aileen LeBreton-Hogan, Merriwa Branch

Art Section 4 Miniature

1st Faye Owner, Bellingen Branch

2nd Catherine Milander, Balgownie-Bulli Branch

Art Section 5 Juniors

1st Edmund Hogan, Merriwa Branch

2nd Monique O’Reilly, Bathurst Evening Branch

3rd Scarlett Hall, Bathurst Evening Branch

China Painting Section 1 Fruit Flowers and Monotone

1st June Bahr, Henty Branch

Section 2 Decorated Piece with Raised Paste


Section 3 Portrait or Animal(s) or Bird(s)

1st Bev Bradfield, Morpeth Branch

Section 4 Penwork


2nd June Bahr, Henty Branch

Section 5 Scenes


Section 6 Miniatures

1st Pam Wright, Kootingal Branch


Junior Posters8 Years and Under

1st Millie Helyar, Tullibigeal Branch

2nd Isla Blacker, Tullibigeal Branch

3rd Abbie Lewis, Tullibigeal Branch

9-12 Years

1st Elijah Millet, Collector Branch

2nd Maddison Rosser, Albion Park Evening Branch

3rd Amelia O’Reilly, Tullibigeal Branch

State Cultural Competition Results


13-18 Years

1st Claudia Taylor, Collector Branch

2nd William Millet, Collector Branch

Digital8 Years and Under

1st James Blacker, Tullibigeal Branch

2nd Flynn Helyar, Tullibigeal Branch

9-12 Years

1st Ella Waters, Tullibigeal Branch

2nd Jack Dillon, Tullibigeal Branch

3rd Alyssa Loxley, Tullibigeal Branch

Group Reports1st Oxley

2nd Northern Tablelands

3rd Northumberland

Temorva TrophyKay Beagle, Gungahlin Branch, Monaro Group

Ferguson TrophyOxley Group

Bib and Bub TrophyKootingal Branch, Wanthella Group.

Open SectionsSECTION A: A garment or article of any craft made by a member 80 years of age or over

Prizes donated by Handicraft Committee

1st Jeanette Manwarring, Myamley Branch

2nd Marion McCrossin, Wallerawang-Lidsdale Branch

3rd Joan Bridges, Terrigal Day Branch

SECTION B1:, Any article of craft (commercial quilting allowed) made by a junior 8 years and under

1st Tayah Dickson, Crookwell Branch

2nd Sophie Nicol, Ballina Branch

3rd Dylan Plumb, Nowra Branch

SECTION B2: Any article of craft (commercial quilting allowed) made by a junior 9 to 12 years of age

1st Lucy McDonald, County of Burnet Branch

2nd Declan Shearer, Branxton/Greta Branch

3rd Elijah Millett, Collector Branch

SECTION B3: Any article of craft (commercial quilting allowed) made by a junior 13 to 18 years of age

1st Brooke Morgan, Trundle Branch

2nd Anna McNamara, Belconnon Branch

3rd Claire Vanderstel, Cloucester Branch

SECTION C: Hand quilted quilt. Maximum size 220 cm x 220 cm

1st Marjory O’Brien, Bermagui Branch

2nd Joan Ryan, Mulwaree Branch

3rd Sonia Bowers, Wauchope Branch

SECTION D: Machine quilted quilt by Maker. Maximum size 220 cm x 220 cm

1st Zita Carey, Tullamore Branch

2nd Leonie Saunders, Yamba Branch

3rd Jo Dickson, Crookwell Branch

SECTION E: Article of any craft made by male relative of a CWA Member. Max. size 30cm x 30cm

1st Graham Buckle, Gulgong Branch

2nd Bruce Hirst, Penrith Branch

2nd Barry Myers, Maitland Branch

3rd Steve Stewart, Lismore Branch

SECTION F: Quilt. COMMERCIALLY QUILTED. Maximum size 200cm X 200 cm

1st Raw Johnston, Cooma Branch

2nd Jenny Geczy, East Maitland Branch

3rd Colleen Baker, Tabletop Branch

Best Group ReportSouthern Tablelands Group

Top Ten Pieces of Different Crafts from Section 1Marion Cullen, Narooma Branch— Myrescka

Janet De Rooy, Mudgee Evening Branch—Handspun skein

Kay Thomson, Jindera Branch— Counted Cross Stitch

Christine Skeen, Bega Branch— Stumpwork

Leigh Ramage, Guyra Branch—Fine Wool Knitting

Marie Darcey, Tullamore Branch—Dressmaking

Patricia Herbert, Eurongilly Branch— Sashiko

Pam Wright, Kootingal Branch—Needle felting

Jan Young, Bathurst Evening Branch—Petit Point Tapestry

Pauline Cotterill, Narooma Branch—Surface Stitchery/Patchwork

Champion Piece Of Work Section 1Sharron Perry, Moruya Branch, Far South Coast—Hardanger

The Land SectionFirst and Second prizes awarded by “The Land” Newspaper.

1) Knee or Cot rug using Commercial Natural Fibres—Crochet max 150 cm x 150 cm

1st Sarah Quast, Albury Evening Branch

2nd Penny Wolf, Bowral Branch

3rd Rehbrerh Ryan, Keiraille Branch

2) Knee or Cot Rug or Cot Quilt Knitted using Commercial Natural Fibres 150 x 150 cm

1st Jenny Chobdzynski, Oura

State Handicraft Competition Results


Branch

2nd Trudi Tritschler, Bungendore Branch

3rd Diane Groves, Ilford Running Stream Branch

3) Knee or Cot Rug or Cot Quilt Sewn using natural fibres 150 x 150 cm

1st Pauline Browning, Bellingen Branch

2nd Janette Manwarring, Myamley Branch

3rd Glad Beveridge, Belmont Branch

4) Hand woven garment or article from Natural Fibres

1st Fred Lawson, Blackville Branch

2nd Barbara Gow, Mudgee Evening Branch

3rd S. Howstien, Eurongilly Branch

5) Hand knitted Socks from Natural Fibres.,

1st Trudi Tritschler, Bungendore Branch

2nd Alison Cosgrove, Warren Branch

3rd Robyn Northam, Mudgee Evening Branch

6) Hand knitted or Hand crochet Child’s Garment from Commercial Natural Fibres (not baby wear)

1st Annette Douglas, Harden Branch

2nd Elaine Robinson, Glen Innes Day Branch

3rd Lynne Grady

7) Hand knitted garment or article (not socks) from Commercial natural fibres. 5 ply or finer. (not baby, wear & not socks)

1st Margaret Taylor, Canimbla Branch

2nd Caroline Craig, Toongabbie Branch

3rd Kym Vardy, Mumbil Stuart Town Branch

8) Hand knitted garment or article (NOT socks) from Commercial Natural Fibres 6 ply or thicker (Not baby, wear & not socks)

1st Stephanie Stanhope, Bega Branch

2nd Elaine Robinson, Glen Innes Day Branch

3rd Marg Lynch, Tabletop Branch

9) Embroidered Knitted garment or article from Commercial Natural Fibres,

1st Lillian Marshall, Crookwell Branch

2nd Jenette Atcherson, Quirindi Branch

3rd Maryke Greutink, Moree Branch

10) Hand Knitted garment or article from Hand Spun Natural Fibres,

1st Marie Stephenson, Bourke Evening Branch

2nd Margaret Barron, Jerangle-Peak View Branch

3rd Christine Smythe, Wongarbon Branch

11) Machine knitted garment or article from Natural Fibres.,

1st Lyn Douglas, Mannering Park Branch

2nd Joan Bird, Port Macquarie Branch

3rd Clair Goodsell, Mudgee Evening Branch

12) Hand crochet garment or article from Commercial Natural Fibres (not baby wear)

1st Janine Halasz, Tilba Branch

2nd Marg Lynch, Table Top Branch

3rd Sharon O’Meara, Bangalow Branch

13) Hand Crochet or Tatting. Garment or article from Mercerized Cotton

1st Carol Bathis, St. George &Sutherland Branch

2nd Lea Warren, Oura Branch

3rd Sarah Quast, Albury Evening Branch

14) Hand crochet garment or article from Hand Spun Natural Fibre

1st Alice Dryburgh, Ilford-Running Stream Branch

2nd Francene Halliger, Quirindi Branch

3rd Lynne Grady, Nowra Branch

15) Hand knitted Baby Outfit—2 pieces—Pure Sheep’s Wool (one piece must be a garment)

1st Gay Cowan, Port Macquarie Evening Branch

2nd Margaret Barron, Jerangle Peak View Branch

3rd Noeleen Brown, Somersby Branch

16) Hand crochet Baby Outfit—2 pieces—Pure Sheep’s Wool (one piece must be a garment)

1st Susan Barnes, Port Macquarie Branch

2nd Bernie Saunders, Quirindi Branch

3rd Jenny Nott, Ilford Running Stream Branch

17) Dressmaking—Garment made from Mixed Fibres

1st Marie Darcey, Tullamore Branch

2nd Barbara Weller, Belmont Branch

3rd Shirley Boyle, Bangalow Branch

18) Dressmaking—Garment made from Natural Fibres

1st Sandy Tebbett, Gloucester Branch

2nd Jeanette Manwarring, Myamley Branch

3rd Anita McAdam, Coolamon Branch

19) Felted article or Garment

1st Dianne Blanch, Wallamba Branch

2nd Jade Kinder, Marulan Branch

3rd Sharon O’Meara, Bangalow Branch

Champion Piece Of Work For ‘The Land’ SectionCarol Bathis, St George & Sutherland Shire Branch

Group CompetitionGroups attaining highest point scores:

1st Far South Coast Group

2nd Murray Group

2nd Southern Tablelands Group

3rd Hunter River Group


Section 1a: Rich Fruit Cake1st Shirley Edwards, Tullamore

Branch2nd Carole Windley, Milton District

Branch3rd Elizabeth Ranger, Goulburn

Branch

Section 1b: Sultana Cake1st Pat Ceely, Euberta Branch2nd Win Lowe, Bellarwi Branch3rd Andrea Buter, Belconnen

Branch

Section 2a: Lime & Buttermilk 1st Val Hawker, Barellan Branch2nd Win Lowe, Bellarwi Branch3rd Virginia Morley, Jindera Branch

Section 2b: Rainbow Cake1st Cora Kemling, Bega Branch2nd Norma Judd, Wagga Wagga

Evening Branch3rd Elaine Morley, Penrith Branch

Section 3: Date loaf1st Silvana Griffin, Sydney City

Branch2nd Amanda Wood, Molong Branch3rd Carol McIntyre, Woolgoolga

Branch

Section 4:Petticoat tail shortbread 1st Helen Irons, Oura Branch2nd Marie Bradbury, Lisarow-

Ourimbah Branch3rd Mikalya Perrisi Coffs Harbour

Branch

Section 5: Honey Jumbles1st Terry Holcombe, Walgett

Branch2nd Jill Patterson, Picton District

Branch3rd Judy Haines, Albury Evening

Branch

Section 6: Decorated cakesClass A: Fruit & Foliage1st Ken Robinson, Riverina GroupClass B: Pearls & Pansies 1st Ken Robinson, Riverina Group2nd Hilda Laib, Penrith Branch

Class C: Nursery Rhyme1st Ken Robinson, Riverinta Group2nd Helen Robinson, Riverina

GroupClass D: Miniature decorated cake—Wedding Day 1st Nelleke Gorton, Bega Branch2nd Ken Robinson, Riverina GroupClass E: Marine Life1st Ken Robinson, Riverina Group2nd Helen Robinson, Riverina

GroupClass F: Novice Section Bold & Beautiful1st Emma-Lee Stenner, Bega

Branch2nd Hilda Laib, Penrith Branch

Section 7: Steamed Fruit Pudding 1st Shirley Edwards, Tullamore

Branch2nd Michelle Eggins, Manilla

Branch3rd Denise Hawdon, Gloucester

Evening Branch

Section 8a: Strawberry Jam 1st Christine Parkes, Adaminaby

Branch2nd Rita Beattie, Crookwell Branch3rd Marie Dolbel, Bathurst Branch

Section 8b: Pomegranate Jelly 1st Kathryn Hibbert, Blackheath

Branch2nd Wailyn Mar, St George &

Sutherland Shire Branch3rd Margaret Graham, Keiraville

Branch

Section 8c: Pickled Pears1st Nyrelle Johnson, Euberta

Branch2nd Silvana Griffin, Sydney City

Branch3rd Stephanie Stanhope, Bega

Branch

Section 9: Gluten free lamington fingers 1st Gwenda Churchill, Bowral

The Land Cookery Competition ResultsBranch

2nd Lyn Jacobsen, Pleasant Hills Branch

3rd Heather Gilmour, County of Burnett Branch

Section 10: Chocolate Sponge 1st Joan Yeo, Gollan Branch2nd Coralie Howe, Gunnedah

Branch3rd Debbie Fisher, Cobargo Branch

Section 11a: Cinnamon teacake 1st Myra Subanda, Deer Vale

Branch2nd Maisie Butson, Milton District

Branch3rd Riley Cattle, Kikoira Branch

Section 11b: Decorated butter biscuits 1st Rory Beattie, Jindabyne Branch2nd Ivy Chobdzynski, Oura Branch3rd Erica Williamson, Gloucester

Branch

Donna Latter Chocolate Cake1st Gail Kelly, Werris Creek Branch2nd Phyllis Blissett, Marshall Mount

Branch3rd Janelle Rogers, Myall Creek

Branch

Special Land Awards Branches with 15 or under members 1st Deer Vale Branch2nd Lower Belford Branch3rd Bredbo BranchBranches with 16-25 members 1st Maitland Branch2nd Albury Evening Branch3rd Bega BranchBranches 26-50 members 1st Terrigal Evening Branch2nd Somersby Branch3rd Woy Woy BranchBranches 51 members and over 1st Milton District Branch2nd Walgett Branch3rd Bowral Branch


I was passing the kitchen on the way to the toilets when I overheard loud whispers. Being a little nosey, I stopped and listened.

“The dagger is in the cake”

“What do you mean the dagger is in the cake?”

“It’s in the middle—you know—in between the layers.”

“Oh no, I can’t believe this. Why did you put it in there?”

“So no-one would find it”

[Said hysterically] “So no-one would find it?”

“Well, yes, before it was meant to be found. You know what I mean?”

[Moan] “You are such an idiot. They cut the cake and taste a piece. Haven’t you been to a CWA Land Cookery Day before?”

“Well, yes, but only to look. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Angry voice: “It will be a surprise alright. I can’t believe it Denise. You bake a cake, sandwich it together with a dagger in between and I suppose you iced it?”

Puzzled voice: “Well, yes, isn’t it supposed to be iced? Do you think I should interrupt the judging and get the dagger out of the cake?”

“You are kidding, they will freak out when they see a dagger.”

[Sighs] “Ok, I will go in and tell them not to judge my cake. I didn’t want it cut anyway.”

Just then I heard a scream coming from the toilets.

“She’s dead. Oh I think she’s dead.” Voice rising to a hysterical pitch. “Look at all that blood!”

Oh no, I can’t believe it. They must have stabbed someone with that dagger. I rushed for the toilets and there on the floor was Madge. Blood everywhere.

“Quick” I said “Ring an ambulance. Ring the police.” And as someone

knelt down to start CPR on Madge I prayed, “Don’t die Madge. Please don’t die.”

Then I remembered “the dagger” and rushing back to the kitchen I grabbed Denise.

“Where’s that dagger? Which cake is it in?”

I dragged her into the judging room and Denise mutely pointed to the table laden with cakes.

“Which one?” I said hysterically.

She pointed again.

I rushed over, and ripping the Cling Wrap off the cake said “Oh thank goodness, it hasn’t been cut.” I pulled the cake apart, and there it was, a little gold dagger glinting with coloured semi-precious stones and all gooey with jam.

I turned to Denise who was sobbing, broken heartedly.

“The cake was for my niece. It’s her birthday today. She’s seven. I wanted her to have the prize winning cake. I put the little dagger inside for her. It belonged to grandma and grandpa brought it back from India after the war. And now her birthday cake is ruined.” [Loud wails and sobbing]

I was covered in jam and cake crumbs and The Land Cookery judges were huddled together in shock.

Sue glared at me, the turned to comfort Denise and she said “Oh Denise, I knew you were giving her the little dagger but it was a silly place to put it. Look, don’t worry about the cake. We will bake a new one.”

Poor Denise was sobbing her heart out. She was inconsolable.

Oh no, what had I done?

Just then, someone called out, “The ambulance is here and the police too.”

I rushed back to the toilets and

Winning Short Story—What I Overheardpushed my way past all the ladies crowding the doorway.

I heard a moan coming from Madge. Then, “Stop pounding my chest, you idiot. I think I slipped and hit my head on the wash basin. Gosh, I have a headache.”

“Make way for the ambulance. May way.” Two ambulance men with stretcher pushed the women aside and then a policeman came in and asked “What happened here?”

And Madge said, “I fell and hit my head, officer. I have a terrible headache”.

“Who said call the police?”

Everyone turned around and looked at me. I could have sunk through the floor. I was so ashamed.

Look what being nosey had done. Look what I overheard and the consequences of it. I had upset the judges, all the CWA and poor Denise and Sue. I had even thought they stabbed Madge.

You’ll be pleased to know the Madge was given a check-up at hospital and declared fit. But I had to apologise to the judges and especially to Denise and Sue.

It has been an unfortunate lesson to learn. But it has taught me not to be nosey in the future. Especially don’t listen at doors because look what happened when I acted upon “what I overheard”.

Written by Sue Armstrong

E-news for MembersThe E-news contains information and events relevant to CWA members and is sent in January, March, May, July, September and November.

If you do not already receive the E-news and you’d like to, email [email protected] with “subscribe” in the header, along with your membership number.


During the Conference we have a question box for members to utilise. The contributions to the question box have been collated into common areas to provide further background and information to members. Where possible and appropriate, we have also provided more detailed explanations to those people that included their contact details on any questions or suggestions that were made.

Members who attended the event are also encouraged to provide feedback via the Conference survey. The survey is an important way for us to get a balanced and objective read on opinions across all participating attendees and look for any trends or common areas for improvement as well as identifying areas that are working well for us.

Questions about meeting procedureThere was some confusion in relation to the AGM meeting procedure. The procedure is published in the delegates’ book. Delegates should make sure that they familiarise themselves with the meeting procedure before attending Conference. Efforts will be made at next year’s Conference to explain the procedure again before general debate starts.

There are occasionally issues that arise during the debate that are not covered by the procedure. In these instances it will be up to the Chair to decide on the best way forward. The Chair will do this using guidance from well-establish and published meeting procedures and publications, combined with her own knowledge. The Chair’s role is to ascertain the feeling of the room as objectively as possible and delegates should assist the Chair. Whilst the written procedure is adhered to as much as possible, it cannot cover all instances.

It was also clear that there was confusion from some delegates in relation to the timings for

presenting and seconding motions, as well as the procedure to speak on a motion. Again, this will be reiterated in future. Delegates will also be reminded that if they wish to speak on a motion, they need to be at a microphone ready to do so in a prompt fashion and before the Chair has closed debate.

Questions about policy development and writingQuestions and suggestions were made for the improvement of motion wording for future Conferences. Thus, avoiding the need for lengthy debates on amendments and minimising the wordsmithing of motions on the run. CWA of NSW has improved its process in this regard significantly but it is evident that there still more work to be done. When developing a motion for Conference, branches are strongly encouraged to read the guidance in the Procedures Manual (“G 6-3-718 Guide to writing motions for CWA State Conference”). This guide is not exhaustive but will give your branch some tips for drafting better motions which may become the policy of the Association. Branches are also encouraged to be in touch with the Association’s Policy Manager if they are unsure of how to approach a policy issue or how to word a motion. Advice on when and how motions of urgency are accepted is also contained in the guide mentioned above.

Explanation on our membership of CWA of AustraliaCWA of NSW is a member of CWA of Australia. Under the CWA of Australia constitution, there is no option for direct membership of individuals. Rather, it is a federated structure. CWA of NSW has a vote via its delegate to the CWA of Australia board. That delegate is the State President. Membership fees for the CWA of Australia are calculated at $1 per member.

Answers to Questions and Suggestions from ConferenceFinancial Questions There were a number of financial-related questions which have been outlined and answered below:

Ethical investing

The issue of ethical investing has been a standing agenda item at the Association’s Finance Committee meetings recently. The Association’s financial adviser, Brendan Ryan, has been undertaking a review of our investments in this regard and looking at what other investment products are available that may suit CWA’s investment priorities but also comply with any ethical investment framework that is developed. The Association’s Finance Committee is keeping a watching brief on this matter.

Expansion of criteria for drought assistance (to cover hay/stock feed bills)

The CWA of NSW Disaster Relief Fund rules do not allow for this to occur. Additionally, the Disaster Relief Fund Committee took a deliberate decision to focus on household support as an equitable way of distributing relief.

Membership Fees

The membership fees are outlined in regulation 31 (a) of the constitution. Unless the AGM determines otherwise, they are increased by CPI year on year. Discussion on membership fees at Conference can occur if delegates wish. There were no speakers at the microphone on this issue before the debate was closed this year.

Constitutional Changes and Reprinting CostsA question was asked in relation to the costs for reprinting the constitution as a result of Motion number 3 passing. The Association generally reprints a limited number of updated constitutions every year. There is no reprinting cost that is wholly attributable to the passing of one constitutional motion.


Prime Ministerial Visit The then State President in her closing remarks was able to provide clarification on this issue. She stated: “Months ago the Prime Minister was asked to address Conference as part of our opening proceedings. This was before the dates for the election were announced. You may note that in some earlier material sent out about Conference we had a ‘TBC’ for the keynote speaker. This is why. At the time, the PM’s office offered his apologies. CWA was

then asked on Monday afternoon to accommodate the Prime Minister as schedules had changed. The Prime Minister’s presence was greatly appreciated, and demonstrates the incredible influence, respect and importance that the CWA of NSW has in its advocacy work and being a voice for its members. I see it as being fairly simple—when the Prime Minister of Australia asks to address our members, we make space for that person to address our members, regardless of their

political persuasion. When it comes to the Prime Minister, we should take all opportunities to strengthen relationships with that office, regardless of the party that is in power. I hope that the Prime Minister is invited again next year, regardless of who that is”.

CWA of NSW continues to be non-party political in its approach to lobbying. We work with, advocate to, and meet with many and varied politicians in order to advance the interests of our members.

“In modern times, do we have the capacity to harness the power of empathy for one another.”

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another; to put ourselves in another person’s shoes. I believe that as a human species we have that power and I believe that in these modern times more than ever we need to use that power.

Throughout history the power of empathy has changed the trajectory of the world. We all remember the photo of the nine-year-old girl running naked and burning down the road from the bombing during the Vietnam war. This photo changed the war. When confronted with the horrors those children were facing, people empathised with that girl and her friends and demanded that our involvement in the war end.

In 2004 the empathy of the whole world came together to help when Southeast Asian countries were devastated with the Boxing Day tsunami. The world stood still and wept with mothers and fathers whose children were dragged from their arms by the ravaging waves. Our hearts ached at the sobs of people who came back to their village to find their home and everything swept away. We bowed in horror as on our televisions they showed us body after body until they numbered the tens of thousand

being laid out in halls, temples, churches and even streets, while the wailing of loved ones lifting the sheets and looking for their dead pierced our hearts. We sat numb as we saw our own humanity in theirs. The collective power of empathy saw millions of Australians and people all around the world donate money, clothes and toys. As we reached out in empathy we made the world a smaller place.

And yet, more than ever we need to harness the power of fellow feeling. Life is frantic, the planet is getting hotter, our children are facing a world with technology far more advanced than we could ever imagine. The television and the newspapers present us with a picture of humanity that appears only interested in itself; individual wealth; individual power; individual interests. But it is possible to imagine a different world; a world where care, compassion and the kindness

is the power. Where empathy and ability to put ourselves into the shoes of another person is perhaps the most powerful thing that can change the course of history.

These actions of empathy however small or great are powerful. And they can change the world. The young parent who looks exhausted with that trolley of shopping and three young children might have once been you. Smile and say hello, tell them they are doing a great job raising the leaders of tomorrow. Put your self in their shoes; show some empathy. That young parent might also notice another person struggling and pass that empathy on. See, your small act of empathy is already powerfully changing the world. And that act of empathy might not stop a tsunami of waves, but it can create a tsunami of care and compassion.

Clare OliverGerogery Branch

Garry Prize Essay Winner

Logging into the CWA websiteGo to www.cwaofnsw.org.au and type your username and password into the Member Login box. For members who joined before September 2013 your membership number is your username and your last name (including capital letter) is the password. For members who joined after September 2013 your membership number is your username and your password can be found on your welcome letter or if your email address is in our database, you can click “forgot password” to reset it.


A warm welcome to these new members of our branches:

Adaminaby Desiree Bickle, Patricia Grofos Albury Rosalind Ward Albury Evening Amelia Hartney, Emma Puiatti, Molly Simpson Ariah Park Burpreet Kaur Armatree Lucie Peart Ballina Jennifer Lang Baradine Lynette Smith Batemans Bay Susan Edmondson Bathurst Evening Tania Mancia Belconnen Lisa Clements, Mary Pearson Bendemeer Alison Smith Bermagui & District Lorraine Clark Berry Vanessa Seaton Blackheath Jill Bowen, Rachel Ford Bonny Hills Dale Genn Bourke Evening Keshia Tiffen Bowral Yvonne Antonopoulos, Helen Brown, Fran Cashmere, Arpita Gilbert, Margaret Leaman, Margaret Mathers, Amanda Perrott Broken Hill Belinda Barlow, Joan Casey, Sharon Degoumois, Nola Finch, Grace Hawes, Catherine Hibberd, Melanie Jackson, Sally Prince, Christine Webb Bulahdelah Carmel Ahmling, Olivia Fordham, Judith Latimore, Carole Moore Bundanoon Monika Kaatzke Bungendore Jennifer Dunlop Camden Laura-Jane Aulsebrook, Pamela Eagles Campbelltown Sandra Nikolic Canberra Leah Dwyer, Marianne Lovelock Canberra Evening Michelle Randall Canowindra Collette Armstrong, Elizabeth Noble Castle Hill Rosslyn Biasi, Faye Brown, Angela Condon, Janette Coyle, Lynn Jones, Barbara Kysa, Kerry Mulhern, Valma Patman, Christine Robinson, Michelle Scarsbrook, Kathy Wilson Cessnock Evening Gina Ingrouille Cobar Ashleigh Douglas, Krysti Neale Coffs Harbour Miranda Golden, Margaret Johanson,

Elizabeth Shires, Julie Vincent Coffs Harbour Evening-Sawtell Janelle Benge, Kirsty Hayton Collie Evening Elizabeth McAllister Coonamble Evening Julia Taylor Cootamundra Samantha Mote County of Burnett Naomi Jones Cowra Val Vargassoff Crookwell Cheryl Buxton Curlewis Lisa Bates Dapto Lyn Dalgliesh Dubbo Evening Tammy Greer, Julia Hawkins East Maitland Annette Hardes Eastwood-Epping Robyn Cousins, Heather Morgan, Dianne Nowicki Eurongilly Sally Wishart Evans Head Val Hoare, Carol Parkes, Julie Robinson Forbes Evening Sally Downie Forster Teresa Siminska, Lucy Weller Galore Amber Smeenk Galston Robin Barbara, Petrea Hewitt, Kate Trotter Georges River Helen McIntosh Gilgandra Evening Heather Thiele Gladstone NSW Evening June Mainey Glen Innes Evening Sara McGregor Glenreagh Bev Finch Goulburn Belinda Bent Grafton Ann Haines-Shipman Greystanes Lisa Field, Viv Murray, Jean Shepherd, Sammy Stewart Griffith Julie Minato Gunnedah Donna Leaton, Kate Perceval Guyra Evening Diane Gray Harden Robyn Atherton, Diane Birch, Amanda James, Gaye Sewell, Kate Ward Harrington Grace Cooper Hawkesbury Evening Melissa Smith Hay Sue Turley-Williment Henty Nina Shiels Hornsby & District Leisha Helu, Rita Henry, Emma Milosevic Iluka Brenda Brown Inverell Debbie Lehman Jervis Bay Day Janet McDonald Jindabyne Evening Marcia Elliott Junee Evening

Deborah Stanford Kandos Judy Crofton, Louise Wakefield, Wendy Williams Kempsey Gale Bradford, Margaret Giddy Kiama Bronwyn Guy Kingscliff Doreen Dunstan, Susan Luly-Tifan Kyogle Evening Belinda Carle, Karen Clarke, Therese Daniels, Siobhan Dodge, Rebecca King-McKee Lennox Head Susan Hetherington, Tiega Williams-Orr Leura Evening Audrey Beacom, Susan Bromley, Andrea Lang, Carole Lee, Barbara Povic Lisarow-Ourimbah Krysteen Lockwood Lismore Julie Adamson, Sunita Bala, Susan Chapman Lismore Evening Aisling Brennan, Colleen Knight Maclean Helen King Maitland Joan Anderson, Narelle Cox, June Heath, Lyndel Swan Maitland City Evening Kim Cunningham Mangrove Mountain Evening Patricia Ryan Manly Kim Berry, Ruth Buchanan, Michelle Cole, Pamela Goodhart-Dodd, Alison Grieves, Sue Kearney, Elizabeth Kelly, Robin Tym, Kym Weekes Mascot Evening Courtney Le, Katy MacKay, Liz Maroulis, Rose O’Hara, Fran Scully Menindee Barbara Stephens Mittagong Sandra Harris, Margaret Watkins, Dionne White Molong Julie Boardman Morisset Barbara Turnidge, Hope Vella, Michelle Vella Moruya Catrina Apostolidis, Jill Greenhalgh, Gillian O’Day Moss Vale Evening Rhonda Bransom, Linda Hayman-Kensett, Rosemarie Van Den Haak Mudgee Day Michelle McQuiggin, Genevieve Wills Mudgee Evening Dianne Sleeman Murwillumbah Evening Nanette Gilbert Muswellbrook Edna Cannon, Hayley Klasen, Bianca Whitehead Narrandera Evening Christine Rivero, Nicole Robinson Nashdale

Welcome New Members


Marika Garton Nelson Bay Beverley Jelfs Nelson Bay Evening Samantha Meagher, Pauliene O’Grady, Aileen Shaw, Krystyna Winslow Newcastle Evening Shirley Grey Nimbin Bianca Campbell, Gail Clarke, Robyn Dalizar, Dee Ducat, Terri-Lee Foran, Tashanna Fuller, Therese Howes, Ashoka Joblin, Elspeth Jones, Saskia Kouwenberg, Ruth Nielsen, Faye Scherf, Peggy Stanton, Sue Stock, Donna Strachan, Gillian Tubbs, Moksha Van Buuren-Erftemeyer, Rebekah Webster, Suse Wolf Nimmitabel Sue Jardine North Star Davina Mulligan Nowra Eva Bajerova Potts, Pam Brooks, Miriam Done Nyngan Rosella Hatton, Jan Shanahan Oura Maree Batcheldor Pambula-Merimbula Veronica Seamons Peak Hill Amee Porter Picton District Marjo Hallowell, Deirdre Portlock Port Macquarie Ruth Gowing Port Macquarie Evening Barbara Dalley, Ann Stewart, Avril Stewart, Robyn

Stewart Queanbeyan Evening Kylie McKillop, Ameera Yousiph Quirindi Bonita Butler, Mary Pengilley, Victoria Radcliffe, Sue Wrenn Richmond Judith Merritt, Thelma Wilson Scone & District Gemma Adams, Elaine Goggin Singleton Clair Paul Southern Highlands Evening Margaret Gleeson, Pauline Iacono, Lesley Willing St George-Sutherland Shire Andrea Ward Sydney City Rebecca Bestic, Tamesin Elliott, Georgia Ford, Kay Freudenstein-Hayes, Suzanne Hallas-Gleeson, Kathryn Lynch, Amy Satchell, Merrin Tulloch, Roxanne Walker, Rebecca Woods Talbragar Tiffany Ingham Tamworth Evening Monique Hope Taralga Deb Smith, Erin Thorpe Tenterfield Evening Christine Scott Terrigal Christie-Ann Grell Terrigal Evening Annemaree Hull, Monique Hull The Oaks Evening Diana Welch Tibooburra Bernadette

Maxwell Tooraweenah Dianne Eaton Trangie Amanda Ferrari Tuggerah Lakes Debra Maksim, Bronwyn Orrock Tullamore Kay Beveridge Uralla Jayne Bourke, Jill Middleton Uranquinty Evening Lynden Spry Urunga Barbara Habgood Virtual Jennifer Avery, Sharon Crawshaw, Ellen Downes, Margaret Giles, Carolyn Harris, Narelle Kennedy, Kristy Lam, Kimberley Lewis, Cheryl McIntosh, Rosemary Small, Felicity Sturgiss Walcha Sallyanne Armstrong Walgett Joan Pearson Wauchope Ita Dinga, Robyn Salt Wee Waa Carmen Conomos, Gerda Vogel Wellington Jeune Gersbach, Evelyn Parker Woy Woy Linda Brown, Vicki Mason, Ruth McCourt, Gail Treweek Yass Kathy Day, Moya Watson

A letter enclosing your membership card will be sent to your Branch Secretary for collection.

Annual Education GrantsThe applications for CWA Education Grants will be assessed during the November Executive meeting. Please note the following important information:

▪ Applications open 1 August and close on 30 September (no applications will be accepted after this date).

▪ Applicants can apply for one (1) grant only.

▪ Applicants who have received assistance in the past three (3) years are not eligible to apply. Recipients from 2016 can now re-apply.

▪ Applicants must use the current application forms which are in the Procedures Manual.

Note: Prior to forwarding grant applications to State Office, Branch Secretaries should ensure that each applicant meets the criteria for the grant applied for, which are clearly

printed on the application form. Your meticulous attention to ensuring that all applications are completed correctly will assist State Office Bearers and State Office staff.

The line indicating Western Districts is drawn as follows: commences at the junction of the Edward and Murray Rivers and by straight lines passes through Conargo, Argoon, Hay, Tabbita, Weethalle, Marsden, Ootha, Trundle, Peak Hill, Trangie, Gin Gin, Collie, Gulargambone, Coonabarabran, Baan Baa, Warialda, Ashford and Bonshaw. Schools on or west of the line are in the Western Districts.

Information, forms and criteria for each grant can be found in the Procedures Manual under Section G 21-1-716 to G 21-2-716, or can be downloaded from the website.

▪ Jopling Education Grant (G 21-3-713)

▪ Irene Ashton Memorial Education Grant (G 21-3-713)

▪ Matthew Robinson Education Grant (G 21-3-713)

▪ Mary and Ella Hall Education Grant (G 21-3-713)

▪ Griffith War Memorial Hostel Education Grant (G 21-3-713)

▪ Jean Martin Memorial Education Grant (G 21-7)

▪ Phyllis Kindon Humanitarian Award (G 21-8)

▪ Outward Bound Grant (G 21-9-716)

▪ Cynthia Druitt Education Grant (G 21-16-717)

▪ The Cowra Medical Education Grant (G 21-18-712)

▪ The Inverell Medical Education Grant. (G 21-20-716)

Please note: Applications for Phillip Group grants are available from Phillip Group, not State Office.


National Bowel Cancer Screening Program—FAQulcerative colitis

▪ have previously had special types of polyps, called adenomas, in the bowel, or

▪ have a significant family history of bowel cancer or polyps.

Anyone, including younger people, with concerns about their risk of developing bowel cancer should talk to their doctor.

What is screening?Screening involves testing for tiny traces of blood in the poo (faeces) of people who do not have noticeable symptoms. Bowel cancer or polyps (tiny lumps) can grow on the inside wall of the bowel for several years before spreading to other parts of the body. Often tiny amounts of blood leak from these growths and can be found in poo before any symptoms are noticed. Polyps are not cancers, but may develop into cancers over time. They can be easily removed, reducing the risk of bowel cancer developing.

The test is called an immunochemical Faecal Occult Blood Test (iFOBT). This test is the best performing screening test available for use in population bowel cancer screening; however, no screening test is 100 per cent accurate. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) approved Guidelines recommend screening every two years, starting at age 50 and continuing to age 74 for people without symptoms. If you develop any of the symptoms of bowel cancer or discover a family history of bowel cancer you should contact your doctor as soon as possible to talk about the type of testing that is most suitable for you.

What will happen to my bowel screening test results? The results will be sent to you, your doctor (if you have nominated one) and also to the Program Register about two weeks after you post your

The Australian Government introduced the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program as a national initiative to reduce the number of deaths from bowel cancer in Australia. Eligible people are sent a free bowel screening test kit by mail and asked to take samples from two separate bowel motions before sending the completed test back to the laboratory for analysis. There is no cost involved in completing the test.

What does the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) involve?The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is currently expanding to introduce a two-yearly screening interval. The following age groups are being invited to participate in 2019: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 and 74.

By 2020, all eligible people between 50 and 74 years of age will be offered free screening every two years. This screening interval is consistent with the recommendations in the National Health and Medical Research Council approved Clinical Guidelines.

The names and addresses of people eligible to take part in the program are drawn from Medicare or Department of Veterans’ Affairs records. Most people receive their invitation around the time of their birthday but it may be up to six months after their birthday. People living in hotter areas of Australia will receive their invitation during the cooler months of the year.

Who is at risk of bowel cancer? Both men and women are at risk of developing bowel cancer.

The risk is greater if you:

▪ are aged 50 years and over—your risk increases with age

▪ have had an inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn disease or

completed test to the laboratory. You are encouraged to nominate your doctor on the form. It is not compulsory to nominate a doctor or health service. If you don’t have a regular doctor but attend a clinic or service (such as an Aboriginal Medical Service) for health care, then you can nominate that service. The pathology laboratory will send your test results to you and your doctor/health service (if nominated).

If you opt off the Program after you have completed a test and sent it for analysis, the results of the test will still be sent to you and your doctor (if nominated). If you have a positive test result, you will need to discuss the result with your doctor/health service.

What does the bowel screening test show? The bowel screening test shows whether or not blood was found in your samples. If no blood is found in your samples, your test result will be negative and no further action is required for now. However, this does not mean that you do not have or can never develop bowel cancer, as some bowel cancers do not bleed or only bleed on and off. Tests like the one used in the Program detect up to 85 per cent of cancers. This is why it is important to screen every two years and talk to your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms after getting a negative result. After a negative result, you will be invited to do the free test again in the future.

If blood is found in your samples, your test result will be positive and you will need to discuss the result with your doctor. Your doctor may recommend a further test to find the cause of the bleeding, usually a colonoscopy. A positive result may be due to conditions other than cancer (such as polyps, haemorrhoids or inflammation of the bowel).

© Commonwealth of Australia 2019


Puzzle R

ating

: Med

ium

SudokuHow to Play Sudoku:

Every row must have the numbers 1–9 appear once. Every column must have the numbers 1–9 appear once. Every 3x3 box must have the numbers 1–9 appear once. Solution in the next edition.

Samurai SudokuThe overlapping 3x3 boxes must only have the numbers 1-9 for both 9x9 squares which they are a part of as well as the columns only having 1-9 once for each 9x9. Do not try to solve each 9x9 alone but consider the puzzle as a whole. Start with one 9x9 and solve as many cells as you can, until you can’t go further (but do not guess). Then move on to the next sub-puzzle. Use clues from the previous 9x9.

April’s Solution

Puzzle R

ating

: Easy. Sou

rce: ww

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The Country Woman

Sudoku 9x9 - Puzzle 5 of 5 - Easy

6 4 1 7

8 1 5 7 2

2 5 1

2 3 5 9 4

8 6 1

5 6 9 7 2

4 9 3

5 4 3 9 8

3 7 8 5www.sudoku-puzzles.net

Country Womens Association

Samurai - Puzzle 1 of 5 - Medium

8 5 9 46 3 2 5 1

2 4 1 1 5 82 1 8 5 77 9 3 8 5 1 2 7

36 8 3 8 4 6

3 4 3 29 1 9 7 2

2 3 84

6 8 7 46 3 7 6 4

5 7 4 24 9 8 2

9 8 1 3 1 6 55 4 9 5 4

7 5 87 4 3 4 2 6

9 7 3 82 5 7 4 7 6 5 9

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

The Country Woman

Sudoku 9x9 - Solution 5 of 5 - Medium

5 3 1 4 7 2 8 9 6

6 9 7 8 5 1 3 2 4

2 4 8 9 3 6 1 5 7

7 6 5 2 1 4 9 8 3

4 1 9 7 8 3 2 6 5

8 2 3 5 6 9 4 7 1

9 5 6 1 4 8 7 3 2

3 8 4 6 2 7 5 1 9

1 7 2 3 9 5 6 4 8www.sudoku-puzzles.net

Puzzle R

ating

: Med

ium

. Sou

rce: ww

w.su

do

ku-p

uzzles.n

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Celebrations

Nancy Foord recently celebrated her 100th birthday at our meeting. Congratulations

Nancy! The branch was also pleased to hear

that Heather Davey (Nancy’s Great Grand Daughter) was recently awarded the Joanna O’Brien Educational Grant from the Southern Tablelands Group to help with her University Education Expenses for Childhood Studies &

Teaching.

Goulburn Branch

Bellarwi Branch

Members participated in “Woman Walk the World” on the 29th April 2019 with members walking from 10.00 am to 11.00 am. Eleven members attended and those that were able, walked around the park and members not able to make the distance walked around a globe of the world. On the morning we collected $152.00 with a couple of more donations to come. We had a picnic morning tea and all enjoyed a lovely morning with plenty of laughter and chatter.

Bellingen BranchAt the February meeting members

were asked to contribute knitted poppies to be used in the construction of our Anzac Day wreath. With an abundance of poppies, a magnificent wreath was produced, while 36 surplus poppies were sent to Sydney for the Agricultural Show Society to use in their Anzac display.

Canberra BranchEight ladies from Canberra Branch visited the National Arboretum for Women Walk the World. After lunch

at the cafe, the rain cleared and six of us made it down to the kurrajong tree.

Castle Hill BranchMembers certainly learned a lot from our guest speaker, Sarah Creer, who is the Environmental Officer at The Hills Shire Council. Sarah explained the difference between hard and squishy plastics

From our Branches

Congratulations Joan Herringe on being one of the 2019 Jean Arnot Award winners. Joan

was recognised for her lifetime of community work in CWA, Manly View Club and local tennis

clubs.

Age Discrimination Commissioner the Hon Dr Kay Patterson presented the certificate to Joan who was accompanied by her daughter—and fellow Manly CWA member—Judy Kirby. Well

done Joan!

Manly BranchTo celebrate our 90th birthday members decided on a

High Tea. All our daintiest china, silver cake stands and towers, the very best our cupboards could provide. The food was in keeping with tiny nibbles, sandwiches in

various forms, scones oozing jam and cream, miniature cakes and slices cut to bite size. A gateau on a raised

stand was praiseworthy. Then there was the cake, with CWA prominently on display, luscious in cream and

delightful to eat.

A wonderful afternoon shared with our friends from around our town. One of our “Looking Forward, Looking

Back” occasions.

Wingham Branch

Congratulations to Group Patron, Kit Bright OAM,

on her 80th birthday which was celebrated

with CWA friends.

Kit has held various

positions over her many years

of service to CWA.

Pictured is Kit (centre) cutting

her birthday cake.

Wollondilly Group

This Anzac Commemoration Wreath was lovingly knitted by the members of Bellingen

CWA and proudly laid by President Kaye Guinness and Secretary Iris Goldstein.


and how to recycle them. She also explained what happens to our recycling at Visy.

Meanwhile Jill Mann our Agricultural & Environmental Officer continued to pull every type of plastic out of her bag and Sarah was able to explain where to recycle them and why. An excellent talk with many, many questions.

Coonamble BranchMembers hosted a happy, successful and informative morning tea featuring Poland. Students from St Bridgits school contributed 40 excellent posters featuring Poland. Helen Walsh from Dubbo Evening Branch had recently visited Poland and a Polish family living in Coonamble were present and greatly enjoyed the event. Each student received a certificate of participation and prizes presented to the poster winners. A delicious morning tea followed.

Cowra Evening BranchFor a number of years, members have hosted a dinner as part of the town’s annual Festival of International Understanding, featuring a speaker from the guest nation. This year’s festival guest nation was Japan. Cowra will be observing the 75th anniversary of the Japanese Breakout from the Cowra Prisoner of War Camp. We were fortunate to have two guest speakers who were also Youth Ambassadors for the festival.

The meal featured food with a Japanese influence. The first speaker was Ryunoske Akima, fondly known as “Roo” who is an exchange student from Seikei High School in Tokyo. The second speaker was

Cowra’s Ashleigh Saunders, wearing a kimono, who had attended Seikei High last year as an exchange student from Cowra.

Members were both entertained and informed about many aspects of Japanese culture and history by these two speakers.

Dapto BranchP r e s i d e n t Anne Morley, p r e s e n t e d poppies and Fiddle Mats to Lynette at Olunder Nursing Home. Made by members, these mats are appreciated by people with Dementia and give them comfort.

East Maitland Branch

The ladies at craft group have been busy, under the expert guidance of Jenny, making quilts and laundry bags for our troops overseas. These are a few of the finished products about to be sent to their new homes. We use Australian theme tea towels in these items to remind the recipients of home.

Exeter BranchFor the first time, as part of our involvement in the local Highland Gathering, “Bundanoon is Brigadoon”, members set up a Rest Area tent adjacent to our craft and cooking stall. This provided an opportunity for respite for many

aged and disabled patrons during a busy, very warm and crowded day. The tent featured shade, comfortable seating, tissues, and water.

Displays inside included information about Papua New Guinea, our current flora, fauna and foe topics, an outline of state activities and links to CWA groups throughout other regions. CWA magazines and information sheets were distributed, while a postcode survey of patrons gave feedback of its usefulness.

More than 70 folk took advantage of the facility and one patron said that this was the only place for her to breastfeed at the gathering.

Gloucester Evening Branch

Members have started another busy year with various events.

Four members assisted at the Tea Rooms and enjoyed the friendship and meeting other members.

Recently we combined with the Day Branch to hold a champagne and dessert night. Ladies were asked to wear a black dress or a special outfit. This was a wonderful night with too many attending for our rooms, so we had to transfer to another hall in our town. Delicious desserts were served and all enjoyed the inspiring speakers.

Harden BranchMarch is certainly proving to be a busy month for our members with the Truck and Tractor Show proving to be a successful day with our stall selling out of sandwiches and almost selling out of sweets. Customers were coming back for seconds which is always a great

Branch President, Ann Apthorpe, presenting gifts to the Festival guest speakers Ashleigh

Saunders and Ryunoske Akima

Organising Committee: Rhonda Merchant, Sandy Tebbet, Claire Renyolds and Erin

Campbell dressed in their special aprons for the night


indication that we have some great cooks in our branch. Thank you to everyone who baked for the day.

Hornsby Branch

Our “3 in 1” Day was held at St Peters Anglican Church Hall where members and other branches enjoyed morning tea with a PNG style luncheon.

Three guest speakers attended. The Chaplain spoke about her Indigenous project in PNG TTT—Taps, Toilets, Transformation. The next speaker was from PNGWANSW who now lives in Sydney, spoke of her life experiences living in PNG.

While a scientist and environmentalist spoke on our “Foe”—the carp—an introduced species from Europe.

Kandos BranchSince the completion of the commercial kitchen and renovations, members, under the energetic direction of President Mary Kavanagh, are working with Mudgee TAFE to provide a number of community courses, including Food Handling and Responsible Service of Alcohol & Gambling.

The most popular course was a nine-week training course for seniors which attracted 28 participants. Seniors brought in their basic phone or smart phones and/or iPads to increase navigational skills and knowledge of topics like internet safety, applications and screenshots. This course was expanded to an afternoon session per week which provided one-on-one assistance.

Kelly’s Plains-Dangarsleigh BranchKelly’s Plains-Dangarsleigh Branch was represented by President Lorraine Sewell, Secretary Helen Rich and Deb Fredericks at the Anzac Day Service at the Dangarsleigh War Memorial. Lorraine read a poem and a wreath was laid.

This photo was taken with Mr Gary Swanson and his horse Waratah representing the Australian Light Horse.

Kiama Branch

Members recently held a successful fashion parade and fundraiser afternoon. The models were from our branch and everyone enjoyed the afternoon purchasing fashions,

and then partaking of a fabulous afternoon tea.

Manly Branch

Edna Fairley made a wreath from native flowers from her garden and poppies made by fellow member Robyn Grennan for Anzac Day. Ellen Davey and Hannah Watterson attended the Manly Anzac Day Memorial Service and laid the wreath.

Anzac Day followed a busy Easter, when six of our members helped at the CWA Tea Rooms at the Royal Sydney Easter Show and we donated more than 430 handmade poppies for the Remembrance Display.

Mascot Evening Branch

Members held their first Bunnings barbecue on Saturday 2nd March. It was a successful fundraiser with members pulling together to ensure every visitor to Bunnings Mascot left with a sausage in hand and a

L to R: Kiama CWA models Liz Dixon, Wendy Stocker, Jo Jesser, Margaret Carmichael, Jill

Wilson and Margaret Silburn


big smile on their faces. We’re all itching to go back and do it again!

Morisset Branch

Members obtained sponsors and walked around the oval at Morisset for Women Walk the World day. We had four walkers and the other ladies cheered us on and sponsored as well. Money raised will go to Pennies for Friendship. Helen Wotton supplied drinks and morning tea for us all at the completion of the walk.

Moruya Branch

Members are very proud of their newly painted handicraft shop and hallway which now match our function room and tea rooms. The tea rooms and handicraft shop keep our members busy as we are open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm except on public holidays. Our handicraft shop also keeps our members busy making all sorts of items for sale in the shop including a wide variety of craft as well as jams and pickles.

Moss Vale Evening Branch

Moss Vale Evening Branch started on 5th December 2018 with 24 members and has just signed up our 36th. Members are enjoying meeting at various times—so far day, evening and breakfast meetings have been held with strong responses. At our International Women’s Day breakfast, we filled the cafe’s function room with fun, laughter and happy noise. While across the railway line our biscuits were handed out by station staff as another International Women’s Day celebration in our Moss Vale Community.

Mudgee Evening Branch

Members excelled themselves this year making 100’s of packets of Anzac biscuits and three colored knitted & crotched poppies to be sold at this year’s Anzac Day gathering in Robertson Park. After 2½ hours all but a few poppies remained. All proceeds raised will go to the Mudgee Widows Legacy. Our President Pamela and three of our junior members, Zalhi, Mia and Eliza laid our handmade wreath.

Orange Branch

On Anzac Day 2019 members provided breakfast to members of the public after the Dawn Service in Robertson Park. It was an early start but we were ready with warm smiles and a nourishing breakfast of hot porridge, stewed apples, raisin

toast and a cup of tea or coffee. This has become an annual event which we offer to the public as our contribution to the community.

Assistance was received from three members of The Girls Academy who were helpful on the morning and during the clean up as these young ladies folded down the tables and stacked the chairs. We were also assisted by a small band of menfolk who manned the sinks and did a great job with the washing up. During the later service after the main march our President, Margaret Jackson, placed the wreath at the cenotaph on behalf of our membership. The wool poppies forming the wreath were made by our members and the wreath is kept in permanent display at the Orange Ex-Services Club.

Peats Ridge & District BranchMembers hosted a Fungi Workshop with mycologist Pam O’Sullivan. Sixty-three people attended and enjoyed the information as well as a delicious morning tea and lunch. A good day learning about the role of fungi in our lives.

Umina Branch

Members have had a busy period of activities this year. We held a sausage sizzle at Bunnings Umina Beach. We sold over 240 sausage sandwiches, fried more than 10 kilograms of onions and discovered that many customers like mustard on sausages.

We were also delighted to host a presentation by the organisation Grow Urban Shade Trees (GUST). This group recognised that there were not enough trees in Umina

L to R: Shop managers, Janice Setter and Dot Morris in the recently painted shop

Diana Anderson, Laraine Sutherland & Pamela Matheson.


Beach and have been working with residents to plant trees on verges. We intend planting a tree on the nature strip outside our hall—a Grevillea Moonlight—that will attract lorikeets and provide shade.

While Brooke, our cookery Officer, has made our monthly Sunday cooking demonstrations such a success.

Urunga Branch

Hume GroupA display of artefacts from Papua New Guinea, as part of International Country of study.

Mid North Coast GroupMid North Coast Group were lucky enough to obtain a grant from the state government for a new sound system for use at their meetings. This will be a great help when conducting our large meetings as

The Urunga “Chicks”—Margaret Grice Little (President) and Annette Rieper (Secretary) laid a wreath at the Dawn Service at 6.30am. The service was well attended.

We also learned two facts today from the RSL. The Urunga Service is held at 6.30 to allow the Council dignitaries to attend services at Dorrigo and Bellingen before coming down. And that Poppy represents Anzac Day and Rosemary is for Remembrance Day.

Next month the “chicks” are attending a CPR/Defib session at the SES.

Wellington BranchAlison Olsen was guest speaker at the March meeting and spoke of childhood brain cancer. Alison’s speech covered the types of brain cancer, and the long-term prospects of a patient suffering brain cancer. The meeting learnt that brain cancer research is significantly

the System purchased has wireless microphones which can be used from any area in the room.

Northumberland GroupAt the AGM Northumberland Group Conference attended by local councillors and representatives from Phillip Group, we honoured our retiring Group President, Lynne Radley with a life membership for her decades of hard work and fellowship. Some highlights of her activities include joining CWA in 2001, Branch Secretary, Group Cultural and Publicity Officer, International Officer and Delegate at State Conference, attended World Conference 2007 attending ACWW Conference in Tonga 2012 and World Conference 2019 and State Conference in Albury.

underfunded and under resourced. Information also covered support available for families and the significance of that support. The meeting asked Alison to speak on brain cancer as the Wellington Branch is hoping to propose it as a health study in the future.

The Branch had also asked the President of The Macquarie Group, Karen McHale, to attend the meeting to receive a cheque for $1000 as a donation to the CWA Drought Relief Fund. The cheque was presented to Macquarie Group by Wellington President, Pip Smith.

A Long Service award was presented to our m u l t i t a l e n t e d Lyn Braico who was our Group Representative and now is State I n t e r n a t i o n a l Officer.

Long Service awards were also presented to Diana Frost, who is now our Group Handicraft Officer and Rachel Legge, Vice President for their tireless efforts promoting all the great work CWA do for our communities.

From our Groups

Drought Relief Donation being present to Karen McHale, Macquarie Group President

Lynne Radley

Lyn Braico with Dorothy Brittliff

Dorothy Brittliff presented Long service awards to Diana Frost and Rachel Legge


International Officer; a dear lady who will be sadly missed; member for 36 years—aged 82.

CanberraJennifer James—a quiet member and keen stamp collector; member for seven years.

Joan Joshua—past Canberra Branch President for 23 years, and lately with Queanbeyan Evening; a kind, gentle lady committed to the communities of Queanbeyan and the ACT; deeply missed.

Coleambally-ArgoonGladys Black—foundation member of Argoon; held many positions; a pioneer of the community—aged 100.

CollingullieHazel Anderson—Foundation Member and held many branch positions; Group Treasurer and Group Land Cookery Officer; champion cook and great knitter; encouraged younger members to attend conferences, organised bus trips for 30 years; did anything that was needed; awarded Life Membership; member for 64 years—aged 94.

HanwoodHazel Bugno—Treasurer and Handicraft Officer for many years; always involved in branch projects and supported all aspects of CWA; awarded a 50 Year Medallion, dedicated former member for 65 years—aged 93.

Ita Foley—joined Younger Set in 1933; ex Barellan and Yenda; awarded a 50 Year Medallion; a dedicated member for 80 years and gracious lady; in her 100th year.

HarringtonNeryl Steel—ex Baradine, Gloucester, Wallamba and

Walcha; held many branch positions; a keen craft person who shared her skills; always willing to give advice, particularly to new members; enjoyed international aspects of CWA; awarded a Long Service Bar and 50 Year Medallion; member for 70 years; dearly loved and sadly missed.

JamberooBetty Warby—former member for 16 years who joined in her later life and regularly attended meetings, events and luncheons; enjoyed the companionship; her date loaf was her speciality; a gentle lady greatly missed by members and the community—aged 97.

JindabyneCarole Morris—took to CWA in 1998 like a duck to water; held many positions including Group Representative to State Executive; Branch and Group President at the time of her passing; Our Lady Morris’s sparkling personality and wise counsel made her beloved by her Branch and Group; we shall miss her quick wit, intelligence and love of cricket—aged 75.

Manilla EveningFelicity Carthew—International Officer; quirky, loyal, trustworthy friend; trivia queen and IT expert; much loved and sorely missed—aged 46.

MendooranJudy Henderson—past President, Vice President, Cookery Officer, Councillor to Group, Delegate to State Conference; passionate about cooking and a winner at State level; a most reliable and caring member for 16 years who shall be missed.

MoruyaHelen Jackson—ex Kandos and Cowra; past Secretary, Treasurer,

BangalowThe following branches mourn the loss of valued members:

ArmatreePeg Readford—former member for 12 years, Patron, past International Officer who enjoyed the annual International Night; instigator of the branch’s Plum Pudding Project; fondly remembered—aged 89.

ArmidaleJean Newey—contributed to all craft and cultural activities and knitted many red poppies; generous, and a keen sportswoman; loved to tell stories about living around the world with her naval husband—aged 99.

Batemans BayMargaret Philpott—held many positions including President, Treasurer, Cultural and Handicrafts; a most wonderful cook and a beautiful lady who will be sadly missed by the branch and the wider community; member for 33 years.

BelmontMaureen Drinkwater—past President, Secretary, International Officer, Delegate and Councillor; active and loyal member for 16 years; a kind and loving friend to all, sadly missed.

BerriganJill Edwards—Treasurer for 12 years; an active and valued member for over 30 years; her sense of humour and delicious fruit cakes will be greatly missed—aged 85.

BraidwoodElizabeth Alvina Heath—ex Moss Vale; past Cultural and

Garden of Remembrance


but her forte was creativity and she will be remembered for her patchwork and artwork; won the Riverina Group Creativity Award in 2018.

Port MacquariePamela Sneddon—former active member for 17 years; Craft Officer and Choir member, who helped other officers—aged 91.

SingletonMeg Nichols—active former member, sadly missed.

Esme Thompson—active former member for 24 years, sadly missed.

TerrigalElva Drew—ex Erina Vale; a dedicated Treasurer for many years; Delegate to State Conference and Group; supported all aspects of CWA and always willing to help; member for 27 years—aged 89.

TilbaStephanie “Pom” Anderson/Morton; generously shared fruit from her orchard, flowers from her garden, and baked items for CWA events; a valued member for three years.

TottenhamMargaret Verney Brown—faithful former member for a number of years, attending meetings with a smile, home cooking and flowers—aged 92

YetmanJoan Nicholls—foundation member, past Vice President, Cookery, Handicraft, Catering and International Officer; awarded a Long Service Bar; a much valued former member, renowned for her plum puddings.

Branch Secretaries please note: notifications should be mailed direct to State Office, or emailed to [email protected].

Councillor, Delegate and Group Vice President; awarded a Long Service Bar and Life Membership; proud Branch Patron; involved in all activities and crocheted hundreds of hand towels for the shop; dedicated and supportive member for 42 years; respected and sadly missed—aged 81.

Moss ValeElizabeth Noar—cheerful and generous member for 10 years.

NaroomaBeris Porter—a talented embroiderer who began her stitching journey with CWA 14 years ago; welcoming, encouraging and always willing to share her knowledge and time; sadly missed.

Pleasant HillsSusan Creek—a treasured member for 34 years who received her Long Service Bar and held many positions in the branch; a competent seamstress

Bermagui Seaside CottageThe CWA Bermagui Seaside Cottage comprises a family room off the kitchen and 2 bedrooms containing: queen bed and single bed, and twin beds. Cutlery supplied. Bring own linen. Enquires and applications to: The Secretary, PO Box 123, Bermagui 2546, [email protected]

Wagga Wagga Branch Accommodation 74 Johnston Street, Wagga WaggaTwo twin rooms, updated bathroom, lounge, kitchen, 2nd toilet, TV, microwave, linen, doonas, heating and cooling. Close to shops and park. Reasonable rates. Ph 0499 214 025, 0407 074 209 or 0409 315 876

Interstate CWA AccommodationFor information on accommodation in other states, go to www.cwaofnsw.org.au/accommodation or phone: QLD 07 3026 1201 WA 08 9321 6041VIC 03 9824 0239 TAS 03 6231 3706SA 08 8332 4166 no accommodation in NT

CWA Members Outsourced Accommodation

The Metro Hotels Group has been chosen as the accommodation provider for the CWA of NSW. A 15% discount off the BAR (Best Available Rate) at the time of booking, when using the code, is available at Aspire Hotel Ultimo, Metro Hotel Sydney Marlow Central, Metro Hotel on Pitt, Metro Apartments on King and Metro Apartments Darling Harbour.

Booking should be made online via www.metrohotels.com.au or contact 1800 766 498 if you do not have access to the website.

The code must be entered (in the promotional code section when searching for rooms) or quoted over the phone to obtain the discount. The code can be obtained from the website (after logging in) or by calling CWA State Office. There is a new code starting from 1st February. The code can be obtained by calling State Office.

A security deposit is required at check-in. Upon check-in Reception staff will seek an “Authorisation” for available funds. If you do not have a credit card a security deposit of AUD $100 cash is required.

Please note: Peak season rates apply for City to Surf, NRL Grand Final, V8 Supercars and New Year’s Eve.

The Country Woman is produced on the instructions of Noelene Grainger the Honorary Editor of the Country Women’s Association of New South Wales, Level 2, 244 Coward St, Mascot, 2020. Typeset by Leah, Country Women’s Association of New South Wales State Office and printed by Rural Press, North Richmond.

CWA of NSW gratefully acknowledges your generosity

Sponsors

Scott & Broad Insurance Brokers

Community Partnership

Corporate Partner

To advertise in the journal contact

Communications Coordinator, Leah

on 8337 0200, [email protected]

Mini Ads are available on this page for Branches,

Groups or members’ businesses. Larger ads

are also available within the journal. Contact

Leah on 8337 0200, communications@

cwaofnsw.org.au for further information.

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Accommodation and Mini Ads

Bowral BranchSouthern Highlands

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Secretary: email [email protected] or

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the country woman - cwa...the country woman june 2019 5 ceo’s report we are back in the office...

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