Well, it’s taken me awhile to get around to posting about it, (where did I ever get the time to work before I retired?), but here goes.
This year’s Natfly was, once again, interesting. Some new aeroplanes I hadn’t seen before and an interesting “Meet the Members” (MTM) session.
Gordon Marshall was concerned about the level of drug and alcohol abuse he’s encountered around the traps. Maybe I mix in the wrong circles, but, somehow it seems to have missed my attention. If it’s as bad as he seems to think, then perhaps we should all be more alert.
The essence of the MTM session seems to have been centred around the issue of secrecy that the board seems keen to impose. Apparently, the board believes that anything discussed at board meetings should remain confidential. That is, board members and visiting ordinary members should hold as confidential, and not disseminate to any other party, such information as is discussed at that meeting.
One could be forgiven for asking “How does a member, when considering which candidate to vote for, assess whether or not a particular board member is ‘up to scratch’”, if he/she is unaware of the issues discussed, or of how the candidate voted on certain issues. Surely, full openness is essential for the Association to properly represent the interests of the members. I’m also prompted to ask, “Is such secrecy legal”? Actually, I doubt it.
The CEO was asked by one of the members (forgive me if I don’t get the wording precisely as put to him), “Has the CEO ever demanded of a currently sitting board member, words to the effect of: ‘You will resign or face legal action’”? Interesting question; one can only wonder what set of circumstances may have prompted it. Irrelevant perhaps, as his response was “No, I can’t recall ever having said anything like that”. That’s a relief, isn’t it? Otherwise one might be tempted to surmise there’s some ugly politics happening at board level.
In other interesting news, one of the NSW board members announced to those present that she had resigned from the RAAUS board, effective Monday 26th April. Very sad to see her go; I know she has worked tirelessly towards making the Temora Natfly events the success they’ve been.
I was particularly impressed by the dogged determination of attending members Don Ramsay and David Isaac to get answers to some very pertinent questions on the secrecy issue. Getting answers to some of the questions seemed a lot like trying to lift a 10kg lump of iron with a pocket magnet. I was very encouraged to hear, after the meeting, that both gentlemen are standing for election to the board at the next election. NSW members note: these are the guys to vote for!!
Lots more I can say, buy I have a busy Saturday to take care of. Will do another post shortly with piccies of aeroplanes, and perhaps some interesting input from some other members.
Safe flying.
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