May 2000 Volume 81 Number 5 "serving the protectors"
President’s Report to the Police Club AGM
By Nick Pippos  President

From time to time, it doesn’t hurt to reflect on where the Police Club has been and where it is going.

The Police Club was conceived on August 21, 1958, by the Police Association of South Australia’s then executive committee for its members use, along with that of retired members.

Led by its then secretary, Bob Fenwick, that committee ensured that a building was purchased and, later, a two-storey structure built to house both the club and association. The committee of the day included:

• RM Tremethick (president).
• LE Samuels (vice-president).
• LB Fenwick (secretary).
• DW Noblett.
• DW Rawson.
• JS Carroll.
• DW Nation.
• GH Huffa.
• WR Teague.

On May 4, 1961, after the building had been erected and a poll of the locals in the area conducted, a meeting was called and rules were adopted. The Police Association of the day did all of the work and that committee was elected as the first club committee. The liquor license was issued by the court on September 7, 1961, and the first day’s trading took place on September 22, 1961.

Mr Evan Johns was employed as the inaugural bar manager on September 18, 1961. The first day’s trading saw a total of £8 taken at the bar. The club’s first financial statement of that year showed a turnover of £3,761.

On March 19, 1968, the provision of the Saturday sausages started at 2/- per serve. In the early 1980s, Det Sgt Barry Kappe is believed to have set the record, eating 28 sausages at one sitting.

From its humble beginnings, the club prospered with its initial associate members “propping the club up” for the first couple of years. To the end of the 1970s, the club committee reflected the association committee, and then there was a gradual movement of non-association committee members becoming involved.

Over the years, the club has made cash donations back to the association on a number of occasions, which total in the vicinity of $65,000. This is in line with the rules of the club.

The monthly luncheon has now been running continuously since 1968, and its provision of guest speakers is second to none. The speakers range from prospective prime ministers and other members of Parliament to leaders of industry, highly ranked police and Defence Force members, community leaders, and a very large number of other highly respected speakers.

We have seen a number of additions to the association’s premises by the club and a number of significant renovations over the years. These have always provided major improvements for members’ use and have always been funded from either the club, association or both.

I came to the committee in late 1985 and in the ensuing 14 years have been party to and seen major changes to the way we operate, the building and, more important, to who uses the club and its facilities. There is no doubt that the decentralization of police in the 1980s from the city to the suburban areas had a dramatic effect on how we operate.

For many years the club contracted the kitchen out to other persons and, hence, the income went to those people. A decision was taken some seven years ago to cease working in this fashion and to hire our own staff. This has proven itself to be one of the better decisions made by the club committee. In our more recent history we installed gaming machines in the club.

The club continues to have Fenwick Hall on the first floor of the building and the main bar and dining room on the ground floor. The Police Association occupies the second floor with the Police Journal housed in the western side of the first floor.

The club continues to be a viable business with a net profit for 1999 of $5,282. It is interesting to now see that the bar is not the entire focus as it was 15 years ago. The bar and kitchen both share the majority of the club’s income with the gaming machines showing about 20 per cent of turnover. As values change within society generally, it is reflected in our members.

As at February 29, 2000, the club committee consisted of five elected members and one appointed secretary. On Thursday December 16, 1999, a special general meeting of the Police Club Inc was held. At that meeting it was endorsed that the club committee would no longer be elected by the general membership but by and from the committee of the Police Association of South Australia. In doing so we have turned full circle, by giving ownership of the club back to the association as it was when it first started in 1961.

The last meeting of the old club committee took place at the club premises on Tuesday February 29, 2000. That committee’s members included:

• Nick Pippos (president).
• John H Winkworth (vice-president).
• Merge Presser (secretary).
• Brian S Kimber (treasurer).
• Barry Lugg.
• Mark Carroll.

As of midnight on that night, the association had the responsibility of electing - from its number - a committee to manage the affairs of the club. A separate constitution and autonomy will remain.

The association has made a commitment to maintain the club and have it grow within and under its umbrella.

The future for the club looks as bright now as it did in 1958 and it is totally dependent on the outlook and determination of its committee of management.

Elected as the management committee of the Police Club at the last executive committee meeting of the Police Association of South Australia were:

• Nick Pippos (president).
• Trevor Haskell (vice-president).
• Andy Dunn (treasurer).

That committee has nominated Merge Presser as secretary.

PASAweb   Index & Search   Top of Page   Comments   Email to Editor

The Police Journal Online is an official publication of the Police Association of South Australia and is published monthly. Editors of kindred publications can seek permission from the Editor to re-publish any Police Journal Online article. Copyright 1999  The Police Association of South Australia sustance