Constitutional amendments 2008
Results of the elections
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President |
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Vice President |
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Secretary |
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Treasurer |
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Committee member |
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Committee member |
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Committee member |
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Committee member |
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Committee member |
John Coulter
All my adult life I have worked hard for an environmentally sustainable world through numerous conservation organisations as well as from inside the Australian Democrats where I became parliamentary leader (1991). Helped form ZPG Australia 1971 and worked through SPA since 1988. I am the current president.
Work in scientific research has provided an ability to understand the wide range of factors affecting our unsustainable course, to see them within their complex context and to help SPA chart a sustainable course into the future.
Public opinion on population and environmental concern is now well ahead of political parties and the media. SPA has a real opportunity to turn this into a change of direction for Australia.
As editor of the SPA Newsletter: 2000 – 2006 I wrote many articles on these matters. Members may examine these on our website to see my stand on a range of environmental, sustainability/population issues.
Alan Jones
I live in Sydney with my wife Peggy and two children. I am 62 and a longstanding member of AESP/SPA. I gained a PhD in Marine Ecology and was a Research Scientist at the Australian Museum from 1975-2006 and Head of the Division of Environmental Sciences 1990-2006. I retired in 2006 but continue as a Senior Research Fellow addressing the ecology of marine invertebrates and the management of environmentally-vulnerable areas such as estuaries, sandy beaches and coral reefs.
I have published nine papers on the relationship between human population size and sustainability, the most recent being available on the SPA website.
I have spoken about population/ecology/sustainability issues at several conferences and take every opportunity to speak to SPA meetings, community groups and various organisations.
In my current role as national vice-president, I am engaged in expanding our membership by advertising SPA in the bulletins of scientific associations.
Jenny Goldie
I am the current national secretary and would like to serve another term. I have been active, not only in terms of writing minutes and agendas and getting letters out to politicians, but also in organising the 2008 national conference. This has involved lining up speakers while overseas recently and making contact with potential sponsors. I am sure it will be an excellent event in which all members can take pride.
One component of the conference will involve overseas and local politicians. Because of my recent paid job at the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance, I had regular contact with many parliamentarians, particularly those in the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development. This has enhanced my capacity to now lobby on behalf of the issues that concern SPA.
I was one of the founding parents of AESP/SPA and have played an active role ever since, at both local and national level.
Tom Nilsson
I have been SPA Treasurer for the last year. During that time the organisation’s finances have improved considerably, and I hope to continue that trend. I have been the President of the Tasmanian branch since its inauguration in 2004. I have previously served as Treasurer of the Tenants’ Union of Tasmania and RPH Print Radio Tasmania. I have a Diploma of Business (Administration) and I work as a bookkeeper.
I am passionately committed to reducing population growth and educating the community about population problems. I want to raise SPA’s media profile. Given that the increasing number of humans is the main underlying cause of environmental destruction, I see converting the environmental movement to our cause as extremely important. Other priorities are to encourage childlessness (as an environmentally responsible lifestyle choice) and to increase overseas aid for family planning.
Garry Egger
Prof Garry Egger MPH PhD MAPS is a behavioural biologist and epidemiologist who has worked in preventive health for almost 4 decades in Government industry and privately. He published one of the first analyses of economic growth and health in 1978 and presented at the first International conference on Economic Growth and Health in Denmark in 1974. Since then he has written 30 books and over 100 peer reviewed articles in health including analyses of the effects of unchecked growth on human health. he developed the gutBusters ‘Waist Loss ‘ program for men (now Professor Trim’s) and is a government and World Health Organisation consultant in Lifestyle medicine. Dr Egger is a Professor of Lifestyle Medicine at Southern Cross University and an Adjunct professor at Deakin and Newcastle Universities.
Debra Dodd
I am an Electrical Engineer living in Sydney with my husband and 2 children. I have been an active member of Shire Watch and latterly Save Our Suburbs in the Sutherland shire, fighting against growth and inappropriate development fuelled by population pressures. I am a SPA member of long standing.
Having young children, I am concerned at the world they will inherit and want to play a part in changing the growth mentality. My aim is to be part of and foster the aims of a strong and united SPA.
Gordon Hocking
Gordon Hocking is a retired small businessman. His childhood was spent on a Riverina sheep station where he experienced droughts and floods and developed a respect for ecosystems’ carrying capacity.
Gordon has been involved in environmental activism for many years, including serving terms as president of the Sydney Branch of the Australian Conservation Foundation, and national president of Sustainable Population Australia. He was awarded the Centenary Medal for “service to the community”.
Gordon is currently President of SPA New South Wales Branch. His letters have been published in major newspapers and he regularly contributes to talk-back radio in his sustainability advocacy.
Paddy Weaver
An active environmentalist over many years, included three terms on the WA Conservation Council Executive. As Convenor of Environment 2000, coordinated a Respiratory Health survey in Kwinana industrial area, three surveys of recreational use of Perth’s wetlands and co-ordinated lobbying for its Population, National Parks/Reserves and rubbish disposal working groups. Served on Ministerial Recreational Fisheries Advisory Committee and in 2006 on “Fundamental Pressures (Population, Consumption and Climate Change)” working group for the SOE Report (WA). A founding member of the SPA WA Branch and Vice President for some years I have been active in lobbying, public speaking and writing submissions.
Population is the most pressing and urgent problem, today and SPA must become a highly efficient national group. with committee members assigned functional roles –(eg. communications, publicity, membership, campaigns) and must harness the skills of our membership networks to spread the message throughout the community. I will work for greater effectiveness and focus for SPA.
Andrew Melville-Smith
I have known we are in trouble since listening to Prof. Paul Ehrlich in 1970 when I was 17 and there were only 3.5 billion people on this planet. I resolved not to have children and instead my wife and I have adopted three children from overseas. I have Engineering and Veterinary Science degrees and now run three veterinary practices in country South Australia. I have spent 30 years when my ideas about population and the environment were considered radical and extreme. Now those ideas are becoming acceptable and moving into the mainstream. But is it now too late?
My approach to life is to lead by example and through the veterinary clinics we have an array of environment projects aimed at creating a better future for our children and raising people’s consciousness to the issues that face humanity. On the SPA committee I would be urging education through action.
Resolutions and Motions
Resolution 1: To receive the financial accounts Passed
Resolution 2: To appoint auditor Robyn Brodie-Grant FCPA Passed
Motion 1: Family Membership Eligibility Passed
Motion 2: Change ‘Regional’ to ‘Branch’ Passed
Motion 3: Change National Executive Structure Lost
Motion 4: Expulsion by Executive Passed
Motion 4a: Conflicts Passed
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Motion 5: Increase Family Membership Sub Passed
Motion 6: Direction to National Executive Passed