Attendance: Julia Crawford, Ted Irwin, Geoff Tomkins, Steven ...

Minutes from the
Annual Meeting
Of the
Australian Veterinary Association, NSW Division
held from 3.45pm Saturday March 16, 2013
The Fairmont Resort, 1 Sublime Point Road, Leura, NSW
Attendance: Julia Crawford, Ted Irwin, Geoff Tomkins, Steven Ferguson, Geoff Scarlett, Tara
Cashman, Ben Gardiner, Robert Johnson, James Thompson, James Clarke-Williams, Julie
Barnwell, Alexandra Connelly, Belinda Cheung, Michael Kidd, Tim Hawcroft, Kate Finlayson,
Laura Bunbury-Cruickshank, Jennifer Larsen, Nadine Allen, Gillian Hogendyk, Steven Mrljak,
Sarah Sutherland, Kimberley Rikard-Bell, Stephanie Green, Geoff Maher, Laura Campbell,
Simon Wai-Shing, Cate Plummer, Paul Rowland, David Easterman, Bianca Betros, Jane Lord,
Vera Pickering, Louisa Poutsma
1. Welcome – by Steven Ferguson (2012 President)
2. Apologies – Justin McNally
3. Confirmation of Minutes 2012 Annual Meeting
- Moved: Julia Crawford; Seconded: Michael Kidd; All in Favour: Yes.
4. Business Arising
- No business arising
-
5. Election
- 4 nominations: Michael Kidd, Vera Pickering, Louisa Poutsma & Stephen
Yeomans
- 3 positions vacant – vote went out to all NSW members.
- 124 votes received.
- Results showed new committee members to be: Michael Kidd, Vera Pickering
and Louisa Poutsma.
- Thank you to Stephen Yeomans.
6. Presidents Report – Steven Ferguson (Full report Click Here)
- Thank you to Julia Crawford (Past President) for the tremendous job she has
done as Past President. NSW Committee has been led by a high calibre of
presidents: Julia Crawford, Geoff Tomkins, Rod Starr, etc.

- Throughout the past year the division has been building on the firm base that
has been built over the previous years and has been proactive in supporting
the NSW membership.
- NSW Division has now built up vital relationships with politicians, government
departments, universities, other committees and other parts of the AVA to take
on a more proactive lobbying stance to support the AVA policies and positions
and benefit its members, the community and animals in generals.
- The Division has found that government and other agencies are proactively
approaching the AVA for input. There are systems in place to identify relevant
issues and firmly deliver the AVA’s position.
- Julia Crawford has been sitting on the Government’s Companion Animal
Taskforce review panel that have provided a number of reports to the Minister,
reviewing companion animal legislation and dangerous dogs.
- NSW Division has established biannual meetings with the Department of
Primary Industries and substantially improved two-way communication.
- NSW Division is proactively monitoring the LHPA/CMA merger into LLA’s,
attending meetings and reinforcing the need for biosecurity and disease
surveillance.
- Considerable time and effort has also been spent lobbying for the use of power
tools in equine dentistry to become a restricted act of veterinary science.
- Division representatives sit on many outside committee’s including
Universities, VPB, Game Council, NIAG, Poisons Advisory and Kangaroo
Management committees.
- NSW Division has 17 branches that are now the most active that they have
been in recent memory. Several years ago the division employed Tara
Cashman as the Branch Liaison Officer to support the tremendous work of the
volunteer branch executives.
- This year the division is introducing the annual Ron Hyne Award in memory of
the late Ron Hyne. The award is to be given to a member for support of the
AVA and the local community.
- Congrats to the Sailing Day Committee (Geoff Scarlett, Vera Pickering,
Pauline Clydsdale and Tony Waugh) on an increasingly popular event!
- Matthew Cox and Andrew Herron have likewise done an excellent job reestablishing
the AVA Annual Golf Day.
- Thank you must go out to Provet & Hill’s as platinum sponsors of the NSW
Division.
- During 2012 Leanne Peebles provided valuable insight into Industry during her
time with the committee, sadly having to leave due to moving over to the
Human Pharmaceutical side of Boehringer. Tim White has also resigned from
the committee after moving to Melbourne.
- Steve has now taken on the role of NSW Policy Advisory for the Policy
Advisory Committee.
- NSW Division has a number of new initiatives planned for the year ahead
looking to grow membership but equally important to support its current
members.
- NSW will be following up a successful trial with a more extensive “AVA Rep
on the Road” program, getting out to practices, engaging with members and

making sure they are getting full value from their membership, seek their
feedback and drive branch activity.
- Finally congratulation to Ted Irwin, the division’s incoming president for 2013.
Ted brings a fantastic sense of humour and great work ethic to this role and
will take the division to new heights.
7. Treasurers report – Geoff Tomkins (Full Report Click Here)
- Summary of the NSW Division’s financial report for the year 2012 is below:
- Total income for the Division in 2012 was $298,830
- Total expenditure for the Division in 2012 was $221,561.
- Giving the division a surplus of $77,269. This compared to a budget surplus of
$50,866. The result significantly exceeding budget.
- The major features of the 2012 result included:
- The 2012 Wollongong and Dubbo Conference provided a surplus of $60,975
($33,000 above budget). Considered as a whole all conference and CE activity
provided a surplus of $55,428 ($33,000 over budget) and supported other
Division activities.
- Subscriptions income in 2012 totalled $173,102, a solid increase on 2011. This
subscription outcome exceeded the Division budget target by a good margin.
This subscription outcome was similar to that achieved by other division. The
subscriptions income reflects a Division membership of approx. 1,560 (2011:
1,387) – the largest AVA Division.
- Publications surplus of $1,925 with no offset expenses (newsletters are
delivered online) but $8,600 under budget.
- A very high and greatly appreciated level of commercial support of $70,000
(through conference and other sponsorship, conference trade stands and trade
advertising in newsletters). This result is an increase of $20,000 on the result
achieved in 2011.
- Division management expenses are slightly over budget to an immaterial
extent. Division Committee and Governance expenses are slightly under
budget.
- The budget for the year ending 31 December 2013 reflects a comparable scale
of activity to that for 2012. A reduced surplus of $41,000 has been provided for
with increased expenditure of $219,000 from income of $260,000
BEN GARDINERS ADDRESS:
- Thanks to NSW Division for continuing to do a great job.
- Thanks to the NSW Committee for all of their hard work for 2012.
- One AVA means divisions are working hard with SIGs.
- Take some time to let the AVA know the top 5 biggest issues for the next 5
years – help us help you!
8. Subcommittee report
- Nothing to report
9. Branch reports.
- Nothing to report

10. Other Business
- Nothing to report
11. Declaration of Office Bearers 2012/ 2013
- Ted Irwin appointed to President for 2013
- Vera Pickering appointed as Treasurer for 2013
- Steven Ferguson will be Past President for 2013
- Michael Kidd will be joining the committee as a Member for 2013
- Louisa Poutsma will be joining the committee as a Member for 2013
- Vera Will be joining the committee as the “Treasurer” for 2013
- Geoff Scarlett will remain as a committee member for 2013
- Southern region rep-Tara Cashman
- Central region rep- Julia Crawford
- Northern region rep- Justine McNally
12. Induction of Ted Irwin as Divisional President 2013
- Ted Irwin new president for 2013 – thanked everyone and previous president
Steve Ferguson.
- Passing of the presidential medallion.