A publication of the Loyola Ex-Students Association - Loyola College

Regional Constitutional Convention:
A Conversation with Malcolm Fraser,
Ken Coghill and Greg Taylor
In August the Humanities Faculty and Loyola College was
honoured to host a Regional Constitutional Convention at
which the Right Hon. Malcolm Fraser, former Prime Minister
of Australia was the main guest. Mr Fraser was joined on the
panel by the Hon. Dr Ken Coghill from the Monash University
Governance Research Unit (and former Speaker of the
Victorian State Parliament in the 1990s) and Dr Greg Taylor,
an expert in constitutional law from Monash University. The
topic of discussion was the extent to which our system of
democracy depends upon the integrity of politicians.
The event was funded by a successful grant application by
the Humanities Faculty to the DEECD. An initial comment
from each speaker was followed by discussion based on
questions from the audience. It was particularly fascinating
to hear Malcolm Fraser reflect on past events in Australian
political history and give honest assessments of the
behaviour of some of his contemporaries.
At the end of the afternoon, Mr Fraser spoke to a number of
our senior students and clearly delighted in engaging with
the VCE students in a wide-ranging discussion.
Mr Niranjan Casinader
Head of Humanities
Guest Speaker Jacqui Cooper Olympian
and World Champion Aerial Skier
Considered Australia’s most
successful athlete, Jacqui Cooper
has competed in five Olympic
Games and five times World
Champion in Aerial Skiing. Year 8
and 10 students had the pleasure
of listening to Jacqui speak as part
of their Personal Development
Program.
Jacqui spoke about her injuries and
of having to bounce back time and
time again. She emphasised the importance of staying
positive and blocking out people that are negative in your life.
She also spoke of the importance of focusing on achieving
one’s goals and recalled that on her jumps she focused on
the processes of the take off, skill in the air and the landing
and the rest would handle itself.
Jacqui finished her presentations with a number of important
life lessons:
1. Look forward by focusing on the future
2. Believe in yourself
3. Show commitment
4. Effort and passion
These are great lessons for our students.
Michael Gowan
Student Programs Coordinator (7-9)
Special Speaker Walter Mikac
Father ~ Daughter Breakfast 2011
Our special speaker this year was
Mr Walter Mikac, Patron and
Co-Founder of the Alannah and
Madeline Foundation. Mr Mikac’s
family lost their lives as a result of the
Port Arthur tragedy. He emphasised
the need to never take your loved
ones for granted and to value their
presence in our lives each day.
Following the talk we moved to the
St Ignatius Chapel where Fr Chris
Horvat SJ presided at a prayer service
for fathers and their families.
Mr Joseph Favrin
Principal
p5