The President formally inducted five new members at our recent general meeting; Ali K., Di B., Frances H., Monir P. and Rose M. We also welcomed five guests who all have expressed interest in joining our merry band!
Two pieces of business were conducted. The membership unanimously approved both the acceptance of the new club constitution and the maintaining of annual membership fees and the joining fee, at the same amounts from when the club began in 2020 (no cost of living increases at Bearbrass Probus!).
The President also announced that tickets are still available for The Book of Mormon” on April 1. She was also pleased to announce that the $6 meals subsidy funded by a generous grant from the City of Melbourne (CoM) and topped up by the club when the CoM grant is exhausted will continue into 2026.
After a well-earned tea break it was over to the main attraction.
Neil O’Keefe, former teacher and Federal Labor Parliamentarian, was an engaging and humorous speaker. Neil held the Labor seat of Burke for 17 years from 1984 to 2001. As Parliamentary Secretary to various ministers, he was closely involved in crucial transport, communications and industrial relations developments over the course of his distinguished career. Hilarious stories of Gough Whitlam’s behind the scenes quips during important meetings or events highlighted his quick wit and obvious intellect. Paul Keating was remembered as one of those men of quirky substance who also populated politics of the day and was an important mentor to Neil. Neil’s talk was not so much a history lesson as a fond and humorous looking back on a long, varied and most rewarding career.
All in all, the presentation finished too soon!
As always, after closing the meeting we all headed off to an enjoyable lunch at TAP831.