President Jonas Edner opened the meeting at 6.30 pm.

Welcome to our guest speaker, Jason Froud and Ross Mackellar’s guest, Graeme Wren.

The meeting was opened with the singing of the National Anthem.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

What is Maroilles?

Answer: A French cheese.

This was correctly answered by Bob Davis, who extended the answer to include the fact that the cheese is made in the northern part of France and is so smelly that it is prohibited on public transport.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES:  The following birthday was announced by Susan Watson: 

Partner’s Birthday

Christine Smith 9 July 2025 

CLUB AND COMMITTEES:

•       Treemission - John Bolto announced that the next Treemission date to be held at Champion Lakes will be on Saturday, 19 July 2025. Please sign up via the email sent out recently by John. ***Since the meeting, it has been announced that there will be a second planting day on Sunday 20 July 2025, please look out for more details when they become available.***
•       Cancer Council – If you would like to assist by selling daffodils for the Cancer Council in its biggest fundraiser of the year, please let David Miller know if you are available for the two or three hour shifts on his email miller@iinet.net.au. The stalls are at two sites, Bunnings Wembley and Bunnings Claremont, over three days, Friday 15 August, Saturday 16 August and Sunday 17 August. 
•       Board meeting next Monday, 14 July 2025 – Please note all Board members that there will be a Board meeting next Monday, 14 July 2025, at Moose Café. 
•       Charitable Trust – Russell Hawkins as Chair of the Charitable Trust thanked the very generous members of the Club who contributed to the Trust this year. The sums contributed will allow the Trust to donate to more charities this year. Many thanks to all donors.

ROTARY MOMENTS: 

The Post – Congratulations to Anthony McGrath for another successful Foodbank outing and well done to Jason van Straalen for having it published in The Post newspaper in this week’s edition. The Momo’s & More – Thanks to Susan Watson for organising for the returnable bottles and cans to be collected from The Momo’s & More, a Nepalese restaurant, in Saint Quentin Avenue, Claremont. The restaurant proudly displays the certificate of appreciation from the Club. Please give the restaurant your patronage, the food is delicious and the Lamb Saag is a highlight but all the dishes on its menu are wonderful.  Doctors for Africa – Anita Bourke announced that she was able to organise for an x-ray machine and a steriliser no longer in use in Perth hospitals to be donated to Doctors for Africa. Thanks to Anita for organising these pieces of equipment to be rehomed, they will be much appreciated.

 SERGEANT SESSION: The following members were fined by the Sergeant:

•       Craig James for being #266 in Australia in the footy tipping!;
•       President Jonas for not bringing in a violin in Ann’s absence for the National Anthem. Even a ukulele would have done;
•       Paul Kestell and John Martin for watching a highly questionable show at the Heath Ledger Theatre; 
•       All Nedlands ratepayers for not having a council any more.

GUEST SPEAKER: Jason Froud – introduced by Peter Panek.        

Jason is the Executive General Manager of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at Synergy. He joined Synergy in 2014. Synergy’s major power stations are at located in Collie, Kwinana, Cockburn and Pinjar. Smaller power stations can be found at Mungarra and West Kalgoorlie and a joint venture power station at Worsley Alumina refinery near Collie. It also has wind farms at Esperance and Kalbarri, joint venture wind farms at Albany and Warradarge, a joint venture solar farm near Geraldton and wind-diesel systems in Bremer Bay, Coral Bay and Hopetoun. Jason spoke to us about the duck curve and the times of the day when electricity use is at its peak. Batteries are being brought into the electricity system at Kwinana to store solar power and to assist when the sun isn’t shining and the wind is not so strong, though in Western Australia the wind is always blowing somewhere. At Collie a battery storage is being built which will be four times bigger than the  Kwinana battery storage.  Synergy has set up an experiment in the Alkimos Beach Energy Storage Trial to see how the community reacts to it and the results have been very positive. Schools have also become Virtual Power Plants and can generate electricity from their solar panels.  In reality gas will still be needed in the future to supplement renewable power sources though coal stations are being phased out completely, not least because the coal is running out.  Thanks to Jason for the illuminating talk on Synergy and the future of electricity production and storage in Western Australia.

REMINDER OF NEXT ROSTER :

Monday 14 July 2025 

John Bolto               Welcoming members and guests.

Neil Wilke                Table duty. 

Jason van Straalen   Registrar 1. 

Graeme Sansom      Registrar 2. 

Susie Rich                Pass the microphone.

REMINDER OF COMING EVENTS: 

Monday 14 July 2025 – Club Forum.

Monday 21 July 2025 – Dean Arthurell, Carnaby’s Crusaders.

Monday 28 July 2025 – RYPEN speakers.

THANKS:

Thanks to the Staff of the Nedlands Golf Club, Joel and Anton, for their service tonight and Chef Zamry for dinner.

WE RECOGNISE OUR VERY GENEROUS SPONSORS:

• Lizzi Bee - supplier of flowers
• Dry Kirkness Chartered Accountants (Butler Settineri) – Club Auditors
• Accura Accounting & Advisory Services for providing Xero Accounting software and Sharesight Portfolio reporting software to the Charitable Trust.
• Dirk Vanderstruyf from Euroz Hartleys.

MEETING CLOSE:

President Jonas closed the meeting by recognising the Rotary International presidential theme for 2025-2026, "Unite for Good"

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Meeting Notes: Jill Elias                      Photography: Jill Elias                       Editor: Tom Langley

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