Saturday, July 10
It's not often I get to work with Royalty. Come to think of it, I've never worked with Royalty!! But I did on this occasion.
The function was to honour the King and Queen of Malaysia on the occasion of their visit to Perth as part of the MAS Royal Golf Challenge. Tourism Western Australia's Event Manager, Mark Gerovich, had called me on the Monday and asked if I would be available. I did have the Eagles game to do earlier in the day but I was keen to resume my acquaintance with some of the people from Malaysia Airlines. His Majesty Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, King of Malaysia and Her Majesty Tuanku Nur Zahirah, Queen of Malaysia were on a short visit to Perth where His Majesty was playing golf as part of the MAS Royal Golf Challenge.
Over the years I've learned a smattering of both Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Meleyu but I've long since forgotten it. However, thanks to the Malaysian Consul General I was able to read a short greeting in Bahasa, which seemed to go down well. Their Majesties seemed impressed and were very generous with their applause!
However, my feeble effort was completely upstaged by the welcome address from the Chairman of Malaysia Airlines, Tan Sri Dr. Mohammed Munir Bin Abdul Majid, who spoke in both Bahasa and English. OK, I'm prepared to grant you that Bahasa is his native tongue and it is a beautiful language when spoken by someone who was brought up in it.
All in all, a very pleasant night topped off by a fine performance by the band U2 Me, who for one number were joined on bass guitar by Malaysia Airlines External Relations Manager, Lokman Hj Ishak, who was more than competent!
July 20, 2010
July 2, 2010
The Australian Summer Grains Conference
Venue: RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast
PCO: YRD, Kate Murphy
The Australian Summer Grains conference is essentially a new event, which brought together those people involved in five different grains; maize, soybean, sorghum, sunflower and mungbeans. It was a terrific idea as it gave some of the major players across all grains the opportunity to meet everyone at the one event.It also provided a cross fertilisation of ideas between growers of the different grains.
Having been born and raised on a farm, albeit on that small, damp island off the coast of Europe called Ireland, I have some appreciation of life on the land and of the challenges that are faced on a daily basis. These grain growers are facing quite a bright future, according to Bernard Salt. They are in the right business at the right time given a host of factors, which he outlined in his usual engaging and informative style.
There were quite a number of presentations on weeds, a massive problem for Australia. Did you know that weeds costs the Australian economy $4-billion each year?
One of those adding his tuppence worth to the weeds issue is an acknowledged world expert, Professor Phil Stahlman from Kansas State University. Phil did a couple of concurrents as well as a keynote and added greatly to everyone's store of knowledge on the pest that is weeds. Phil and his wife, Linda, have been married for 41 years. I spent some time with them at the GRDC sponsored conference dinner and the story of how they met all those years ago is both entertaining and romantic!
I have to say that the sponsors for this conference were outstanding. Not only did they offer the sort of support that you would expect from a sponsor, but they got stuck in and helped out in every area. Hats off to Platinum Sponsor GRDC, Gold Sponsor, Pacific Seeds and the host of other sponsors for making this conference such a success.
This was my first time working with Kate Murphy and her team from YRD. Kate is one of those unflappable people for whom the myriad of problems that crop up during the course of a conference are merely matters to be dealt with. Love to work with her again.
The committee too, was terrific and great to work with. I'm not sure that any of them got more than a couple of hours sleep each night! Yes, the social functions were very, very social!
Well done to everyone on a very successful and enjoyable conference.
PCO: YRD, Kate Murphy
The Australian Summer Grains conference is essentially a new event, which brought together those people involved in five different grains; maize, soybean, sorghum, sunflower and mungbeans. It was a terrific idea as it gave some of the major players across all grains the opportunity to meet everyone at the one event.It also provided a cross fertilisation of ideas between growers of the different grains.
Having been born and raised on a farm, albeit on that small, damp island off the coast of Europe called Ireland, I have some appreciation of life on the land and of the challenges that are faced on a daily basis. These grain growers are facing quite a bright future, according to Bernard Salt. They are in the right business at the right time given a host of factors, which he outlined in his usual engaging and informative style.
There were quite a number of presentations on weeds, a massive problem for Australia. Did you know that weeds costs the Australian economy $4-billion each year?
One of those adding his tuppence worth to the weeds issue is an acknowledged world expert, Professor Phil Stahlman from Kansas State University. Phil did a couple of concurrents as well as a keynote and added greatly to everyone's store of knowledge on the pest that is weeds. Phil and his wife, Linda, have been married for 41 years. I spent some time with them at the GRDC sponsored conference dinner and the story of how they met all those years ago is both entertaining and romantic!
I have to say that the sponsors for this conference were outstanding. Not only did they offer the sort of support that you would expect from a sponsor, but they got stuck in and helped out in every area. Hats off to Platinum Sponsor GRDC, Gold Sponsor, Pacific Seeds and the host of other sponsors for making this conference such a success.
This was my first time working with Kate Murphy and her team from YRD. Kate is one of those unflappable people for whom the myriad of problems that crop up during the course of a conference are merely matters to be dealt with. Love to work with her again.
The committee too, was terrific and great to work with. I'm not sure that any of them got more than a couple of hours sleep each night! Yes, the social functions were very, very social!
Well done to everyone on a very successful and enjoyable conference.
June 3, 2010
ACORN 14th National Conference
Venue: PCEC Perth
PCO: Promaco Conventions
This was my first time working with perioperative nurses and I relished the experience! What a great bunch of delegates! For those of us who have successfully avoided having to have an operation in a hospital operating theatre, perioperative nurses are the ones who ..well ...do...whatever needs doing there! Because you are under anaesthetic and really, have no idea of precisely what they do.
I thought I'd try to impress you by finding the origin of "peri" as in "perioperative" and came up with this:
I had worked with a couple of these keynote speakers before. Professor Mary Chiarella is one of the most inspiring and dynamic nursing professionals that we are lucky to have in Australia. Plus she is immensely entertaining with a nice line in self deprecating humour. I've introduced her on a few occasions now and I'm never disappointed.
Professor Bruce Barraclough I've known about eight years since first meeting him at the inaugural AAQHC Conference. He now works with CSIRO but still on what seems to be his life's work in making the health system a safe place for patients and staff.
On the final day I had the pleasure of introducing Dr. Charlie Teo. Here is a neurosurgeon for whom no job is too difficult. He has a giant of a reputation for undertaking complex operations. You might have seen Charlie in the TV program "Last Chance Surgery" on Seven. He has courted his fair share of controversy but as a lay person, I was impressed by his commitment to saving lives and his modest demeanour.
As usual, Don and Michelle from Promaco delivered a flawless performance as the PCO.
PCO: Promaco Conventions
This was my first time working with perioperative nurses and I relished the experience! What a great bunch of delegates! For those of us who have successfully avoided having to have an operation in a hospital operating theatre, perioperative nurses are the ones who ..well ...do...whatever needs doing there! Because you are under anaesthetic and really, have no idea of precisely what they do.
I thought I'd try to impress you by finding the origin of "peri" as in "perioperative" and came up with this:
- (noun, person) (Persian folklore) a supernatural being descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is done
- (noun, person) a beautiful and graceful girl
I'm happy to go with either of those, but the real explanation is that it is simply a prefix meaning "around" So perioperative means "around a surgical procedure"
I had worked with a couple of these keynote speakers before. Professor Mary Chiarella is one of the most inspiring and dynamic nursing professionals that we are lucky to have in Australia. Plus she is immensely entertaining with a nice line in self deprecating humour. I've introduced her on a few occasions now and I'm never disappointed.
Professor Bruce Barraclough I've known about eight years since first meeting him at the inaugural AAQHC Conference. He now works with CSIRO but still on what seems to be his life's work in making the health system a safe place for patients and staff.
On the final day I had the pleasure of introducing Dr. Charlie Teo. Here is a neurosurgeon for whom no job is too difficult. He has a giant of a reputation for undertaking complex operations. You might have seen Charlie in the TV program "Last Chance Surgery" on Seven. He has courted his fair share of controversy but as a lay person, I was impressed by his commitment to saving lives and his modest demeanour.
I enjoy all the conferences I do, but I was left with a great feeling after this one. The audience was warm, appreciative and attentive and I would certainly relish the opportunity of working with them again.
As usual, Don and Michelle from Promaco delivered a flawless performance as the PCO.
May 13, 2010
Urban Futures
Last week I facilitated a one-day forum for the Urban Development Institute in WA. I've done quite a bit of work with Debra and the team there over the past few years and I like the inclusive, progressive way they go about business. I always enjoy doing events for them.
This forum looked at the future of Perth's urban scene and will inform a document that is being shaped as we speak called "Urban Futures" It's an innovative way of getting all the players - including Government - to begin working together to ensure that Perth retains that which is good while making improvements that are needed.
The forum featured Professor Peter Newman, whom I've known since my ABC days and who has a truly inspirational vision of what we can achieve by way of a sustainable world.
Another highly engaging speaker was Brian McMahon, a transport planning specialist with Parsons Brinkerhoff. Like Peter Newman, he too has some really innovative and practical thoughts about improving the way we get around.
"Urban Futures" will be released sometime in June and if you care about Perth and its future, it's worth getting a copy. Give Angela a call at the UDIA on 08 9321 1101
This forum looked at the future of Perth's urban scene and will inform a document that is being shaped as we speak called "Urban Futures" It's an innovative way of getting all the players - including Government - to begin working together to ensure that Perth retains that which is good while making improvements that are needed.
The forum featured Professor Peter Newman, whom I've known since my ABC days and who has a truly inspirational vision of what we can achieve by way of a sustainable world.
Another highly engaging speaker was Brian McMahon, a transport planning specialist with Parsons Brinkerhoff. Like Peter Newman, he too has some really innovative and practical thoughts about improving the way we get around.
"Urban Futures" will be released sometime in June and if you care about Perth and its future, it's worth getting a copy. Give Angela a call at the UDIA on 08 9321 1101
April 12, 2010
WA's Strategic Energy Initiative
The Minister for Energy in WA, the Hon. Peter Collier, has tasked the Office of Energy to develop an energy policy for WA that takes us to 2030. I've been asked to facilitate a series of community consultation sessions around the state to gain input from business and the community and it's proving to be an interesting and rewarding exercise.
So far we have been to Kalgoorlie, Geraldton and Bunbury. The dates and towns for the remainder in the series are:
14 April Port Hedland
19 April Perth (Parmelia Hilton)
21 April Kununurra
28 April Broome
03 May Albany
14 May Esperance
If you live in any of those areas and you would like to come along and contribute to the discussion, e-mail the Strategic Energy Initiative team at energy2030@energy.wa.gov.au
(Pic: The Bunbury event on April 9)
So far we have been to Kalgoorlie, Geraldton and Bunbury. The dates and towns for the remainder in the series are:
14 April Port Hedland
21 April Kununurra
28 April Broome
03 May Albany
14 May Esperance
If you live in any of those areas and you would like to come along and contribute to the discussion, e-mail the Strategic Energy Initiative team at energy2030@energy.wa.gov.au
(Pic: The Bunbury event on April 9)
April 3, 2010
The Australian Copper Conference
Client & Organiser: Vertical Events
Venue: Sofitel, Brisbane.
This was the first time a copper conference had been held in Australia and it was very well attended. It's a vibrant sector, without a doubt and copper is one of those commodities whose fortunes have risen and fallen over the years.
Vertical Events have cornered the market in terms of quality resources events, evidenced by the well-filled exhibition area and the number of delegates who attended over the two days.
It was a very full program as you can see here. Thanks to Abbie, Doug and Prue from Vertical Events and Shane and Judi from DG Global who did the AV.
Venue: Sofitel, Brisbane.
This was the first time a copper conference had been held in Australia and it was very well attended. It's a vibrant sector, without a doubt and copper is one of those commodities whose fortunes have risen and fallen over the years.
Vertical Events have cornered the market in terms of quality resources events, evidenced by the well-filled exhibition area and the number of delegates who attended over the two days.
It was a very full program as you can see here. Thanks to Abbie, Doug and Prue from Vertical Events and Shane and Judi from DG Global who did the AV.
ADPIA Annual Conference
Client: Australian Direct Property Investment Association (ADPIA)
PCO: In-house, Deborah Upton.
This was the second year I had done this conference, which this year was held in the Sebel Heritage in the lovely Yarra Valley. My first visit to the area, I grabbed a hire car at Melbourne and drove. Really nice drive through some beautiful countryside.
On the Sunday evening, Deborah had organised for us to go by bus to a nearby winery. If we thought we could just get straight into it, we needed another think. Debs had organised a keep fit instructor who made us do a series of exercises before we eventually got to have a wine. (Personally, I thought this was somewhat perverse!)
Really good program! Check out some of the presentations here as well as some of the photos from the themed dinner. Tina Perinotto from the Fifth Estate gives a really good summary of the main themes of the conference here.
The ADPIA members are a really great bunch of people who are ever optimistic in the face of some challenging times. Deborah Upton is a delight to work with and is totally unflappable!
PCO: In-house, Deborah Upton.
This was the second year I had done this conference, which this year was held in the Sebel Heritage in the lovely Yarra Valley. My first visit to the area, I grabbed a hire car at Melbourne and drove. Really nice drive through some beautiful countryside.
On the Sunday evening, Deborah had organised for us to go by bus to a nearby winery. If we thought we could just get straight into it, we needed another think. Debs had organised a keep fit instructor who made us do a series of exercises before we eventually got to have a wine. (Personally, I thought this was somewhat perverse!)
Really good program! Check out some of the presentations here as well as some of the photos from the themed dinner. Tina Perinotto from the Fifth Estate gives a really good summary of the main themes of the conference here.
The ADPIA members are a really great bunch of people who are ever optimistic in the face of some challenging times. Deborah Upton is a delight to work with and is totally unflappable!
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