Canberra Chapter Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting

04 September 2024

The Annual Meeting was an opportunity for all members to discuss how the Chapter is going—to offer feedback and suggestions for how we can make the most of our MX-5s and our experience in belonging to the Club. 

We had 24 members turn up (and a smattering of apologies). Maybe it was the prospect of a tasty lunch at Yowani Country Club, but this was the best attendance in four years. A few more might have been nice, but those attending got actively involved in the meeting that followed.

A call had gone out for volunteers to help run the Chapter, and those present were not reticent in putting their hands up. After some discussion, various positions were filled:

  • Events Coordinator – Steve Wakeling
  • Events Committee – Norm Barker, Ian Bottcher, Rhys Howse, Tony McDonald and Simon Trickett
  • Website and Social Media Coordinator – Rhys & Ashley Howse
  • Council of ACT Motor Clubs Delegate – Brett Goyne

The Convenor role was not filled at the meeting, but with a little ‘back-room negotiation’ we firmed up our new management team as John Chapuis joined in as our new Convenor. 

The Motorsport Coordinator role has been left vacant. We don’t have many motorsport members, and lost a few after Wakefield Park closed, but this might change when Wakefield reopens as One Raceway. The Convenor will no doubt keep an eye on the status and need for the position. 

We have also dropped the Regalia Coordinator role for the time being—it is probably not needed any more now that orders go directly to the supplier.

Bob Judd, one of our long-standing members and a previous Convenor, has been our Delegate with the Council of ACT Motor Clubs for more years than he can count. Bob has stepped down from the role, and will focus on mentoring our new Delegate, Brett Goyne. Thanks Bob, for all you have done over the years. Have a rest.

Members attending the meeting gave enthusiastic thanks to all those who have helped out in the past twelve months. 

Outgoing Convenor Rod led a discussion on several matters:

Review of the last year from 1 September 2023

The latest membership list available shows there are 173 members of the Club who have nominated the Canberra Chapter as a primary interest. That number includes ‘Canberra Chapter members’ (‘local members’) and members aligned to other Chapters (‘visiting members’) who have elected to directly receive our Chapter’s correspondence and information. Of that total number, there are around 150 ‘local members’. 

We have had a very good year; we programmed 48 events and cancelled only one.

In raw numbers:

  • we offered members 60 days of MX-5 fun
  • we presented 47 events with an average of 22 members or guests in attendance.
  • an average of 32 members attended 16 social events (Coffee & Lies, Christmas lunch etc) meetings (maximum was 52 for Christmas Lunch, maximum at C&L was 44 - we got over 40 five times and 30 or more nine times. The average attendances at C&L was 29, and the minimum only 15 when we were all down the coast with Steve)
  • an average of 16.5 members participated in 31 runs (max was 32, min was 5).

Over the past year, more than 90 individual members have participated in our events, and we had well over 1,000 attendances at the events. That is brilliant!

What was popular?

  • We like going to the coast - eg Lakes Entrance was extraordinarily popular
  • We rather like short runs for lunch and picnics (eg Boorowa Pub, Honeysuckle Creek)
  • We like the Five Hills run to start the year
  • Overnight runs are well-attended
  • Coffee & Lies remains a well-attended event
  • Mid-week lunch runs remain popular
  • Social events were well attended, even if they did need a bit of oomph to get folks to come along

Communications

We (the Club collectively) have been communicating with members in a variety of ways:

  • Canberra News monthly (from the Convenor)
  • Club News weekly (via Membership Secretary)
  • Occasional emails from the Convenor
  • Website
  • Facebook.

During the year, in response to a relatively minor, but nevertheless unattractive incident, the profile of the Facebook group was changed to a closed (rather than public) group. This means that only those admitted to the group (since that change) can post or comment on it. Further, there are now rules to provide a base-line for action should someone act in a disrespectful (or similar) manner, and some ‘join-up questions’ for people seeking to join the group. This may help to keep a those with no immediate ties to the Club/Chapter out—anyone who doesn’t answer all questions is declined automatically.

There was some discussion on whether the Chapter’s Flickr site should be reactivated, or something similar, so we can share the many photos taken on our events. And Instagram too—it could be a useful means for communicating with members and showing off our activities. This may be something for the new Convenor and Website & Social Media Coordinator to consider. 

Historic/Concessional Registration Scheme

Members will be aware that both the NSW and ACT governments have a concessional registration scheme for vehicles more than 30 years old. The schemes are similar but different, if only because they are administered through two entirely separate jurisdictions. Both schemes, however, only provide the concessional registration through a process involving an automotive club, in our case, the MX-5 Club of NSW. And here in the ACT, the administration of the Concessional Registration Arrangements for these vehicles is conducted jointly between Access Canberra and the Council of ACT Motor Clubs, hence our involvement with the Council.

There are at present only a very small number of members in the Canberra Chapter with concessional registration on their MX-5s (at present there are four cars registered to members under the scheme). More might take up the opportunity to significantly cut their registration costs as the cars age, but at this stage there is only a very small handful involved.

As noted above, we have a new Delegate to the Council (Brett Goyne) and we also have a new Assessor—Norm Barker—whose task is to examine applicable vehicles and attest to their authenticity as required under the ACT Concessional Registration Arrangements. Thanks go to Brett and Norm for taking on the jobs, and to our outgoing representatives, Bob Judd (Delegate) and Peter Battisson (Assessor).

To finish, a few words from your outgoing Convenors.

We have enjoyed our time at the wheel. Heading up our Chapter has been a privilege, and we thank you for the opportunity. It’s been a buzz most of the time, a bit of a drag occasionally, but mostly a lot of fun. We thank you all for your support over the last couple of years. We wish the new team all the best—as I am sure you do too—but we are confident our Chapter is in good hands. 

See you at our next event! Zoom Zoom!

Rod & Maryanne Nicholas