Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback Maritime Studies

Editors --- "ACMS AGM & Financial Statements" [1999] MarStudies 14; (1999) 108 Maritime Studies 31

• MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR MARITIME STUDIES Incorporated

PO Box 55, Red Hill ACT 2603

(202 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill ACT 2603)

Telephone: (02) 6295 0056 Facsimile: (02) 6295 3367

email: acmarst@dynamite.com.au

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

held on Wednesday 20 October 1999

1. Present

H. Adams (Chair) J. Chapman, M. Ward, J. Davitt

Apologies

R. Whitmore, J. Reeve, A. Cummins, P. Rimmer, K. Back

2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 14 September 1998

The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 14 September 1998 were confirmed as a true record. Proposed J. Chapman/seconded M. Ward/CARRIED.

3. Chairman’s Report

It is with pleasure that I present my report for 1998-99.

For the Centre it has been a year of achievement and also of disappointment. Achievement in the sense that the Centre received recognition from the Prime Minister concerning the work of the Centre in a letter published in Edition No. 100 of Maritime Studies. Disappointment that we were unable to obtain a sponsor to publish our Maritime Poster ($98,000).

The Centre’s principal activity remains the publication of Maritime Studies, the flagship journal of the Centre, published every two months. Eight editions, a record, were published this year. The backlog referred to in my previous report was made up. Edition No. 100 was published as a Special Edition and contained, as indicated above, a message from the Prime Minister supporting the Centre and recognising its achievements in the past 20 years.

The quality and intellectual content remain high while the diversity of articles reflects the rapidly changing maritime scene both nationally and internationally. The amount of material awaiting publication is considerable, but the Board is keen to encourage authors from the maritime community to contribute articles. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the authors for their valuable contributions as well as Sam Bateman for his unstinting efforts as Editor. Also Dr Marion Ward for her valuable assistance in proof reading. Together with Jean Davitt who word-processes the journal we have a team which produces, I believe, a first-class publication.

No Occasional Papers were published during the year.

The Centre’s plan to publish a Maritime Atlas of Australia remains unfulfilled, due in the main to our inability to engage an editor. Further approaches will be made in the future in the hope of getting this project underway this year. The project has been underwritten by one of our members to the tune of $10,000 which places an obligation on the Board to get the project moving.

The Centre’s project to publish the ‘Maritime Australia’ poster has, been stalemated. Material for the poster has been completed and a final edition of the poster printed by our publisher - the Exhibition Centre, Queanbeyan. Printing, production and distribution can be undertaken by CanPrint, Canberra, which has advised that posters of ‘Maritime Australia’ kind, being educational in form and purpose, are not saleable and require a publishing sponsor. Approaches to Federal Government Ministers/Departments such as AUSINFO, Education and Environment have proved unsuccessful, even though its value has been recognised. A further approach has been made to the National Council for the Centenary of Federation with a decision expected in December 1999. It is disappointing that governments appear to lack the vision needed to support a worthwhile project like our poster. It also means that our finances will be severely affected and our development sponsors (16) will have been let down. With the Commonwealth Government having established the machinery for implementing a National Oceans Policy, lack of support for the poster which is directly related to oceans policy is difficult to comprehend.

The Centre continues to publish monthly on behalf of the Kindred Maritime Organisations the Australian Maritime Digest. Distributed widely to industry, institutions and governments it appears to be a well-regarded and fills a niche role. However with only about 220 subscribers it survives only on sponsorship and donations, for which I am grateful. It would be a pity to see this useful publication go under.

Turning to membership the situation as at 1 September 1999 is as follows:

Corporate Members 7 (down 1)

Institutional Members 61 (down 1) - includes 9 from overseas

Individual Members 61 (down 14) - includes 3 from overseas

In the forthcoming year we shall continue our efforts to increase our membership. One of the disappointments has been the virtual rejection of our work by some companies involved in the maritime field, which often don’t even acknowledge our correspondence.

During the year the Business Manager arranged for the Centre to have its own website (www2.dynamite.com.au/acmarst). This outlines our aims, activities and publications and has increased our exposure both nationally and internationally. The website is updated every month to reflect the material published in Maritime Studies and the Australian Maritime Digest.

On the financial side the Centre recorded a loss of $1427 which was attributed to the two extra editions of Maritime Studies and the development of the Centre’s website. The outlook for the Centre’s finances remains difficult, unless a publishing sponsor for the poster can be found. Also, a number of approaches have been made during the year to philanthropic organisations to support the Centre to the tune of $25,000 p.a. to allow us to employ a part-time director, but again the approaches have not met with success.

During the year Dr Roger Bradbury resigned from the Board while Dr John Reeve from the Australian Defence Force Academy has joined the Board.

Finally I would like on behalf of the Board to thank most profusely our Business Manager, Mrs Jean Davitt, for her superbly efficient work in dealing with the Centre’s administration and financial matters. One cannot speak too highly of her untiring efforts and quiet efficiency.

H.J.P. Adams

Chairman of the Board

20 October 1999

Commodore Adams moved that his report be accepted/seconded M.Ward/CARRIED.

4. Treasurer’s & Auditor’s Report

The statement of income and expenditure, the balance sheet and the auditor’s report for the year 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999 were tabled.

The Chairman (Acting Treasurer) moved that these documents be accepted/seconded M. Ward/CARRIED

5. Election of Auditor

The Chairman moved that Mr A. Marland be reappointed as Auditor for 1999-2000/seconded J. Chapman/CARRIED.

6. Nominations for Board Membership

Accepting nomination to the Board for 1999-2000 were: H. Adams, M. Ward, J.

Chapman.

Nominated subject to acceptance were: S. Bateman, S. Lemon, K. Back, R. Greaves, R. Kenchington, A. Cummins, R. Reichelt, P. Rimmer, J. Reeve.

7. Election of Office Bearers

Commodore H.J.P. Adams was elected Chairman, proposed M. Ward/ Seconded J. Chapman/CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Subject to his acceptance, Commodore W.S.G. Bateman was elected Deputy Chairman, proposed H. Adams/seconded M. Ward/CARRIED.

Subject to his acceptance, Captain S. Lemon was elected Treasurer, proposed H. Adams/seconded J. Chapman/CARRIED.

Commodore Adams thanked those present for their attendance and declared the meeting closed.