May 1999 Volume 80 Number 6 "serving the protectors"
Retired Police
By Shirley Dawn Philllips, Secretary

Luncheon

A luncheon at Tanunda’s Barossa Motor Lodge for Barossa-Light region members marked the RPOA’s fifth regional visit on 29 April. President Les Morris welcomed members and presented apologies.

He spoke of the RPOA’s policy of visiting country people, whom he encouraged to form a sub-committee through which to arrange future gatherings.

The luncheon was abuzz with laughter and lively conversation. Members and wives clearly enjoyed the event, with few seeking an early exit.

Wesley Liersch had shown great interest in the Barossa-Light region visit before the luncheon. Both he and Dean Trickett will become contact persons for the region, and future gatherings can be expected.

Grateful for Police Journal

It became obvious that members hadn’t supplied their names to Police Association of SA for inclusion on the Police Journal mailing list. The RPOA is indebted to PASA and the Police Journal staff for publishing its column. The journal is the RPOA’s chief means of communication with its members.

Monthly Meeting

Sixty members attended last month’s general meeting at PASA’s Fenwick Hall. They were welcomed by President Morris, who accepted several apologies and led the singing of the birthday song. Among those celebrating birthdays in May was 92-year-old Hazel Millowick, who’s still going strong.

President Morris read a letter to the meeting which he’d received from a member questioning the RPOA policy of visiting and dining with regional members. The writer had particularly focussed on the Barossa-Light visit.

But the visit had been made on the basis of a carried motion, a fact which emerged during discussion about the letter. And that motion was one of which the writer was said to have been fully aware.

President Morris explained that regional visits began in 1996 on his then vice-presidential recommendation. Visits have been made to:

• Victor Harbour.
• Kadina.
• Port Augusta.
• Murray Bridge.
• Tanunda.

The Riverland will be visited in the future in accordance with RPOA policy. President Morris also explained that the RPOA had received donations to assist with the funding of these visits. He invited the treasurer to explain these visits’ costs and provide a comparison with RPOA donations made to outside organizations.

RPOA treasurer, Ken Phillips, explained that he had moved that committee members not be “out of pocket” through regional visits. He also reminded the meeting that a decision had been taken to allow spouses to accompany committee members and act as hostesses for wives of members attending luncheons.

Tables which set out regional visits’ costs and donations to outside organizations are available from the Retired Police Officers’ Association.

To prevent committee members from being at risk of drink driving, a motion had been passed which allowed for the provision of accommodation after drinking with the members at Tanunda (as was the practise at all regions). President Morris supported that motion and advised members at Barossa.

The letter writer asserted that those driving shouldn’t consume liquor at the luncheon.

This assertion wasn’t supported. Committee members, it was said, should be able to host members correctly and could not fulfill that role if prevented from mixing and drinking with them.

Ken Phillips explained that six current committee members are husband and wife. He suggested they should be regarded as committee member and spouse when attending regional functions.

The writer disagreed with this view and asserted that if these pairs (all committee members) attended functions as six committee persons and their spouses, the total number would translate to nine committee persons and three spouses. This is far too many committee persons, he wrote. But are spouses really expected to remain at home?

The writer’s view is totally rejected and committee’s decision totally supported. If the spouses of those committee members were not also committee members, they would in any case have attended functions as spouses.

The committee has been totally open with information about regional meetings.

After inviting questions and discussion about the letter, several members spoke in full support of the committee’s actions and stated that the regional visits should continue. A motion in support of the regional visits’ continuation was carried unanimously. It also ruled out any further action regarding the letter.

President Morris thanked members for their support and will respond to the writer by letter.

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