Annual report - Australian Red Cross
Annual report - Australian Red Cross
Annual report - Australian Red Cross
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Annual</strong> Report<br />
2005-2006<br />
Moving on after Cyclone Larry<br />
North Queensland, 2006
Contents<br />
goal 1<br />
7 8<br />
Champion 5<br />
humanitarian values<br />
International 7<br />
humanitarian law<br />
Assisting asylum seekers 8<br />
The gift of blood 10<br />
Youth & education 12<br />
12<br />
goal 2<br />
Assist and empower 15<br />
vulnerable people<br />
Tsunami update 16<br />
Emergencies 18<br />
Aid workers 22<br />
Overseas assistance 25<br />
Local work 30<br />
Statistics 40<br />
Partnerships 42<br />
goal 3<br />
Forge a unified, 47<br />
inclusive and<br />
sustainable movement<br />
Governance 48<br />
Financials 56<br />
16 18<br />
30<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P2<br />
Cover Image: Dave Tacon<br />
Production team<br />
Editorial <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Design House Mouse Design<br />
Printing Document Printing Australia
Our Vision<br />
To improve the lives of vulnerable<br />
people in Australia and internationally<br />
by mobilising the power of humanity.<br />
Our Mission<br />
To be a leading humanitarian<br />
organisation in Australia, improving the<br />
lives of vulnerable people through<br />
services delivered and promotion of<br />
humanitarian laws and values.<br />
7 Fundamental Principles<br />
In all activities our volunteers and staff are guided by the Fundamental Principles<br />
of the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Movement.<br />
Humanity<br />
The International <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring<br />
assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavours,<br />
in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering<br />
wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and ensure<br />
respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship<br />
co-operation and lasting peace amongst all people.<br />
Impartiality<br />
It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political<br />
opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by<br />
their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.<br />
Neutrality<br />
In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take<br />
sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial,<br />
religious or ideological nature.<br />
Independence<br />
The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the<br />
humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their<br />
respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy that they may be able<br />
at all times to act in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Movement.<br />
Voluntary Service<br />
It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire or gain.<br />
Unity<br />
There can be only one <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> or <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Society in any one country.<br />
It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.<br />
Universality<br />
The International <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Movement, in which all Societies<br />
have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other,<br />
is worldwide.<br />
Executive message<br />
For many <strong>Australian</strong>s, the past year will<br />
be remembered for its cyclones, floods<br />
and fires. Most significantly of course,<br />
Cyclone Larry, which tore through North<br />
Queensland in March 2006, leaving a<br />
level of destruction not seen since Tracy<br />
in 1974.<br />
For those worst affected, it will be years<br />
before they fully recover. But what will<br />
remain for some 300 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> staff<br />
and volunteers who fronted the<br />
response was the extraordinary strength<br />
of spirit amongst people like Frank<br />
Sciacca, pictured here on the front cover<br />
as he prepares for his first harvest since<br />
the disaster.<br />
Five months earlier, when an earthquake<br />
measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale<br />
struck a remote region of Pakistan we<br />
were truly humbled by the strength of<br />
our own Movement as we saw <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent workers risk<br />
their own lives to save others in the<br />
most challenging and difficult of<br />
circumstances. With 3.5 million<br />
homeless, 73,000 dead and 128,000<br />
injured the scale was unimaginable, but<br />
a swift and coordinated emergency<br />
response prevented many more deaths.<br />
The foundations of effective response on<br />
any scale are solid planning and clearly<br />
defined goals. During the past year<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has worked<br />
strategically toward three goals that<br />
marry local activity with the Fundamental<br />
Principles that serve the Movement so<br />
well when disaster strikes.<br />
We have recorded the highlights of the<br />
past year in the coming pages alongside<br />
these goals and they will continue to<br />
underpin our work throughout the year<br />
to come. We look forward to realising<br />
them with the help of staff, Board and<br />
committee members, our membership<br />
around the country, our donors and the<br />
volunteers who embody the power of<br />
humanity by giving so generously of<br />
themselves.<br />
Greg Vickery<br />
Chairman<br />
Robert Tickner<br />
CEO<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P3
goals<br />
1. champion humanitarian values for the<br />
protection of life, health and human<br />
dignity through promotion, education<br />
and advocacy<br />
2. assist and empower vulnerable people,<br />
especially those most in need in<br />
Australia and in the Asia-Pacific<br />
region, in their everyday lives<br />
and in times of crisis<br />
3. forge a unified, inclusive and<br />
sustainable movement, soundly<br />
managed and financially secure,<br />
which reflects our country’s diversity<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P4
goal 1<br />
champion humanitarian values for the<br />
protection of life, health and human<br />
dignity through promotion, education<br />
and advocacy<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P5
Advocacy on behalf of humanity<br />
The humanitarian services provided by<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> are widely known,<br />
but awareness of our advocacy on<br />
behalf of vulnerable people at home<br />
and abroad is much less known.<br />
There are two reasons for this: in<br />
contrast to the commonly understood<br />
meaning of the term ‘advocacy’ as<br />
public campaigning, many successful<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> advocacy activities take<br />
place in confidence and, secondly,<br />
there is a misperception that the<br />
organisation’s Fundamental Principles<br />
of ‘impartiality’ and ‘neutrality’ prohibit<br />
advocacy, which is not the case.<br />
Some examples of advocacy in action<br />
over the past year illustrate this:<br />
Around the country, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
draws the attention of government<br />
and agencies to the health and<br />
welfare needs of people in<br />
immigration detention and of asylum<br />
seekers who are not entitled to<br />
work or to social security.<br />
In South Australia, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is<br />
represented on a state committee<br />
for the annual Anti-Poverty Week in<br />
October, which encourages schools<br />
and other agencies to raise<br />
awareness of poverty and the ways<br />
we can work together to prevent<br />
such hardships.<br />
In the Northern Territory’s Tiwi<br />
Islands, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> supports<br />
meetings of the ‘Strong Women’s<br />
Group’, which are often attended by<br />
government officials both as a<br />
forum for them to consult and to<br />
hear the issues facing the women<br />
and their families.<br />
In the <strong>Australian</strong> Capital Territory<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers and staff<br />
working in the community follow up<br />
concerns from clients about various<br />
providers with the agencies<br />
concerned or refer them to<br />
appropriate agencies.<br />
At a national level, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
engages with the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
government and government<br />
agencies on key issues of<br />
relevance. In the past year this<br />
included representations on<br />
weapons and treaties and weapons<br />
control, and the ‘fair trial’<br />
requirements for people detained for<br />
the alleged commission of crimes in<br />
the fight against terrorism.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P6<br />
Profile<br />
Mallesons Stephens Jaques leading the way in advocating volunteerism<br />
Promoting volunteerism is an advocacy role that has been taken on with gusto by <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ longest term<br />
corporate partner, Mallesons Stephens Jaques.<br />
Nominated during the year for the Prime Minister’s Awards for excellence in Community Business Partnerships<br />
for longevity, in recognition of their long term relationship with <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, Mallesons have actively encouraged 25 percent of staff<br />
to get involved in volunteering for <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> programs like the Good Start Breakfast Club for kids who would otherwise go<br />
without breakfast (pictured).<br />
The firm also enables staff members to<br />
provide free legal information and<br />
advice on site at Brisbane’s <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Night Café for young homeless people,<br />
and to make calls from the workplace<br />
each day through <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ Telecross<br />
program to elderly and isolated people<br />
living alone to check on their wellbeing.<br />
In addition to their substantial<br />
workplace giving financial donations<br />
and free legal work each year for <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong>, Mallesons staff are helping to<br />
advocate for volunteerism by example.
International Humanitarian Law<br />
Protecting civilians in times of conflict – live debate<br />
Some of Australia’s most prominent legal, military and academic minds came together with the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in Melbourne<br />
on the anniversary of the Nuremburg Trials in October 2005 to consider the most pressing humanitarian issues arising from current<br />
conflicts.<br />
Moderated by SBS newsreader Anton Enus, a live stage hypothetical ‘All’s Fair in Law and War,’ considered a fictitious conflict<br />
where the use of cluster bombs in urban areas led to the death of a large number of civilians – the so-called ‘collateral damage’<br />
of modern urban conflicts.<br />
Over 700 people attended and the event highlighted all the basic principles of<br />
International Humanitarian Law (IHL), particularly that all civilians must be respected<br />
and protected in times of conflict.<br />
Role of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in 2005-2006<br />
The <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> continues to provide a variety of training programs and activities<br />
in Australia designed to promote understanding and respect for IHL.<br />
These include discussions with government ministers and agencies on issues<br />
such as the legal requirements for trials of detainees held in Guantanamo Bay,<br />
participation in military exercises, briefings for federal police officers deployed<br />
to the Solomon Islands and PNG, lectures at universities and public events<br />
such as hypotheticals.<br />
The International Committee of the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> (ICRC) is the ‘guardian’ of the<br />
Geneva conventions protecting civilians in conflict. <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent<br />
Societies around the world have a mandate to increase the understanding of<br />
these laws in their communities.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> Crystal<br />
recognised<br />
Did you know that the instantly<br />
recognisable red cross on a white<br />
background is one of the world’s most<br />
powerful symbols, meaning ‘don’t shoot!’<br />
in 350 languages<br />
In 2006, the <strong>Red</strong> Crystal was recognised<br />
by the Movement as an additional<br />
protective emblem to the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and<br />
the <strong>Red</strong> Crescent. The <strong>Red</strong> Crystal will be<br />
used in countries where existing emblems<br />
are not accepted or existing emblems may<br />
not provide sufficient protection.<br />
Boris Heger/ICRC<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P7
Assisting asylum seekers,<br />
refugees and immigration<br />
detainees<br />
Assisting asylum seekers, refugees<br />
and immigration detainees<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> provides<br />
assistance to eligible asylum seekers<br />
living in the community who have<br />
a current Protection (Refugee) Visa<br />
application. The Asylum Seeker<br />
Assistance Scheme was established<br />
in 1992 and is funded through the<br />
Department of Immigration and<br />
Multicultural Affairs.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P8<br />
Since July 2005, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has<br />
taken a leading role in providing<br />
for immigration detainees under<br />
the <strong>Australian</strong> Government’s new<br />
‘residence determination’ provisions,<br />
again funded by the Department.<br />
Case workers coordinate welfare<br />
assistance including housing,<br />
health care and education.<br />
Community care pilot<br />
In May 2006 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> was engaged<br />
as the lead agency in a Community<br />
Care pilot to improve the health and<br />
welfare of vulnerable people in<br />
Australia’s immigration system.<br />
The pilot is expected to show that if<br />
people are given adequate support<br />
during the immigration process, then<br />
they will be in a better mental,<br />
emotional and physical state to handle<br />
the decisions.<br />
Dave Tacon<br />
Responding to community needs<br />
During the past 12 months <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has also worked with community welfare<br />
agencies – in particular the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture and the<br />
Department – to support former immigration detainees resettled from the Nauru<br />
Offshore Processing Facility in October 2005, and West Papuan refugees relocated<br />
from Christmas Island in April 2006.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> also assisted the East Timorese evacuated to Australia as a result of<br />
the recent conflict in May 2006. Support provided included accommodation, food,<br />
health care and general orientation into the community.<br />
Profile<br />
Leanne Robinson is an exceptional young woman. When the 23-year-old PhD<br />
student isn’t conducting research into malaria immunology, she gives up her<br />
weekends to assist recently arrived refugees settle into their new lives in Melbourne.<br />
Last year <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers assisted more than 700 people settling in Victoria.<br />
Support included outreach and orientation in the local community, household<br />
goods, work preparation and employment assistance.<br />
‘As part of the outreach and orientation team, I help newly arrived refugees find<br />
their way around. I show the clients around the public transport system or<br />
accompany them to appointments and just give advice on services available,’<br />
says Leanne.<br />
Leanne’s dedicated service earned her a place representing <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
at the Turkish <strong>Red</strong> Crescent’s Youth Camp in Istanbul. The aim of these<br />
international conferences is to give young volunteers the opportunity to share their<br />
volunteering experiences, learn new skills and to bring fresh ideas back to their<br />
local <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> or <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Society.<br />
Image: Leanne Robinson and Gökhan, a Turkish <strong>Red</strong> Crescent team leader<br />
at the Turkish <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Youth Camp in Istanbul.
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
holds inaugural<br />
conference<br />
For the first time in its history, <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> held a national conference in<br />
November 2005. The conference provided<br />
a rare opportunity for Pacific <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Societies to come together and exchange<br />
information and ideas.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> CEO Robert Tickner.<br />
Representatives of the Fiji <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, Papua New Guinea <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and the Solomon Islands <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> took part in<br />
the two-day event in Melbourne, along with some 300 volunteers, staff, members and guest speakers.<br />
During the conference, Leon Prop, head of the International Federation of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Societies delegation in the<br />
Pacific, highlighted the common challenges Pacific nations face, such as geographical isolation and growing populations which,<br />
coupled with poor access to basic services and fragile ecosystems, compound problems in the region.<br />
While acknowledging common problems, Alison Cupit, Secretary-General of the Fiji<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Society, and her counterpart from the Papua New Guinea <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>,<br />
Jacquie Boga, discussed approaches to their most pressing individual issues<br />
including escalating rates of HIV/AIDS infection facing Papua New Guinea.<br />
Also taking part in the conference was Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia,<br />
Jackie Higgins, who spoke passionately about the important role <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
can play in helping Indigenous <strong>Australian</strong>s.<br />
‘Indigenous disadvantage is a tough one – there’s no denying that… But I’m<br />
here to tell you that it’s time to take this stuff on in a new way. It’s time to look<br />
at where we’ve failed and to use those lessons, along with more recent<br />
successes, to engage with Indigenous communities in ways that will<br />
undoubtedly generate change.’<br />
Image: Youth delegates of the National<br />
Conference used performance art to<br />
express themselves.<br />
The national conference also coincided with the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> youth conference<br />
where 32 youth delegates turned to hip hop, performance and aerosol art to<br />
explore relevant ways to connect with other young people and encourage<br />
them to get involved.<br />
After planning, workshops, writing, painting, dancing and rapping, the youth<br />
delegates from across the country joined the main conference to raise the<br />
roof at the closing ceremony with a live performance and graffiti display.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P9
The gift of blood<br />
Together with its voluntary donors, the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Blood Service (ARCBS)<br />
plays a significant role in the quality and safety of the <strong>Australian</strong> health system.<br />
The ARCBS vision is to share life’s best gift by providing quality blood products, tissues<br />
and related services for the benefit of the community. Every year, thousands of people<br />
benefit from blood transfusions or blood products, resulting in the lives of many being<br />
saved and a significant improvement in the quality of life of others.<br />
Profile<br />
Travelling man<br />
After almost half a century, some 600 sandwiches and more than 48,000 kilometres,<br />
a South Australia man has clocked up an incredible 300 donations with the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Blood Service. This equates to the lives of hundreds of people having been<br />
improved – or saved – as a result of Des Gregg's awe-inspiring contribution.<br />
Des, now 71 years old, became a blood donor in his 20s while working for Telecom.<br />
The telecommunications company encouraged employees to give blood by allowing<br />
half a day off for its Murray Bridge workers to travel to Adelaide and donate, a practice<br />
continued by Telstra today.<br />
Des and his wife Barb were personally touched by the need for blood when Barb was<br />
involved in a horrific car accident and required a transfusion herself. Ten years ago Des<br />
made the decision to become a plasma donor and, ever since, every fortnight he<br />
dutifully drives the round trip from Murray Bridge to Adelaide to honour his pledge.<br />
A familiar face at the Pirie Street Donor Centre, Des is regarded with affection by both<br />
staff and volunteers where he enjoys double helpings of refreshments as a small<br />
reward for his long drive to donate and his consistent level of devotion to the task.<br />
While Des is openly proud of his special sandwich status, he is humble about reaching<br />
his donation milestone. ‘It was always my goal to reach 300,’ he says. ‘My wife is also<br />
now very close to reaching the 300 mark. I always say I feel better after I have donated.<br />
That feeling might be partly psychological, but my wife and I agree that we always feel<br />
better afterwards.’<br />
Currently, all plasma collected by the<br />
Blood Service is sent to an <strong>Australian</strong><br />
company, CSL Limited, for fractionation.<br />
A review of that arrangement, however,<br />
is underway as part of the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
Government’s commitment under the<br />
Australia-United States Free Trade<br />
Agreement (AUSFTA), which will<br />
determine whether the fractionation<br />
process should be opened up to<br />
competition.<br />
The ARCBS position is that fractionation<br />
of plasma sourced from donors in<br />
Australia should be undertaken in<br />
Australia, to ensure that Australia meets<br />
its obligations as a member of the World<br />
Health Organisation, and to ensure that<br />
the country continues to have one of<br />
the safest blood supply systems in<br />
the world.<br />
Nationwide research in April 2006<br />
revealed that 96 per cent of blood<br />
donors and non-donors preferred that<br />
blood and blood products collected by<br />
the Blood Service stayed in Australia.<br />
The research showed that 95 per cent<br />
of existing donors, and 91 per cent of<br />
non-donors, supported the role of<br />
voluntary, unpaid donors as the basis<br />
for a safe and secure blood supply.<br />
ARCBS also detailed other concerns<br />
about offshore fractionation, including<br />
transport and logistical costs, national<br />
security, <strong>Australian</strong> capability and,<br />
importantly, the impact on our donors.<br />
The outcome of the review of existing<br />
fractionation arrangements is expected<br />
in late 2006. <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, along<br />
with the ARCBS, will be taking a strong<br />
interest in its recommendations.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P10
Save-a-mate<br />
The continued expansion of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ save-a-mate (SAM) program<br />
addresses a very real need in the community – the prevention and minimisation<br />
of drug and alcohol emergencies.<br />
This year 270 volunteers were recruited and trained to provide drug and alcohol<br />
education to people across the country, focussing on youth at risk, school children,<br />
rural and remote indigenous communities, inmates in correctional facilities,<br />
young offenders, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, sex workers, streetbased<br />
injecting drug users and residents in drug rehabilitation centres. More than<br />
700 courses were delivered this year to help young people learn how they can<br />
prevent, respond to, and manage, drug and alcohol-related emergencies. In total,<br />
7,500 young people benefited from peer education, more than double the figure of<br />
last year. Central to the program is a presence at events - almost half-a-million<br />
patrons attended events at which SAM peer educators were present. It is estimated<br />
that more than 10,000 young people were reached at 141 events.<br />
save-a-mate launched in<br />
Northern Territory and<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Capital Territory<br />
The save-a-mate program was<br />
introduced in the Northern Territory<br />
in April 2006 when the remote<br />
indigenous community, Maningrida,<br />
hosted a unique <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> drug and<br />
alcohol first aid education initiative as<br />
part of its National Youth Week<br />
celebrations. Students from the<br />
Maningrida Community Education<br />
Centre took part in the program where<br />
they learned how to prevent and<br />
respond to emergencies that might<br />
arise from using alcohol and other<br />
drugs.<br />
In Canberra, the program was<br />
launched during National Youth Week<br />
in which 20 volunteers distributed<br />
peer education material to around<br />
2,000 young residents.<br />
‘At the Festival I was handed a<br />
booklet which came in very useful as<br />
my mate passed out from overheating<br />
and the responses listed in the<br />
booklet allowed me to respond to the<br />
emergency efficiently. I want to be able<br />
to do the same thing for others by<br />
handing out those booklets and giving<br />
advice to people who could end up in<br />
the same situation.’– 17-year-old male<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P11
Youth and education<br />
More than ever, the energy and passion that drives young people are vital ingredients for <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
With this in mind, the organisation determined that there must be more ways to involve youth. In the last year, a comprehensive<br />
review of the National Youth programs was undertaken. It investigated the most effective methods and structures to engage<br />
young people in the organisation and to provide avenues for young people to respond to vulnerability in their communities locally,<br />
nationally and internationally.<br />
Another exciting outcome for youth participation has been <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ endorsement of Foundations for Engaging Young People,<br />
the organisation’s policy on youth. This is a major step forward in recognising the ways in which young people contribute as<br />
volunteers and members as well as taking a role in governance through the National Youth Advisory Committee and the State<br />
Youth Advisory Committees.<br />
Some of the highlights for young people and <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> this year include:<br />
The National Poster Competition. With its theme, One <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Many Faces,<br />
it attracted entries from 1,600 clever and creative young artists.<br />
Through the International Youth Project, young people around Australia raised<br />
funds to supply a Solomon Islands village with emergency relief items.<br />
In the aftermath of Cyclone Larry, the Silkwood Junior <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> group<br />
demonstrated the skills they had gained – they were enthusiastic and very<br />
capable volunteers, helping to pack emergency boxes and hand out food.<br />
Far North Queensland <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Youth Group was the first to respond to<br />
Babinda, assessing needs and feeding local residents affected by Cyclone Larry.<br />
Five young <strong>Australian</strong>s represented <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> at international events hosted<br />
by <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in Japan, the USA and Israel.<br />
Image: Wonsun Jin of NSW was the Henry Dunant winner of<br />
the 2006 National Poster Competition.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P12
YConnect in Victoria<br />
While many believe Generation Y-ers are busy watching reality TV and writing incomprehensible text messages, <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> figures show that they are in fact making a contribution to their communities and helping vulnerable people.<br />
In the past year, the number of young <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers aged 18-35 in Victoria increased by 28 per cent.<br />
Most have joined as members of YConnect, a group set up to provide young volunteers with opportunities<br />
that are flexible enough to fit into busy lifestyles. The young volunteers <strong>report</strong> that they are attracted by the sense<br />
of belonging they get from their activities and the opportunity it gives them to meet other volunteers their age.<br />
Profile<br />
Vinay Menon<br />
19-year-old Vinay Menon is one of the most prominent advocates for <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
youth today. His volunteer contribution is incredible – a young man of both thought<br />
and action. His ability to effectively network and lead among his peers has<br />
significantly contributed to increasing the number of youth involved in <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
Vinay is Deputy Chair of both the Western <strong>Australian</strong> and National Youth<br />
Advisory Councils.<br />
When he’s not speaking at public forums for Oxfam, or diligently studying as a<br />
medical student at the University of Western Australia, he’s typically working on<br />
youth policy strategies and working out how to engage greater numbers of youth<br />
within the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Movement. Recently, Vinay helped to coordinate the<br />
HumanARTarian street art competition, which saw young artists take to centre<br />
stage in the hub of Perth city to depict one of the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Fundamental<br />
Principles in under ten minutes. He is trained as an Emergency Services volunteer,<br />
and frequently spends time at Lady Lawley Cottage in Perth helping to brighten the<br />
day of children with severe and complex disabilities.<br />
Image: The HumanARTarian<br />
street art competition is one<br />
of Vinay Menon’s many<br />
volunteer initiatives.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P13
EnergyAustralia <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Youth Challenge<br />
Now in its fourth year, the EnergyAustralia <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Youth Challenge once again encouraged youth in New South Wales<br />
to ‘take up the challenge’ by researching, designing and implementing a project that would assist their community.<br />
Some of the highlights of the program over the past year have been:<br />
The launch of the program in Bathurst, with representatives from six schools<br />
participating in a presentation and workshop attended by Youth Challenge<br />
Ambassador, Greg Mathews.<br />
The successful integration of the program into other <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> services,<br />
particularly in the Greater Western Sydney Region. Youth Challenge students<br />
helped door knock, organised blood donor drives, donated items for asylum<br />
seekers and volunteered at Good Start Breakfast Clubs.<br />
The New South Wales Government used the Youth Challenge program as a case<br />
study during the ‘Respect & Responsibility’ forum in May 2006, hosted by the<br />
Board of Studies.<br />
The second <strong>Annual</strong> Youth Challenge Awards were held in August 2005 at<br />
Taronga Zoo and schools from metropolitan areas as well as regional and rural<br />
New South Wales competed for a range of awards. The overall winning school<br />
was Moss Vale High from the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.<br />
Aidan Smith from Goulburn received the Peer Award at the 2005 awards and<br />
subsequently went to Japan on an International <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> student exchange.<br />
ANZAC Day Memorial<br />
During ANZAC day, about 50 youth volunteers braved a cold winter’s morning to<br />
attend the Dawn Service at the <strong>Australian</strong> War Memorial in Canberra. It was the first<br />
time the youth arm of the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> had been involved with the memorial service.<br />
Lannon Harley<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P14
goal 2<br />
assist and empower vulnerable people,<br />
especially those most in need in<br />
Australia and in the Asia-Pacific region,<br />
in their everyday lives and in times of crisis<br />
Dave Tacon<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P15
Tsunami update<br />
It is almost two years since the 2004 tsunami hit the coast of 12 countries, taking the lives of over 230,000 people and causing<br />
billions of dollars in damage. A disaster that took only an hour to unfold became <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ third largest disaster<br />
response of all time – surpassed only by two world wars.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> raised $120 million in Australia through the Tsunami Appeal, and has now allocated or spent more than $118 million<br />
or 98 per cent of the funds.<br />
Case study<br />
Nias Island – a community reborn<br />
Nias Island, off the north-west coast<br />
of Sumatra, was devastated by the<br />
tsunami of December 2004.<br />
But before a single foundation was<br />
laid or supporting beam erected in<br />
the reconstruction phase,<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and the Zero to One<br />
Foundation worked with community<br />
leaders to discuss local needs.<br />
Elders and heads of households<br />
joined together to debate<br />
and discuss the issues.<br />
People were asked whether they<br />
wanted timber or concrete houses,<br />
whether it was acceptable to<br />
build houses away from roads or<br />
the sea, and they approved<br />
proposed housing designs.<br />
In all <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> helped build<br />
254 houses, nine bridges, two schools,<br />
three clean water systems and one<br />
first aid centre on Nias. The project<br />
has now been completed and families<br />
have moved into their new homes and<br />
are re-building their community.<br />
Rehabilitation and recovery<br />
According to Chris Staines, General Manager of the Tsunami Team, the focus now<br />
for <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and other aid organisations is on re-establishing the social, physical<br />
and economic assets of tsunami-affected communities and on stabilising their<br />
condition.<br />
‘<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> aid workers are involved in a wide range of rehabilitation and recovery<br />
programs. We are helping people re-build their livelihoods, building permanent<br />
housing, redeveloping water and sanitation systems, running health programs,<br />
offering psychosocial support and helping communities prepare themselves for<br />
future disasters,’ says Staines.<br />
An ongoing commitment<br />
Although the recovery effort has gained significant momentum, major challenges<br />
still remain and every new stage of the process brings with it new complexities,<br />
according to Staines.<br />
‘Recovery and reconstruction are not one-dimensional – they are physical,<br />
psychological, economic and environmental. Recovery and reconstruction must<br />
also be aligned with local plans and priorities. Communities decide how they want<br />
their new cities and towns to look.’<br />
Working on this vision is a fundamental part of the healing process, says Staines,<br />
and the close working relationship with the Indonesian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and local<br />
authorities highlights the importance of community ownership.<br />
For more information on the tsunami response, visit www.redcross.org.au<br />
Image below: The construction of 254 houses on Nias Island is now complete and families<br />
have begun to move into their new homes.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P16
Indonesia<br />
$47.7 million in expenditure and<br />
commitments<br />
Housing has the largest sector<br />
expenditure at 78 per cent.<br />
Reconstruction of 254 houses on<br />
the remote and isolated Nias Island<br />
Commitment to build hundreds of<br />
permanent houses in Banda Aceh<br />
700 Transitional Living Shelters<br />
including clean water, drainage and<br />
sanitation facilities and health<br />
education<br />
Community planting of mangroves,<br />
community mud crab and fisheries,<br />
community cocoa plantations to<br />
rebuild sustainable livelihoods<br />
Development of the Ambulance<br />
Service in Nanggroe Aceh<br />
Darussalam (NAD) Province<br />
Five-year project to support the<br />
development of the Blood Services<br />
in NAD Province<br />
Support of HIV/AIDS program<br />
in NAD Province<br />
Training staff in pharmacy warehouse<br />
management on Sinabang, Simeulue<br />
Island, and the distribution of free<br />
quality medical supplies<br />
<strong>Red</strong>ucing the incidence of<br />
water-borne disease for<br />
7,900 people, comprising<br />
1,700 households in 16 villages.<br />
Sri Lanka<br />
$22.8 million in expenditure and commitments<br />
Housing has the largest sector expenditure at 63 per cent.<br />
Safe and sustainable water supply for 350 tsunami-displaced families<br />
Construction of a 20m water tower, water treatment plant, pump house and<br />
piped water network to support 500 houses<br />
Training and support to 150 farmers to restore soil quality<br />
Potable water to over 450 tsunami-affected people on a daily basis<br />
Installation of chlorine gas regulators in water treatment plants<br />
Rainwater Harvesting System to supply water for hygiene and drinking with<br />
quality testing purposes to nine schools<br />
Eye care treatment to over 30,000 people<br />
Construction and maintenance of sanitation facilities, toilets, showers,<br />
drainage and potable water for displaced people at camps<br />
Permanent housing for 42 homes under an owner-driven model.<br />
Maldives<br />
$10.5 million in expenditure and<br />
commitments<br />
$7.5 million has been directed towards<br />
a project to clean up tsunami waste<br />
from 74 tsunami-affected islands<br />
including:<br />
15 Waste Management Centres,<br />
14 of which have been handed<br />
over to island communities<br />
Education sessions on waste<br />
management to over 1,100<br />
participants on 15 islands<br />
$3 million has been spent on<br />
a supplementary water supply<br />
system (emergency water supply).<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P17
Emergencies in AUstralia<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ response to Cyclone Larry and the Katherine floods in the past year highlighted our ability<br />
to work closely and quickly with local communities, emergency authorities and government to help those most in<br />
need during an emergency.<br />
Case study<br />
Responding to the<br />
Victorian bushfire crisis<br />
At the end of January 2006, bushfires<br />
raged across Victoria. While fire fighters<br />
battled the flames, teams of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
volunteers worked in sweltering conditions,<br />
assisting local communities by feeding<br />
hungry fire fighters, bandaging burns and<br />
comforting traumatised evacuees.<br />
Up to 2,000 volunteers gave up their time<br />
to assist threatened communities. One of<br />
the largest tasks was to serve more than<br />
30,000 meals across 15 locations, from<br />
Hall’s Gap to Yea, helping to revive the<br />
energy and spirits of the fire fighters.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers also registered about<br />
500 evacuees across the state, and first aid<br />
volunteers treated a number of fire fighters<br />
for smoke-related injuries, ensuring they<br />
were able to get on with their important<br />
and lifesaving work.<br />
Cyclone Larry<br />
Early on 20 March 2006, tropical Cyclone Larry crossed the North<br />
Queensland coast, lashing small communities with 290km-an-hour winds<br />
and leaving behind a trail of destruction.<br />
This disaster quickly turned into one of Australia’s largest scale<br />
emergencies. <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> responded by mobilising teams of staff and<br />
volunteers into the field on a 24 hour basis and drawing upon a national<br />
base of staff and volunteers in a truly unified approach.<br />
Executive Director of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in Queensland, Greg Goebel, said<br />
cooperation with government and other emergency agencies was the<br />
starting point for a successful working partnership as recovery efforts got<br />
underway. <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> mobilised over 80 staff from offices around Australia.<br />
Over 700 people responded to <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ call for volunteers. Of those,<br />
430 were sent to the disaster area.<br />
44 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> staff and<br />
21 volunteers based at Police<br />
Headquarters in Brisbane received<br />
4,434 inquiries regarding missing<br />
persons.<br />
Over 60,000 kilometres were<br />
travelled by staff and volunteers<br />
during the relief effort.<br />
Outreach teams made 3,000 visits<br />
across 30 towns, distributed 1,500<br />
food parcels and made 135 referrals<br />
to other agencies.<br />
Image: <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers<br />
setting up evacuation centres.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P18
Profile<br />
David Marks lends a hand<br />
In the aftermarth of Cyclone Larry,<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Disaster Services<br />
Coordinator from Tasmania,<br />
David Marks, joined forces with other<br />
staff and volunteers in the Innisfail area.<br />
David’s role was to help man an<br />
evacuation centre during the evenings,<br />
registering evacuees and identifying their<br />
needs. David and a group of volunteers<br />
also went doorknocking in the area to<br />
see if anyone needed help. In one<br />
instance, an elderly woman had lost<br />
power to her home and was recovering<br />
from a recent stroke, so a hot shower at<br />
the evacuation centre and a shoulder to<br />
lean on came at just the right time.<br />
Image: David inspecting<br />
an abandoned home in<br />
Innisfail.<br />
Tunbridge Dam – pressure mounting<br />
Late on Friday 14 October 2005,<br />
the Tunbridge Irrigation Dam in the<br />
midlands of Tasmania, north of Hobart,<br />
began to show signs of cracking.<br />
At full capacity, the earth-filled dam can<br />
store approximately 6,800 mega litres.<br />
It has a surface area of 69 hectares,<br />
with walls as high as 28 metres.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> was activated by the<br />
Department of Health & Human<br />
Services to assist with registering<br />
evacuees in the region. In the hours<br />
that followed, around 40 people living<br />
close to the dam were evacuated from<br />
their properties to the safety of the<br />
nearby football ground and given<br />
shelter.<br />
Katherine Floods<br />
After hundreds were forced to flee flood<br />
waters, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> helped establish an<br />
evacuation centre at Katherine High<br />
School, providing shelter and food to<br />
almost 700 evacuees.<br />
Susanne Brown, of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in<br />
Katherine, said the response to the<br />
flood highlighted the strength of the<br />
community to work together in times<br />
of crisis. 'While our effort required<br />
significant input from staff and<br />
volunteers, we were just one of many<br />
agencies working together in tough<br />
conditions. This is an excellent example<br />
of how this tight-knit community bands<br />
together to take care of each other.’<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers also operated<br />
the National Registration and Inquiry<br />
System, capturing the details of<br />
those who were evacuated from<br />
flood-affected areas and ensuring<br />
that loved ones were able to keep<br />
abreast of their movements. In total,<br />
1,120 registrations were taken from<br />
the four evacuation centres.<br />
Emergency Management Australia<br />
Grants<br />
A number of national and state-based<br />
projects have been funded under<br />
Emergency Management Australia<br />
Local Grants and National Emergency<br />
Volunteer Support Fund Grant<br />
schemes. These projects will enable<br />
further development of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
work in areas including:<br />
management of spontaneous<br />
volunteers involved in post-disaster<br />
relief and recovery activity<br />
personal support<br />
equipping volunteers for activation<br />
volunteer recruitment<br />
Vulnerable Persons Program<br />
in <strong>Australian</strong> Capital Territory.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P19
Emergencies overseas<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has worked<br />
with a number of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and<br />
<strong>Red</strong> Crescent societies to provide<br />
disaster relief to those hardest hit by<br />
emergencies across the globe this year.<br />
Pakistan<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> supported long-term recovery efforts in the areas worst hit<br />
by the Pakistan earthquake on 8 October 2005 by launching the Asia Earthquake<br />
Appeal and deploying 22 aid workers to the region.<br />
According to official estimates, the disaster left at least 73,000 people dead,<br />
128,000 injured and some 3.5 million homeless. It devastated 30,000 square<br />
kilometres, primarily in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the North West Frontier<br />
Province. Over 70 per cent of dwellings in the affected areas were destroyed,<br />
with those left standing often damaged in some way. A total of 365 hospitals<br />
and basic health care units were ruined.<br />
During the initial emergency phase of the operation, the International <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Movement provided assistance to over 960,000 people in North<br />
West Frontier Province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This involved 18,000<br />
tonnes of aid, such as 70,000 winterised tents and 466,000 blankets. In addition,<br />
approximately 227,000 patients received medical assistance at <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
Crescent emergency response units, field hospitals and mobile health facilities.<br />
Image: Barber Shop – Shattered by<br />
the earthquake, life goes on for the people<br />
of Balakot, once a popular alpine tourist<br />
destination in Pakistan’s North West Frontier<br />
Province.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P20<br />
Ian Woolverton/Federation
Indonesia<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has continued<br />
to support Indonesia, through its<br />
long-term collaboration with the<br />
Indonesian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and disaster<br />
management support.<br />
Ian Woolverton/Federation<br />
The strength of this collaborative<br />
response to emergencies was<br />
highlighted when an earthquake hit<br />
Yogyakarta on 27 May 2006, killing<br />
more than 5,740 people and leaving<br />
over one million homeless.<br />
The <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> response to the quake<br />
was swift and decisive, according to<br />
the CEO of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>,<br />
Robert Tickner.<br />
'More than 400 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers<br />
and staff were immediately deployed to<br />
the quake zone, along with <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
medical experts and a rapid<br />
assessment team,' he said.<br />
'As ever, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and the global<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> family stands as one to<br />
provide meaningful and lasting<br />
support to the people of Indonesia<br />
and our sister society, the Indonesian<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.'<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> launched the 'Indonesian<br />
Disaster Appeal’ in support of the<br />
global emergency appeal of the<br />
International Federation of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Societies on<br />
29 May 2006.<br />
Image: Health coordinator, Norma McRae, works eighteen-hour days to ensure <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> Crescent health teams from all over the world direct assistance where it is needed most.<br />
Sudan – the forgotten crisis<br />
With the number of displaced people increasing four-fold since 2004, Sudan<br />
remains the largest operation worldwide for the International Commitee of the<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> (ICRC), largely because of the ongoing violence in Darfur.<br />
Working with the ICRC and Sudanese <strong>Red</strong> Crescent, <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and<br />
the British <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> provide basic health services, feeding centres for severely<br />
malnourished children and rehabilitation of clean drinking water to some 100,000<br />
internally displaced people around Gereida in South Sudan.<br />
Funds raised by International Emergency Appeals<br />
Funds raised and spent as at 30 June 2006<br />
Includes donations from the public and government grants from AusAID<br />
8,443,598<br />
7,749,334<br />
funds raised<br />
funds spent<br />
1,582,354<br />
1,083,910<br />
1,077,980<br />
598,425<br />
612,949<br />
421,010<br />
545,978 545,978<br />
331,625 200,000<br />
Asia Earthquake<br />
(Pakistan)<br />
Indonesia Darfur Niger Hurricane Katrina Timor Leste<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P21
Aid workers overseas<br />
In times of crisis, conflict and disaster<br />
around the world, one of the priorities<br />
of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is to rapidly<br />
deploy aid workers to those areas.<br />
With little more than the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
emblem for protection, these highly<br />
trained women and men work to relieve<br />
suffering alongside partners, staff and<br />
volunteers of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong><br />
Crescent National Societies around<br />
the world.<br />
Australia’s exceptional array of aid<br />
workers is drawn from every state<br />
and territory. While all have proven<br />
experience in their chosen fields, other<br />
qualities that are essential in a <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> aid worker include compassion,<br />
highly developed conflict resolution and<br />
negotiation skills, the capacity to<br />
handle extreme stress, the ability to<br />
adapt to different environments and<br />
cultures and a true empathy with the<br />
fundamental principles of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
)<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P22<br />
Afghanistan • Agnes Marie Beaton-Health • Kirrily Anne Clarke-Surgical Ward Nurse • Margaret May<br />
Duncan-Hubbs-Health • Elizabeth (Avril) Patterson-Teaching Nurse • Nerissa Walton-Hygiene Promoter Angola<br />
• Jessica Lee Letch-Tracing Burundi • Marc Beuniche-Agronomist • Philippa (Pip) Jane Nicholson-Health<br />
Cambodia • Scott Andrew Tind Simmons-Head of Delegation China • Jean Allen-Primary Health Care<br />
• Kathryn Clarkson-Water & Sanitation • Penny Elghady-HIV/AIDS Evaluation Consultant • Glenn King-HIV Technical Advisor<br />
• Margaret Leigh Richardson-Health • Nicola Michelle Slavin-CBDP Evaluation • Kenneth David Swann-Advisor<br />
Congo • Rebecca Dodd-Detention East Timor • Matija Barisic-Tracing & Detention • Marek Jakub Komarzynski-Water<br />
& Sanitation Eritrea • Hamish Lindsay-Tracing Ethiopia • Kerry Page-Health • Aengus Ryan-Water & Habitat Engineer<br />
• Catherine Patricia Salmon-Health • Sarah Jan Wilson-Economic Security Coordinator Fiji • Martin Blackgrove-Technical<br />
Advisor • Martin Blackgrove-Regional Disaster Manager • Elizabeth Kennedy-Pacific HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor<br />
Indonesia • Ahmose Abrahim-Logistican • Don Atkinson-Water & Sanitation Coordinator • Amara Bains-Consultant<br />
• Javier Barrera-Liaison & Head of Mission • Elizabeth (Libby) Anne Bowell-Health • Elizabeth (Libby) Anne Bowell-Health<br />
Coordinator • Margaret Anne Brewster-Field Nurse • Phillip Chapman-Construction Project Manager • Phillip James<br />
Charlesworth-Office Manager • Phillip James Charlesworth-Head of Sub Delegation • Brian Clark-Laboratory Technician<br />
• Kerrie Collett-Finance • Sarah Mair Davies-Water and Sanitation • Claire Jane Davis-Coordination • Jelma De La Pena-Head<br />
of Office • Marc Dickens-Logistics Coordinator • Paul Drossou-Livelihood • Alejandra Judith Efron-Logistican<br />
• Andrew Gardiner-Head of Office • Michael Hodges-Water & Sanitation • Valerie Mary Hunnam-Administration • Valerie Mary<br />
Hunnam-Head of Support Services • Kathleen (Kate) Introna-Health • David Jones-Technical Advisor / Blood<br />
• Steve Joske-Country Manager • Patrick Timothy Keenan-Surgeon • Marek Jakub Komarzynski-Water & Sanitation<br />
• Michael John Lynch-Country Manager • Valerie Malka-Surgeon • Maria Ascension Martinez-Program Manager<br />
• Amanda Louise McClelland-Health • Lynne McCormack-Psycho / Social Evaluator • Leanne McKenry-Field Nurse<br />
• Karen Medica-Blood Projects Manager • Damien Morley-Construction • David Brian Mullany-Finance • Linda O'Brien-Heath<br />
• Gregory (Greg) Marcus Platt-Logistics & Security • Gregory (Greg) Marcus Platt-Logistics Coordinator • Jodie Ranford-First<br />
Aid • Anthony Reidpath-Logistics Coordinator • Gajan Sivandran-Water & Sanitation • Jean Spinks-Medical Logistics<br />
Ivory Coast • Nicole Wendy Hogg-Polyvalent Kenya • Ruth Bullen-Heath • Kamaran Dogramaci-Logistics Coordinator<br />
• Feonagh Campbell Cooke-EPI Seminar Facilitator • Ruth Jebb-Surgical Ward Nurse • Kathleen Agnes Loadsman-Ward Nurse<br />
• Tererai Peter Matambo-Operating Theatre Nurse • Debbie Jane Rickard-Surgical Ward Nurse • Catherine Patricia Salmon-<br />
Health • Sandra Maree White-Medical Logistician Liberia • Kirrily Anne Clarke-Health • Jennifer Anne Crump-Economic<br />
Security Coordinator • Noela Isobel Rae Davies-Health • Bronwyn Jackson-Medical Logistics • Kirsty Maree Jones-Water<br />
& Sanitation • Jacqui Symonds-WATHAB Hygiene Promoter Malaysia • Lynne Antcliffe-Tracing • Anna Jenkins-Tracing<br />
Maldives • Anthony Simon (Tony) Belcher-Water & Sanitation • Selina Chan-Water & Sanitation • Kathryn Clarkson-Water<br />
& Sanitation Coordinator • Gordon Thomas Ewers-Waste Management Technician • Kerry Gartland-Community Liaison<br />
Assistant • Kirsty Maree Jones-Waste Management Technician • Rachael Louise Siddall-Community Liaison & Team Leader<br />
Mongolia • Allan McDonald-Logistics Myanmar • Bridget Margaret Gardner-Head Of Delegation • Jennifer Jolly-Health<br />
• Anne Elizabeth Winborne-Health Pakistan • Margaret Anne Brewster-Surgical Ward Nurse • Brendan John Christie-<br />
Mechanic • Claire Patricia Collins-Medical Logistician • Mary-Ellen Fitzpatrick-Logistican • Christine Gail Foletti-Team Leader<br />
• Warren Thomas Fryer-Water & Sanitation • Anita Svea Gouthro-Health • Patrick Gralike-Water & Sanitation Engineer<br />
• Patricia Harrod-Operating Theatre Nurse • Nola Robyn Henry-Surgical Ward Nurse • Vernon Hill-Technical Advisor
5 workers<br />
Afghanistan (5)<br />
Pakistan (24)<br />
Serbia and<br />
Montenegro (2)<br />
Mongolia (1)<br />
China (7)<br />
Myanmar (3)<br />
Ivory<br />
Coast (1)<br />
Senegal (1)<br />
Liberia (6)<br />
1 worker<br />
Congo (1)<br />
Angola (1)<br />
Sudan<br />
(26)<br />
Ethiopia (4)<br />
Kenya (9)<br />
Burundi (2)<br />
Eritrea (1)<br />
Tibet (4)<br />
Sri Lanka<br />
(25)<br />
Maldives (7)<br />
Thailand (4)<br />
Vietnam & Laos (1)<br />
Indonesia (43)<br />
East<br />
Timor (2)<br />
Cambodia (1)<br />
Papua New Guinea (3)<br />
Solomon<br />
Islands (1)<br />
Palm Fiji (3)<br />
Island (1)<br />
3 2<br />
workers 4<br />
Malaysia (2)<br />
workers<br />
• Megan Kentish-Technical Advisor • Leanne McKenry-Senior Surgical Ward Nurse • Norma Ellen McRae-FACT Health<br />
• Nicolas Morgan-Water & Sanitation • Denise Leonie Moyle-Surgical Ward Nurse • Kim Maree Ritter-Surgical Ward Nurse<br />
• Allison Rogers-Technical Advisor • Angela Maree Russell-Surgical Ward Nurse • Gillian Small-Health • Margaret Ann Staff-<br />
6+<br />
Head Nurse • Denise May Tyler-Health • Hang Vo-Tracing • Michael Whittle-Shelter Coordinator Palm Island • Robert Leo<br />
Handby-Water & Sanitation Papua New Guinea • Teresa Ann Carney-ARC HIV Technical Advisor • Michael John Higginson-<br />
Organisational Development • Barbara Elizabeth Watson-Branch Development Assessor Senegal • Pascal Alain Rigaldies-<br />
Regional Program Coordinator Serbia & Montenegro • Tanya Cugura-Tracing • Natacha Helene Emerson-Protection<br />
Solomon Islands • Deidre Ballinger-Health Sri Lanka • Susan (Sue) Helen Allan-Destruction Assessor • Barry Armstrong-<br />
Program Coordinator • Steen Axelsen-Finance • Leigh Burgess-Water & Sanitation • Rebecca Dodd-Head of Office • Caroline<br />
May Dunn-Cooperation • Gordon Thomas Ewers-Water & Sanitation • David Fair-Program Coordinator • Mary-Ellen Fitzpatrick-<br />
Logistics • Barbara Joy Ford-Health Coordinator • Patricia Harrod-Operating Theatre Nurse • Robert Ljubicic-Construction<br />
• Brian Anthony McNamara-Health • Simon Morton-Water & Sanitation • Frances Ann Murphy-Health • Kefa Otieno Owino-<br />
Field Coordinator • Kerry Page-Heath • Byron Pakula-Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting• Satyanarayana Pallagani-Water<br />
& Sanitation • Kannan Pasupathiraj-Construction Coordinator • Gabriel Salas-Water & Sanitation • Paul Shanahan-Head of<br />
Sub-Office & Field Coordinator • Ian Charles Stephan-Livelihoods • Saranya Tangwongkit-Organisational Development<br />
• Gamini Walisinghe-Finance Sudan • Alison Ager-Health • Nicole Rae Batch-Tracing • Maureen Patricia Bennett-Head Nurse<br />
• Louise Catherine Broomhead-Nutritionist • Anne Carey-Health • Claire Jane Davis-Logistican • Hilary Jane Floate-Health<br />
• Desley French-Health • Catherine Fry-Health • Anne-Maree Furner-Surgical Ward Nurse • Bernadette (Detta) Jocelyn<br />
Gleeson-Health • Michael John Higginson-Program Coordinator • Michael Hodges-Water & Habitat Engineer • Dianne Kay<br />
Hodgson-Health • Barbara McMaster-Teaching Nurse • Denise Leonie Moyle-Economic Security • Katrina Neville-Tracing<br />
• Jester (Jessie) Nzenza-Kanhutu-Nutritionist • Miranda Odam-Health • Debbie Jane Rickard-Operating Theatre Nurse<br />
• Tracey Leanne Roberson-Surgical Ward Nurse • Ella Ann Scott-Surgical Ward Nurse • Denise May Tyler-Health<br />
• Louise Vuillermin-Hospital Project Manager • Sandra Maree White-Medical Logistician • Megan Maree Wingrave-Nutritionist<br />
Thailand • Michael Peter Annear-Head of Regional Risk Management • Robert Baldwin-Program Manager HIV/AIDS<br />
• Victoria Layton Bannon-IDRL Program Coordinator • Elden Chamberlain-Project Manager Tibet • Catherine Barker-Team<br />
Leader • Mark Duncan-Manager & Program Administrator • Damien Morgan-HIV/AIDS Coordinator • Eleanor Sullivan-Primary<br />
Health Care Coordinator Vietnam & Laos • Neil Poetschka-HIV Technical Advisor<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P23
Aid workers<br />
During the past year, <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> aid workers have played a<br />
greater role than ever before in<br />
supporting humanitarian efforts in fields<br />
such as health/medical, nutrition, water<br />
and sanitation.<br />
Nutritionist, Megan Wingrave, has just<br />
returned from Gereida, Sudan, where<br />
she worked in a camp for displaced<br />
people. ‘Since February there have<br />
been more and more people trickling<br />
into the camp because of the conflict,<br />
or problems with the harvest due to the<br />
conflict,’ she says. Despite peace<br />
negotiations there has been an<br />
escalation of fighting near Gereida<br />
town, which has forced more civilians<br />
to seek shelter at the camp. This has<br />
increased pressure on the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
which is providing displaced people<br />
with water, shelter, food and household<br />
goods as well as basic healthcare.<br />
Megan previously worked with remote<br />
aboriginal communities in Australia but<br />
she found the challenges in Darfur<br />
unique. ‘The difficulties people face are<br />
very real. I would hear the women<br />
discuss their concerns about feeding<br />
their families. They wanted to go into<br />
the forest to get more food but they felt<br />
afraid to go’ she said.<br />
Boris Heger/ICRC<br />
Image: <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> distributes water and runs a field clinic and feeding centres in this<br />
internally displaced persons camp in Gereida.<br />
Image: Scott Tind<br />
Simmons chatting<br />
with villagers in<br />
Cambodia.<br />
Profile<br />
Passion for helping people<br />
leads to 15-year career<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> aid worker Scott Tind<br />
Simmons’ journey from Brisbane to<br />
Phnom Penh has been a 15-year<br />
odyssey since starting his career at<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in Queensland in the 90s<br />
helping people with disabilities find work.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
‘Often people just need a bit of help to get started and then they’re totally able to take care of themselves,’ he says.<br />
Later, Scott’s career took him farther afield to the conflict in Bosnia, where he was responsible for getting relief supplies<br />
to people cut off from services by the fighting. It was this experience, Scott says, that first showed him the global power<br />
of the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> emblem. ‘We used to travel to the front line with the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> clearly marked on our convoys’,<br />
he says. ‘We had an unfailing belief that the warring parties understood what the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> was and what it stood for.<br />
It’s completely unique. It was our only protection.’<br />
Since Bosnia, Scott has had an enormously varied career in far-flung places including Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Montenegro,<br />
and now Cambodia, where he is the Head of Delegation for the International Federation of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Societies.<br />
Cambodia is another nation attempting to emerge from the shadow of years of conflict and Scott believes that his work there,<br />
and the work of the local Cambodian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, can help people cope with the spectre of issues including land mines, natural<br />
disasters and HIV/AIDS.<br />
Scott is sure that his knowledge and experience of working with <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in Queensland is now one of his best assets<br />
while working closely with National Societies abroad.<br />
P24
Pacific, Timor-Leste and Indonesia<br />
Sixty per cent of the world’s natural disasters occur in the Pacific. Couple this with isolation and the region’s high population<br />
density in coastal areas and you get an urgent need to prepare for disaster. With this in mind, the focus of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong>’ work in the Pacific has been on preparing for disasters as well as developing health projects.<br />
Being prepared<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is working on a region-wide<br />
Disaster Preparedness Project<br />
supported by AusAID, aimed at helping<br />
vulnerable communities prepare and<br />
respond to disasters.<br />
Solomon Islands<br />
Since 2000, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and AusAID<br />
have been working with the Solomon<br />
Islands <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in disaster<br />
management. During the year local<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers and staff took<br />
part in emergency planning and worked<br />
with rural communities to work on their<br />
vulnerabilities.<br />
A community-based health awareness<br />
program is also targeting isolated<br />
communities on the island of Malaita<br />
and the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal<br />
to increase awareness of basic hygiene<br />
and sanitation, community-based first<br />
aid, malaria and HIV/AIDS.<br />
Pacific Regional HIV/AIDS Program<br />
In an effort to address the very real<br />
threat of HIV in the region, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
and AusAID funded a Pacific <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
meeting attended by nine countries<br />
and six World Aids Day events.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> also supported the training<br />
of nine peer educators from Micronesia<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Society and 29 peer<br />
educators from Cook Islands <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> Society on issues relating to<br />
sexuality and high-risk sexual<br />
behaviours and in turn, were able to<br />
teach around 250 young people each<br />
month. In Kiribati, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> supported<br />
an HIV program which used drama and<br />
peer education to reduce HIV<br />
transmission, with 12 youth peer<br />
educators reaching around 150 young<br />
people each month.<br />
Papua New Guinea<br />
On World AIDS Day in December 2005, Papua New Guinea <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> held events<br />
in seven provinces, reaching 3,000 people as part of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ HIV<br />
advocacy, prevention, care and support program. A total of 50 local <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
volunteers were trained in advocacy and others in basic counselling to provide<br />
support for people living with HIV and AIDS.<br />
During the severe flooding in Bougainville in August 2005 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> provided<br />
shelter for 300 families and continued to house over 300 households uprooted<br />
by the Manam and Langila volcano eruptions of 2004.<br />
Timor-Leste<br />
2006 has been a difficult year for the people of the world’s newest nation,<br />
Timor-Leste. Floods in the Oecussi districts and civil unrest have interrupted<br />
the development work of the Timor-Leste <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Society. In spite of these<br />
setbacks, together <strong>Australian</strong> and Timor-Leste <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> have delivered<br />
emergency assistance during the crises and continue to work on sustainable<br />
development projects.<br />
This year, two water and sanitation projects in Baucau and Manatuto districts have<br />
provided water and sanitation facilities in tandem with community-based health<br />
awareness. These projects are crucial in this young nation where barely half the<br />
population has access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> also supports HIV awareness in the eastern district of<br />
Lautem. This project has attracted an impressive level of active engagement by<br />
young people who have enthusiastically taken on the roles of peer educators.<br />
Indonesia<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> continues to support Indonesia by working with the<br />
Indonesian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in both emergency situations and long-term disaster<br />
management. The ‘Enhancing Disaster Management Capacity Project’, established<br />
in the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombing has continued to strengthen local <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> disaster management planning in the most disaster-prone regions of Bali.<br />
Activities this year included school awareness programs and training of emergency<br />
response volunteers. Local staff in Bali are known throughout the Indonesian<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> for their disaster management expertise and now provide training<br />
across the country.<br />
Image: Residents of Komate in Solomon<br />
Islands at a hygiene and sanitation workshop.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P25
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea<br />
In partnership with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and the International Federation,<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has helped vulnerable communities deal with the impact of disasters.<br />
Over 5,000 local volunteers are now trained in community-based disaster preparedness principles. Disaster mitigation activities<br />
have included reinforcing embankments, adjusting waterways and reforestation work to reduce vulnerability to floods and<br />
landslides during the wet season.<br />
Mongolia<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has been working<br />
with Mongolian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> to develop<br />
their HIV program. Youth peer<br />
education has helped young people<br />
to adopt safer lifestyles and reduce<br />
stigma and discrimination against<br />
people living with HIV and AIDS<br />
(PLWHA). In the past year, 310 youth<br />
peer educators were trained, and<br />
reached over 6,000 others. Educating<br />
the media on the issues of stigma and<br />
discrimination, and developing outreach<br />
services and support have also been<br />
key activities. The establishment of<br />
regional disaster preparedness centres<br />
in the most disaster-prone provinces<br />
has enabled Mongolian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> to<br />
encourage isolated populations to<br />
incorporate disaster preparedness<br />
activities into their lives.<br />
Myanmar<br />
Reaching out to urban settlements and<br />
rural villages and working with ethnic<br />
communities to address common health<br />
problems has raised the visibility of local<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers in the Myanmar<br />
area.<br />
In the past year, 44 peer educators<br />
spread the word to 4,500 people<br />
about health issues and HIV. Malaria<br />
campaigns in 30 villages reached over<br />
2,500 people. Improved water systems<br />
were developed in four villages, and over<br />
470 sanitary latrines were constructed<br />
in 30 villages.<br />
China – Tibet<br />
Tibet Health Sector Support Program<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, in partnership<br />
with Burnet Institute, is implementing<br />
the AusAID funded Tibet Health Sector<br />
Support Program. This includes a<br />
seminar series on problems<br />
encountered in the health sector, the<br />
opening of a regional Blood Centre in<br />
Lhasa, training for emergency maternal<br />
and neo-natal care, and training for HIV<br />
testing for staff at a health centre also<br />
in Lhasa.<br />
Two study tour groups examined the<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> system of health regulation<br />
and management of health services.<br />
Although participants believed that<br />
different approaches might need to be<br />
adopted in Tibet, the essential principles<br />
could very well remain. Another study<br />
tour helped government officials in Laos<br />
and Cambodia understand the impact<br />
of HIV.<br />
‘Before coming on this study tour we<br />
paid very little attention to HIV. I had<br />
no concept of my responsibility for<br />
HIV prevention. Now I understand<br />
better the potential impact of HIV<br />
on the community and feel that … HIV<br />
prevention is urgently needed in Tibet…’<br />
Mr Danor, Tourism Bureau<br />
Tibet <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Since 2003, the Tibet <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
branch has been recruiting and<br />
mobilising blood donors with support<br />
from <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
To date, a Blood Donor Support Group<br />
has been established at Tibet University<br />
with plans to establish more groups.<br />
Trained volunteers mobilise donors for<br />
blood and get involved in mass<br />
awareness campaigns.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P26<br />
K Dias/<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>
China – Xinjiang<br />
<strong>Red</strong>ucing the spread of HIV/AIDS<br />
The youth peer education program<br />
which began in 1999 has broadened to<br />
include projects in Urumqi city and Yili<br />
prefecture covering positive peer<br />
education (PE+), self care for people<br />
living with HIV/AIDS, treatment<br />
preparedness and various prevention<br />
programs.<br />
China – Yunnan<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has worked<br />
closely with the Yunnan <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
branch for almost a decade.<br />
Activities include peer education for<br />
youth and for people living with<br />
HIV/AIDS, self-care workshops and<br />
community awareness-raising activities,<br />
such as drama performances and<br />
World AIDS Day events.<br />
Yunnan <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has established<br />
Sunshine Homeland, a communitybased<br />
organisation run by and for<br />
people living with HIV/AIDS, providing a<br />
range of services including informal<br />
counselling.<br />
Asia Regional<br />
<strong>Red</strong>ucing discrimination<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is managing the<br />
Asia Regional AIDS Network project<br />
which combats stigma and<br />
discrimination in Cambodia and<br />
Mongolia. This project will provide a<br />
platform for positive people to have<br />
their own safe institutional spaces, and<br />
to advocate for changes within their<br />
own communities.<br />
During the past decade, <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has supported local <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> Societies so that each now<br />
has a planned approach to HIV/AIDS<br />
response as well as strong connections<br />
to positive volunteers and staff.<br />
Outreach programs continue to inform<br />
and educate communities whose<br />
attitudes may still marginalise those<br />
who are positive.<br />
Other programs range from youth peer<br />
education on prevention to targeted<br />
education with commercial sex<br />
workers, intravenous drug users and<br />
men who have sex with men. <strong>Cross</strong>border<br />
and transitory populations have<br />
also been targeted.<br />
Laos<br />
The HIV/AIDS program in Laos reached<br />
a significant turning point in 2006 when<br />
daily program management was<br />
handed over to Laos <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> continues to<br />
support the program which provides<br />
health care and community support to<br />
people living with HIV/AIDS.<br />
The establishment of a local<br />
organisation for people living with<br />
HIV/AIDS has been instrumental to<br />
these aims. This is one of the few<br />
non-government organisations<br />
authorised to operate in Laos.<br />
We have also continued to work<br />
with Laos <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> to construct<br />
480 household latrines and six village<br />
water systems for 2,000 people in<br />
remote mountainous areas inhabited<br />
by ethnic minorities.<br />
Cambodia<br />
With a <strong>report</strong>ed infection rate of<br />
1.9 per cent, Cambodia has the highest<br />
HIV/AIDS prevalence in the region.<br />
It also has one of the most successful<br />
responses to lowering the rate.<br />
Through a new program trial aimed at<br />
working with transient workers,<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> will also support<br />
Cambodian <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in trialling a new<br />
water storage technique in three<br />
villages where ground water is saltcontaminated.<br />
Village communities are<br />
taught to construct rainwater tanks,<br />
which enables males to work in their<br />
own community. Neighbouring villages<br />
have approached Cambodian <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> to request the project be<br />
extended to their communities.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P27
Tracing<br />
Image: Jackson and <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> case<br />
worker Amy Lees.<br />
Restoring family links for people<br />
separated by conflict and disaster<br />
Where family members have been<br />
separated as a result of armed conflict<br />
or disaster, <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> aims<br />
to provide assistance and support<br />
through restoring contact and providing<br />
information about the fate of missing<br />
persons. To achieve this, we work with<br />
180 tracing agencies around the world,<br />
all part of the International <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
and <strong>Red</strong> Crescent Movement.<br />
In the past twelve months, eleven<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> aid workers have been<br />
deployed in places such as Sudan,<br />
East Timor, Pakistan, Angola, Balkans<br />
and Eritrea.<br />
Case study<br />
Mum found thanks to <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> message<br />
When Jackson first spoke to his mother he could hardly understand her through<br />
the crying. ‘She was crying because she was hoping that maybe one day I would<br />
come back – every day she was expecting I would come back and now I was on<br />
the phone.’ Thanks to the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> International Tracing Refugee and<br />
Asylum Seekers Service in Adelaide, Jackson’s family was able to piece together<br />
their lives and reconnect after years of separation brought about by civil war.<br />
Jackson and his mother were separated in 1993 when, with his mother unable to<br />
afford schooling after his father’s death in the Congo conflict, Jackson went to live<br />
with his uncle. They escaped more fighting and fled to a refugee camp in Uganda<br />
in 2001, but lost touch with Jackson’s mother and siblings. Jackson migrated to<br />
Australia as a refugee in 2004 with his uncle’s family and with no knowledge of the<br />
welfare of the family he left behind.<br />
After a school visit from the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, Jackson asked for their help to trace<br />
his mother. A case was opened and eventually <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> messages found their<br />
way across war-ravaged and fractured communities to his sister and mother<br />
in a remote village in Goma, on the border of Rwanda and the Congo, and then<br />
back to Jackson in Adelaide.<br />
Jackson is now able to make phone calls, send and receive <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> messages<br />
and photographs from his family in the Congo. To Jackson, this means everything.<br />
Now he is set on a career in medicine, is focussed on helping to support his family<br />
and he hopes to see them all again in the future. ‘And I’m learning to drive!’ he<br />
says with a cheeky grin.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P28
Telecross<br />
Every day over 5,000 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers make a reassuring call to an elderly<br />
person or someone frail and isolated to make sure they’re alright as part of the<br />
Telecross service.<br />
Trained volunteers ring at an agreed time each day and if the call goes unanswered,<br />
an emergency contact will then check on their welfare. In the last year, demand for<br />
the service has increased significantly. In Western Australia, the Telecross service was<br />
listed for a Community Services Industry Award by the Department for Community<br />
Development.<br />
Profile<br />
Home Visitor Volunteer<br />
When Angela had a car accident<br />
several years ago and suffered a severe<br />
brain injury, her life changed forever.<br />
Now she lives with her sister who is her<br />
full-time carer, but every fortnight for<br />
the past two years she has received a<br />
visit from Eva, a Home Visitor volunteer.<br />
The Volunteer Home Visitor Service in<br />
Canberra matches volunteers like Eva<br />
with isolated members of the Canberra<br />
Community. Eva visits Angela for seven<br />
or eight hours every two weeks –<br />
considerably more than the one hour<br />
required of visitors with the program.<br />
During their time together Eva and<br />
Angela either go to the movies, have<br />
lunch, go shopping, which Angela<br />
loves, or they take a drive in the<br />
country or to the local nursery.<br />
Case study<br />
Regions to benefit from<br />
Telecross calls<br />
People in regional and remote areas<br />
in South Australia will have access to<br />
Telecross with the expansion of its<br />
service to Port Lincoln Regional Centre.<br />
Specialist technology and partnering<br />
with Guide Dogs Association of South<br />
Australia and Northern Territory have<br />
also increased the reach of Telecross<br />
to include people with a sensory<br />
impairment.<br />
Currently, almost 15 per cent of South<br />
Australia’s population is over the age of<br />
65, a figure expected to double to<br />
around 30 per cent of the state’s<br />
population by 2051.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P29
Good Start Breakfast Club<br />
Good Start Breakfast Clubs, run in partnership with Sanitarium – The Health Food Company, aim to help kids get the best out of<br />
school by providing a healthy and nutritious start to the day. Last year, 130 clubs across Australia served close to 400,000 meals<br />
with the support of around 1,500 volunteers, government, the community and a range of local businesses and corporations.<br />
Case study<br />
Ten schools in Victoria joined the program in the past year,<br />
including three of the Victorian Prep to 12 Colleges of Koorie Education<br />
which specialise in education for indigenous students.<br />
Student energy levels and behaviour have greatly improved since Breakfast Clubs<br />
were introduced at schools in Mildura, Woolum Bellum and Swan Hill says Woolum<br />
Bellum school principal, Iain Luck. ‘To say the Breakfast Club has been successful<br />
so far is an understatement.’ Already, we have noticed much higher levels of<br />
concentration, energy and enthusiasm across all year levels. Classroom behaviour<br />
management has improved out of sight, as have our dealings with the kids in the<br />
yard, at recesses, and during lunch breaks. ‘Relationships are flourishing between<br />
the students and teachers, as well as between the students themselves. One thing<br />
is abundantly clear. Kids who are appropriately nourished are much<br />
easier to teach.’<br />
Profile<br />
Breakfast Club Volunteer<br />
Making an impact is certainly what motivates 21-year-old Diana Khezeqia,<br />
a Breakfast Club volunteer in South Sydney. Alongside other young volunteers,<br />
Diana helps feed children who may otherwise go hungry. In Breakfast Clubs across<br />
New South Wales, there are approximately 500 volunteers per month who dedicate<br />
their time towards helping young children, by providing a healthy breakfast. Diana's<br />
charitable work is in addition to a very busy schedule – she has completed full time<br />
study at University of Western Sydney while working part time. However, that<br />
doesn't stop Diana taking the time to invent food experiments for the young<br />
children in her Breakfast Club to promote discussion around healthy eating. Now<br />
she and other young volunteers intend to lobby local businesses to help the local<br />
Breakfast Club. ‘It's hard to fit everything into my timetable, but the personal<br />
rewards of volunteering are worth it,’ Diana says. ‘It's the simple reward of getting<br />
outside the square that I live in and obtaining a different perspective on what life's<br />
about, and not being caught up in trivialities. It's also good to be part of a<br />
respected worldwide organisation such as the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>. Young people often do<br />
lead busy lives, but we still need to gain a bigger understanding of the world<br />
around us, and volunteering helps us do that.’<br />
Demand continues to grow rapidly,<br />
with a 25 per cent increase in Breakfast<br />
Clubs this year and plans for further<br />
expansion with the inclusion of Western<br />
Australia and the <strong>Australian</strong> Capital<br />
Territory in the coming year.<br />
Some of the <strong>report</strong>ed benefits have<br />
been:<br />
increased concentration and<br />
behaviour from the children in class<br />
positive impacts on school<br />
attendance rates and punctuality<br />
increased school community<br />
positive social and nutritional<br />
awareness and behaviour<br />
a decrease in crime in highly<br />
disadvantaged areas<br />
improvements in health.<br />
In South Australia Breakfast Clubs<br />
were launched in October 2004.<br />
Since that time, 11 Breakfast Clubs<br />
have opened across metropolitan<br />
Adelaide and in rural and remote areas.<br />
An additional Breakfast Club is to open<br />
on the APY Lands in the state’s Far<br />
North West in an Aboriginal community<br />
at Fregon and in the rural Davenport<br />
Aboriginal Community.<br />
Image: A Healthy Start to the day – Crows<br />
players Marty Matner, Scott Welsh and<br />
Nathan Bassett “adopt” Hendon Primary<br />
School Breakfast Club in South Australia.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P30
First Aid, Health and Safety Services<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> – the world’s largest supplier of first aid training<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> First Aid, Health and Safety Services provide a vital<br />
service to the community, equipping people with the knowledge and skills to<br />
respond to emergencies in the workplace, in their homes or in their communities.<br />
Throughout the year, first aid training was delivered to over 90,000 individuals.<br />
As a member of the <strong>Australian</strong> Resuscitation Council, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> actively<br />
participated in the international review of CPR techniques and the presentation of<br />
new guidelines for use in Australia.<br />
Courses provided by <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> were subsequently rewritten to incorporate the new<br />
guidelines and changes to the health training package. All courses now include<br />
defibrillation training. The training scope has been expanded to include Occupational<br />
Health and Safety, Mental Health First Aid and other related courses.<br />
Sales of first aid kits, products and publications have increased through the<br />
development of new customer relationships and the opening up of new markets<br />
and sales channels. New publications that are better aimed at the first aid market<br />
have been introduced.<br />
First aid continues to be a vital component of the work of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
overseas, including tsunami response projects in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.<br />
First Aid at the<br />
Melbourne 2006<br />
Commonwealth<br />
Games<br />
From 15 - 26 March 2006, the world’s<br />
sporting attention was focused on<br />
Melbourne. Around 4,200 athletes<br />
from 71 nations and territories<br />
gathered to compete in 16 sports.<br />
During the Games, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> was one<br />
of the agencies providing first aid<br />
services. Throughout the event,<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> had responsibility for<br />
1,575 positions, filled by 200 trained<br />
volunteers. Much of the action occurred<br />
in regional cities of Victoria including<br />
Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong, where<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> was responsible for<br />
managing the first aid for<br />
Commonwealth Games Events.<br />
Image: First Aid Volunteer Michael Bruns<br />
during the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth<br />
Games.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P31
East Timorese<br />
evacuee settlement<br />
project<br />
The East Timorese Evacuee Settlement<br />
Project was established in May 2006,<br />
to provide support to people being<br />
resettled in their homeland.<br />
The project was a direct response by<br />
the <strong>Australian</strong> Government to the<br />
emergency situation in East Timor.<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> staff coordinate the<br />
provision of basic necessities, as well<br />
as access to health care, income,<br />
counselling and social support.<br />
Heroin Overdose<br />
Prevention and<br />
Education (HOPE)<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ Heroin Overdose<br />
Prevention and Education program<br />
in New South Wales aims to equip<br />
those taking part with the skills and<br />
knowledge to confidently and<br />
appropriately respond to<br />
substance-related overdose.<br />
Fully funded by the New South Wales<br />
Health Centre for Drug and Alcohol,<br />
the program delivered training over<br />
the past year to high-need,<br />
marginalised and difficult-to-access<br />
groups who have comprehensive<br />
barriers to learning. With the<br />
support of advocates of the program<br />
and extensive networks within key<br />
agencies, attendees are taught vital,<br />
life-saving skills and knowledge in a<br />
manner that is sensitive to the issues<br />
affecting them.<br />
The program also provides an<br />
important opportunity to promote<br />
learning that may help prevent adverse<br />
outcomes by encouraging behaviour<br />
change. By involving attendees in<br />
discussions, such as the risk factors<br />
for overdose in the context of<br />
responses to life or death scenarios,<br />
the seriousness and likelihood of such<br />
an occurrence is highlighted.<br />
While many attendees over the year<br />
have been motivated by the knowledge<br />
gained from learning basic first aid<br />
skills and the associated accreditation<br />
certificate, the opportunity by<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> to promote key messages<br />
around avoiding overdose is not<br />
overlooked.<br />
Inner city support<br />
program<br />
Approximately one in 200 South<br />
<strong>Australian</strong>s are homeless, a statistic<br />
compounded by the reality that people<br />
without stable housing face an<br />
increased risk of abuse, violence and<br />
difficulty in accessing health care.<br />
The Inner City Support Program,<br />
launched in October 2005, aims to<br />
improve the outlook for people in<br />
Adelaide who are at risk of<br />
homelessness and provide a helping<br />
hand to those who are at risk of falling<br />
through the cracks.<br />
By supporting individuals to secure<br />
and sustain long-term tenancies and<br />
encouraging self-sufficiency, the<br />
program hopes to improve the quality of<br />
life of those at risk of homelessness and<br />
to reconnect vulnerable people living in<br />
the inner city with the community.<br />
Assistance involves a wide range of<br />
activities including practical and social<br />
support, basic assistance with financial<br />
and employment issues, transport,<br />
aged care, referral to relevant<br />
community agencies and support<br />
such as mental health care and<br />
drug and alcohol services.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P32
North west patient<br />
transport<br />
Residents of Queenstown in Tasmania’s<br />
west now have a direct link to vital<br />
medical services with the recent arrival<br />
of a <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> patient vehicle.<br />
The North West Patient Transport<br />
service will provide transport to isolated<br />
and vulnerable people needing access<br />
to specialised medical care where<br />
previously they relied on the availability<br />
of the nearest car, based hundreds of<br />
kilometres away in Burnie.<br />
The service, generously supported by<br />
the Department of Health and Human<br />
Services, will be staffed by volunteer<br />
drivers, all of whom were recruited<br />
through a public forum held at the<br />
Queenstown Council Chambers in July<br />
2005.<br />
Teen mentoring<br />
Empowering local communities to<br />
support young people and add value<br />
to their education is the aim of<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ Teen Mentoring program<br />
based in Victoria.<br />
In the past year, 100 volunteers made<br />
2,500 visits to 100 young people in<br />
Bendigo, Geelong, Melbourne, Echuca,<br />
Sale and Ballarat.<br />
Teen mentoring volunteers are matched<br />
with students on a one-to-one basis to<br />
enhance their growth, develop self<br />
esteem and help prepare them for life<br />
experiences beyond secondary school.<br />
The mentor volunteers are provided<br />
with specialist training in issues<br />
affecting youth and general<br />
communication skills, and fill the role of<br />
companion, confidante and mentor on<br />
their weekly visits to their student on<br />
school grounds.<br />
Business,<br />
employment and<br />
training services<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ Disability and Employment<br />
Services in Queensland helps people<br />
with disabilities tackle a range of<br />
barriers to entering the workforce by<br />
providing them with training, job<br />
placement and on-the-job support.<br />
Over the past year, the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in<br />
Queensland employed 120 people with<br />
a disability, provided training for<br />
approximately 300 and helped over<br />
670 others facing barriers to<br />
employment either find paid<br />
employment or prepare for entering<br />
the workforce.<br />
Manager of Queensland Sheet Metal<br />
and Roofing Supplies in Banyo, Ross<br />
Jackson, has employed seven job<br />
seekers with a disability since his<br />
association with <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> began<br />
15 years ago.<br />
‘<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is very supportive – they<br />
know what we as a business require,<br />
what the job seekers are capable of<br />
and who will fit in well in our work<br />
environment and if a problem arises,<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is always there to help solve<br />
it,’ says Ross.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P33
Home support CARE program Out and about<br />
The Home Support Service established<br />
in New South Wales in September<br />
2005 provides social support to the frail<br />
and aged, people with disabilities and<br />
their carers. The majority of clients fall<br />
into the frail aged category, with most<br />
requesting support with grocery<br />
shopping, paying bills, banking and<br />
everyday activities we all take for<br />
granted. The initial target of 257 clients<br />
has now been surpassed and the<br />
service has an average of six new<br />
referrals each week.<br />
In Tasmania, a recent six-month<br />
Cultural Awareness through<br />
Recreational Experience program was<br />
designed to increase young people’s<br />
understanding of diverse cultures and<br />
backgrounds.<br />
The program teaches leadership skills<br />
and understanding of cultural issues to<br />
16 to 25 year olds so that they can act<br />
as volunteer mentors and help match<br />
young migrants and refugees to<br />
recreational activities in the community.<br />
Over 70 young people came together<br />
during the program, conducted in each<br />
of Tasmania’s three regions, to share a<br />
range of recreational experiences<br />
ranging from indoor rock climbing to<br />
horse riding. One volunteer mentor,<br />
Calum Marshall, said the highlight of<br />
the program was watching some<br />
participants kicking a football after<br />
watching their very first live Aussie<br />
Rules game.<br />
Profile<br />
Clare Cavasin and Bruna Stephensen – Innisfail Branch<br />
In the aftermath of Cyclone Larry in March 2006, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
volunteers and sisters Clare Cavasin and Bruna Stephensen<br />
answered the call. Clare, 68, and Bruna, 75, set to work helping<br />
register evacuees at the Innisfail TAFE and Parish Hall. Once the<br />
cyclone had passed, Clare and Bruna returned to work packing food<br />
parcels, offering care and comfort and even helping out at the<br />
damaged Innisfail <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Retail Shop.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>’ Out and About<br />
program in Queensland identifies<br />
elderly people living alone at home and<br />
at risk of slipping out of contact with<br />
their community, and helps them take<br />
part in social activities.<br />
Making the experience safe, rich and<br />
fulfilling, the Out and About program<br />
utilises Tai Chi, art classes, light<br />
exercise sessions and fun excursions.<br />
The program has been trialled<br />
successfully in Roma, teaching older<br />
men how to cook nutritious and tasty<br />
meals.<br />
Night café<br />
The Queensland Night Café offers a safe<br />
haven for homeless and disadvantaged<br />
young people in Brisbane.<br />
During the past year, over 4,300<br />
young people visited the café which<br />
is situated on the basement level of<br />
Brisbane City Hall.<br />
Operating on Tuesday and Thursday<br />
nights from 7-9pm and open to anyone<br />
under the age of 25 who is homeless<br />
or disadvantaged, the café is the only<br />
after-hours service of its kind.<br />
With the support of Brisbane City<br />
Council, the Bank of Queensland and<br />
2,064 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> volunteers, the Night<br />
Café provides free hot food, showers,<br />
toilets, important information and advice.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P34<br />
Image: Innisfail volunteers Clare Cavasin<br />
(left) and Bruna Stephensen.
Palm Island youth support<br />
Helping the indigenous community on<br />
Palm Island, North Queensland, face<br />
significant social challenges has been<br />
a focal point for <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in<br />
Queensland over the past year.<br />
Working with the local community,<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is trialling various ways of<br />
engaging with young people to foster<br />
positive social behaviour and lifestyle<br />
patterns.<br />
The Holiday program, which began in<br />
2004, continues to provide activities for<br />
more than 800 young people living on<br />
the Island. Beach volleyball, dance<br />
classes and even lunch with friends are<br />
part of a whole-of-community approach<br />
that aims to bring structure to the<br />
young people of Palm Island. Two <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> Good Start Breakfast Clubs have<br />
also been providing free and nutritious<br />
breakfasts to children in order to<br />
improve their concentration and<br />
attendance at school. And in August<br />
2005, a Night Café operated two nights<br />
a week on the island, providing food<br />
and social activities for up to 70 young<br />
people.<br />
A Youth Mentoring Program began on<br />
Palm Island in June 2006. Funded by<br />
the <strong>Australian</strong> Government, the<br />
program works with around 40 young<br />
people to help them achieve their<br />
personal goals and offers a wide range<br />
of support including assistance with<br />
employment, training, self-esteem, life<br />
skills and personal relationships.<br />
Image: The Holiday program and Good<br />
Start Breakfast Clubs have been helping<br />
young people on Palm Island.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P35
Communities for<br />
children<br />
Ten projects are planned following<br />
the results of extensive community<br />
consultation by <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in the<br />
Northern Territory to discover the<br />
issues facing children up to five years<br />
old and their families in Palmerston<br />
and the Tiwi Islands.<br />
The research was part of the role of<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> as a facilitating partner in<br />
the Communities for Children program,<br />
part of the <strong>Australian</strong> Government’s<br />
Stronger Families and Communities<br />
Strategy.<br />
The program places particular<br />
emphasis on improving outcomes<br />
in the areas of healthy young families,<br />
supporting families and parenting, early<br />
learning and development, creating<br />
child-friendly communities and helping<br />
families and children’s services work<br />
effectively together.<br />
Some of the projects include:<br />
Development of ante and post natal<br />
support networks in Palmerson<br />
A Future Parents Program aimed at<br />
high school aged young people<br />
Co-ordination of communication<br />
between service providers and the<br />
community<br />
Parenting Support and Education<br />
in the Tiwi Islands<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P36
East Timor eye<br />
program<br />
Since July 2000, <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in the<br />
Northern Territory has assisted with<br />
fundraising and provided logistic<br />
support to the teams of <strong>Australian</strong><br />
doctors, nurses and optometrists who<br />
make regular trips to East Timor to<br />
volunteer their time to run eye clinics.<br />
In July 2005, the President of East<br />
Timor, Xanana Gusmao, and his wife,<br />
Kirsty Sword Gusmao, were guests of<br />
honour at a fundraising gala dinner in<br />
Darwin in support of the East Timor<br />
Eye Program.<br />
The positive corporate and community<br />
relationships established on the night –<br />
including pledges of $20,000 from the<br />
Northern Territory government and<br />
long-term sponsorship from AirNorth –<br />
helped to make the dinner an<br />
outstanding success for the people<br />
of East Timor.<br />
Mental health<br />
first aid<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in Western Australia<br />
and GreenApple Development worked<br />
together this year to introduce a<br />
multi-award winning Mental Health<br />
First Aid course.<br />
The 12-hour course provides information<br />
about depression, anxiety disorders,<br />
psychosis and substance abuse. Those<br />
taking part learn how to recognise the<br />
symptoms of mental illness and how to<br />
give appropriate initial support to<br />
someone who is suffering.<br />
The new course is part of an expanding<br />
First Aid service which will include a<br />
new training calendar, two new training<br />
locations and more diverse classes.<br />
Mental Health Council of Australia<br />
figures indicate that depression alone<br />
costs <strong>Australian</strong> businesses $2.5 billion<br />
per year in absenteeism and $900<br />
million in impairment at work.<br />
Secure hangout for<br />
all kids (SHAK)<br />
service<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in the Northern Territory<br />
celebrated 21 years operating the<br />
Secure Hangout for All Kids this year –<br />
a service that provides sporting,<br />
recreational, developmental, music<br />
and computer-based activities.<br />
The service also celebrated another<br />
milestone when Microsoft Australia<br />
presented a team of regular members<br />
with a trip to the Melbourne 2006<br />
Commonwealth Games and an Xbox<br />
360 for winning Microsoft’s ‘Realising<br />
Potential Through Teamwork’<br />
competition. The team won for their<br />
outstanding multimedia presentation<br />
about teamwork.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P37
FOODcents<br />
The <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> FOODcents program<br />
in Western Australia aims to boost<br />
nutritional awareness and reduce costs<br />
for families who want to eat healthy<br />
food on a budget.<br />
This innovative service helps families<br />
with young children particularly, to<br />
address increasing rates of diet-related<br />
illnesses such as diabetes, obesity<br />
and cardiovascular disease.<br />
Trained FOODcents volunteers guide<br />
clients in cooking and preparing<br />
healthy, tasty meals and snacks, in<br />
addition to introducing money-saving<br />
techniques such as comparing the<br />
price of foods per kilo, menu planning<br />
and preparing effective shopping lists.<br />
The program, developed from a<br />
Department of Health initiative, works<br />
with organisations such as the<br />
Department for Community<br />
Development, Salvation Army,<br />
Medina Aboriginal Cultural Centre<br />
and The Smith Family.<br />
Mobility equipment<br />
hire and sales<br />
A Department of Veterans Affairs<br />
contract continues to be a huge<br />
boost to the sustainability of Mobility<br />
Equipment Hire and Sales and has<br />
extended the reach of mobility<br />
equipment available to the West<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> community.<br />
During the year a <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> catalogue<br />
featuring products was produced and<br />
distributed to prescribers and<br />
practitioners, making it easier for clients<br />
to source the products that they need.<br />
The initiative has more than doubled<br />
estimated yearly return to <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>,<br />
generating over $800,000 in profit<br />
for services.<br />
Meals on wheels<br />
There were considerable changes to<br />
the meals on wheels menu in the<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Capital Territory this year,<br />
trialling finger foods for people with<br />
dementia and providing meals for<br />
Chinese clients. A wider variety of<br />
vegetables is also now available and<br />
the addition of chilli meals has been<br />
well received.<br />
In the past year 130,465 meals have<br />
been delivered to about 800 clients –<br />
the largest number of meals delivered,<br />
covering a distance of 230,000<br />
kilometres.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P38
MATES program<br />
The Mentally Ill and Their Equal<br />
Supporters (MATES) program in<br />
Tasmania continues to help overcome<br />
issues of isolation and stigma for<br />
people experiencing mental illness.<br />
It does so by linking up volunteers and<br />
participants to share experiences and<br />
skills.<br />
Operating since 1997, and now<br />
with over 150 participants, MATES’<br />
success has attracted the attention of<br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in other states who are keen<br />
to establish their own local programs.<br />
Profile<br />
Anna McInerney<br />
By hosting events and selling<br />
handmade toys, 15-year-old South<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> entrepreneur and <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Youth Advisory Committee member<br />
Anna McInerney has raised $21,000<br />
single handedly. Anna’s tenacity and<br />
commitment to social and community<br />
work is reflected in the host of medals<br />
she won this year including the Pride of<br />
Australia Medal in the Young Aussie<br />
category, the National <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Meritorious Service Youth Award and<br />
the Australia Day Young Citizen Award<br />
in the City of Holdfast Bay.<br />
Anna’s creative approach to raising<br />
funds is ongoing and she now plans to<br />
stage a school production of Romeo<br />
and Juliet to raise funds for the Good<br />
Start Breakfast Club.<br />
Young women’s<br />
health program<br />
This unique service offers intensive care<br />
and support for young homeless<br />
women in New South Wales who are<br />
pregnant or parenting.<br />
The three stages of the program range<br />
from 24-hour fully accommodated care,<br />
to an outreach service once a young<br />
woman and her baby have made the<br />
move to independent living.<br />
Some of the highlights of the service<br />
last year were:<br />
At one point all the young women<br />
in stage one attended TAFE or<br />
school and enjoyed sharing their<br />
accomplishments with staff,<br />
including certificates of achievement<br />
and excellent exam scores.<br />
A successful annual reunion saw<br />
mothers and their young children<br />
come together to share the<br />
successes and challenges of the<br />
past 12 months.<br />
The introduction of the ante-natal<br />
clinic, a joint venture with Royal<br />
Hospital for Women at Randwick,<br />
which operates out of the <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> centre. A mid-wife talks with<br />
the young women about a range of<br />
topics such as giving birth and<br />
nutrition.<br />
The implementation of the Volunteer<br />
Home Visiting Program which saw<br />
a number of volunteers trained at<br />
the beginning of the year begin to<br />
visit young women who have made<br />
the move into their own homes.<br />
Image: Anna holding some of her fluffy<br />
handmade chicken toys. To date, she<br />
has raised over $21,000 for the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
by selling them and organising events.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P39
Statistics<br />
Staff by activity<br />
Staff by services<br />
Marketing, Communications<br />
and Fundraising 9%<br />
Finance and<br />
Corporate Support 13%<br />
Youth Services 9%<br />
Refugee and Asylum<br />
Seeker Services 4%<br />
Retail Stores 8%<br />
Humanitarian<br />
Services 78%<br />
First Aid 10%<br />
Community<br />
Services 54%<br />
International 15%<br />
State and<br />
Territory<br />
statistics<br />
Branches<br />
New<br />
volunteers Volunteers Members <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Calling<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P40<br />
ACT 1 255 1,227 292 $232,863 raised with<br />
the help of 3,951 volunteers<br />
NSW 296 N/A 8,871 10,126 $2,115,485 raised with<br />
the help of 40,000 volunteers<br />
NT 2 167 353 41 $55,000 raised with<br />
the help of 375 volunteers<br />
QLD 103 1,922 5,230 3,145 $1.65 million raised with<br />
the help of 35,000 volunteers<br />
SA 128 653 1,591 2,938 $506,805 raised with<br />
the help of 9,291 volunteers<br />
TAS 32 243 1,771 1,158 $226,549 raised with<br />
the help of 4,200 volunteers<br />
VIC 347 1,987 8,097 8,536 $2,260,360 raised with<br />
the help of 20,000 volunteers<br />
WA 73 834 4,087 2,769 $854,424 raised with<br />
the help of 17,439 volunteers<br />
TOTAL 982 6,061 31,227 29,005 $7,901,486 raised with<br />
the help of 130,256 volunteers
Gross revenue by activity<br />
Expense by activity<br />
Members & Volunteers 3%<br />
Interest and Investments 8%<br />
Members & Volunteers 5%<br />
Interest and Investments 12%<br />
Commercial<br />
Operations 14%<br />
Humanitarian<br />
Services 43%<br />
Commercial<br />
Operations 12%<br />
Humanitarian<br />
Services 56%<br />
Fundraising 32%<br />
Fundraising 15%<br />
First Aid<br />
Certificates<br />
Tracing<br />
cases<br />
Good Start<br />
Breakfast Club<br />
Telecross<br />
3,226 90 N/A 64,792 calls made to<br />
178 clients by 187 volunteers<br />
21,075 674 172,000 breakfasts served by<br />
480 volunteers in 65 schools<br />
915 161 43,715 breakfasts served by<br />
70 volunteers in 7 schools<br />
19, 561 148 43,985 breakfasts served by<br />
156 volunteers in 17 schools<br />
24,496 272 12,958 breakfasts served by<br />
146 volunteers in 11 schools<br />
4,999 58 16,608 breakfasts were served by<br />
54 volunteers at 5 schools<br />
8,595 844 70,000 breakfasts served by<br />
252 volunteers in 25 schools<br />
499,050 calls made to<br />
1,703 clients by 3,196 volunteers<br />
25,978 calls made to<br />
100 clients by 10 volunteers<br />
93,698 calls made to<br />
364 clients by 237 volunteers<br />
189,744 calls made to<br />
599 clients by 518 volunteers<br />
31,399 calls made to<br />
180 clients by 115 volunteers<br />
140,300 calls made to<br />
355 clients by 315 volunteers<br />
4,980 166 N/A 97,432 calls made to<br />
495 clients by 370 volunteers<br />
87,847 2,413 359,266 breakfasts served by<br />
1,158 volunteers in 130 schools<br />
1,142,393 calls made to<br />
3,974 clients by 4,948 volunteers<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P41
Partnership relieves suffering<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> is committed to partnering with organisations that respect our humanitarian values and want to develop a<br />
program of action to support our work. In working with our corporate and philanthropic partners from all parts of Australia, our<br />
vision of improving the lives of vulnerable people through the power of humanity is brought to life.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P42<br />
Thank you to our<br />
major partners:<br />
Thank you to our major supporters:<br />
Adshell<br />
AGSM Ltd<br />
ANZ Trustees<br />
Austway Vending<br />
Avon<br />
Barclay Mowlem<br />
Bendigo Bank<br />
BlueScope Steel<br />
BP Australia<br />
Brisbane Convention Centre Hotel Group<br />
Bristol-Myers Squibb<br />
Bulldogs League Club Ltd<br />
Cadbury Schweppes<br />
Casella Estate<br />
Central Corporate Services Unit<br />
Centro Galleria<br />
Charities Aid Foundation<br />
Citibank Ltd<br />
Citigroup<br />
Coca Cola<br />
Collier Charitable Fund<br />
Commonwealth Bank<br />
Computer Associates<br />
Count Charitable Foundation<br />
Detmold Packaging<br />
Dimension Data<br />
Ernst & Young<br />
Eyre Regional Health Service Inc<br />
Foodworks Supermarket Group<br />
Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal<br />
Geelong Craft and Gift Shop<br />
Graystone<br />
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese<br />
of Australia<br />
Herald Sun<br />
Hollywood Private Hospital<br />
IGA<br />
Insurance Australia Group (Staff)<br />
International Cricket Council<br />
International Music Concepts<br />
Jenour Foundation<br />
JR Nominees<br />
KPMG<br />
kwp!<br />
Lady Proud Foundation<br />
Limestone Coast Regional Development<br />
Board Inc<br />
Lotterywest<br />
Loyalty Pacific (FlyBuys)<br />
Macavalon Pty Ltd<br />
McDonald’s<br />
Meerkats<br />
Myer Community Fund<br />
Myer Ltd<br />
Naked Communications<br />
National Australia Bank<br />
Newmont Australia Ltd<br />
Northern Territory News<br />
Oldmac Toyota<br />
Optus<br />
Perpetual Trustees Australia Ltd<br />
Peter Lee Associates<br />
PFD Food Services Pty Ltd<br />
Philip Bushell Foundation<br />
Phillip Bacon Galleries<br />
Phillips Fox<br />
Platform Interactive<br />
Powercorp<br />
PricewaterhouseCoopers Foundation<br />
Protrust Pty Ltd<br />
Reef Hotel Casino Community<br />
Benefit Fund<br />
Ritchies Stores<br />
Ronald Geoffrey Arnott Foundation<br />
RSM Bird Cameron<br />
Simon Lee Foundation<br />
Sing Tao<br />
SOS Printing<br />
Southern <strong>Cross</strong> Club<br />
Sports Club Kaleen<br />
Suncorp Insurance Call Centre<br />
Telecorp<br />
Telstra Foundation<br />
The Alfred Felton Bequest<br />
The Jean and <strong>Red</strong>vers Dunbar<br />
Charitable Trust<br />
The West <strong>Australian</strong><br />
The William Angliss Charitable Fund<br />
(Victoria)<br />
Victoria Law Foundation<br />
Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation<br />
Woolworths Ltd<br />
Wyeth Australia
Partnership relieves suffering (cont’d)<br />
Thank you to our regular Workplace Giving supporters:<br />
AGSM Ltd<br />
Anglo Coal<br />
Attorney General's Department<br />
Australia Post<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Government Department<br />
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Government Department<br />
of Finance and Administration<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Government Department<br />
of Industry, Tourism and Resources<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Prudential Regulatory Authority<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Stock Exchange<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Taxation Office<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Unity<br />
Bain International<br />
Baker Heart Research Institute<br />
Bank SA Staff Charitable Fund<br />
Bendigo Bank<br />
BHP Iron Ore<br />
BlueScope Steel<br />
BP Australia<br />
Bristol-Myers Squibb<br />
Citec<br />
Citibank Ltd<br />
Citigroup<br />
Citipower<br />
Clough Projects<br />
CSR Ltd<br />
Dimension Data<br />
Ebsworth & Ebsworth<br />
Education Queensland<br />
Ernst & Young<br />
Fairfield City Council (NSW)<br />
Federal Magistrates Court of Australia<br />
Foster’s Group<br />
Fujitsu<br />
Hazelwood Power<br />
Healthpay<br />
Hydromet<br />
IP Australia<br />
KPMG<br />
Lancer Pacific<br />
Landmark<br />
Lion Nathan<br />
Loy Yang Power Station<br />
Mallesons Stephen Jaques<br />
Merrill Lynch Australia<br />
Museum of Victoria<br />
Nambucca Shire Council (NSW)<br />
National Australia Bank<br />
National Wealth Management<br />
Orica<br />
Pacific Equity Partners<br />
Perpetual Trustees<br />
Phillips Fox<br />
Port Kembla Steel<br />
Port Phillip Council (VIC)<br />
Powercor<br />
Powercorp<br />
PricewaterhouseCoopers<br />
Qantas<br />
QBE Management Services<br />
Ross Logic<br />
Shell Australia Ltd<br />
State Library of Victoria<br />
Stratapay<br />
Sunwater<br />
Suzanne Grae<br />
Telstra<br />
Thomson Playford<br />
TRUenergy Yallourn Pty Ltd<br />
University of Tasmania<br />
VIC Department of Education and Training<br />
VIC Department of Human Services<br />
VIC Department of Justice<br />
VIC Department<br />
of Premier and Cabinet<br />
VIC Department of Primary Industries<br />
VIC Department of Sustainability<br />
and Environment<br />
VIC Department of Treasury<br />
and Finance<br />
VIC Department of Victorian Communities<br />
Westpac<br />
Willis<br />
Woodside<br />
Xstrata<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P43
Partnership relieves suffering (cont’d)<br />
Thank you to our Government supporters:<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Government Departments and Agencies<br />
Attorney General’s Department<br />
AusAID<br />
Emergency Management Australia<br />
Department of Health and Ageing<br />
Department of Employment and<br />
Home and Community Care (HACC)<br />
Workplace Relations<br />
Health Insurance Commission<br />
Department of Families, Community Department of<br />
Services and Indigenous Affairs<br />
Immigration and Multicultural Affairs<br />
Centrelink<br />
Department of<br />
Department of<br />
Prime Minister and Cabinet<br />
Finance and Administration<br />
Department of Veterans’ Affairs<br />
Department of<br />
Foreign Affairs and Trade<br />
State and Local Government Departments and Agencies<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> War Memorial (ACT)<br />
Narrabri Shire Council (NSW)<br />
ACT Chief Minister’s Department<br />
NSW Department of Ageing,<br />
ACT Department of Disability, Housing Disability and Home Care<br />
and Community Services<br />
NSW Department of<br />
ACT Department of<br />
Community Services<br />
Education, Science and Training<br />
NSW Department of Health<br />
Adelaide City Council (SA)<br />
NSW Department of<br />
Brisbane City Council (QLD)<br />
Premier and Cabinet<br />
Canterbury City Council (NSW)<br />
NT Correctional Services<br />
Community Support Service<br />
City of Onkaparinga (SA)<br />
NT Department of<br />
City of Ryde (NSW)<br />
Health and Community Services<br />
Cloncurry Shire Council (QLD)<br />
NT Department of<br />
Department for<br />
Sport and Recreation<br />
Victorian Communities (VIC)<br />
NT Department of<br />
Gosford City Council (NSW)<br />
the Chief Minister<br />
Hobart City Council (TAS)<br />
NT Office of Youth Affairs<br />
Main Roads Western Australia (WA) Port Phillip Council (VIC)<br />
Marrickville Council (NSW)<br />
QLD Department of Communities<br />
Mid North Regional<br />
QLD Health<br />
Health Service (SA)<br />
QLD Treasury<br />
Mornington Peninsula Shire (VIC)<br />
TAS Department of Economic Development<br />
TAS Department of<br />
Health and Human Services<br />
TAS Department of Premier and Cabinet<br />
The Northern Areas Council (SA)<br />
The Passenger Transport Board (SA)<br />
VIC Department of<br />
Family and Community Services<br />
VIC Department of<br />
Health and Ageing<br />
Victoria Police<br />
WA Department for<br />
Community Development<br />
WA Department of<br />
Corrective Services<br />
WA Department of Health<br />
(Statewide Services)<br />
WA Department of Premier and Cabinet<br />
WA Disability Services Commission<br />
WA Health Promotion Foundation<br />
(Healthway)<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P44
National Awards 2006<br />
National Awards Committee<br />
John Pinney AM<br />
– Chairman (until February 2006)<br />
Margot Stretch AM<br />
– Chairman (from February 2006)<br />
Michael Legge<br />
– Vice Chairman<br />
Ian Anson<br />
– Member (until February 2006)<br />
Ron Clapham<br />
– Member<br />
Jim Forwood AM<br />
– Member (from February 2006)<br />
Jeni McDonough<br />
– Executive Officer<br />
James Bower Forwood NT Honorary Life Membership<br />
Devendra Patel NT Honorary Life Membership<br />
Joan Scanlan SA Honorary Life Membership<br />
Eva Hendrie VIC Honorary Life Membership<br />
Jessie Ussher VIC Honorary Life Membership<br />
Elizabeth Bail (Beth) WA Honorary Life Membership<br />
Margaret Vallentine WA Honorary Life Membership<br />
Margaret Hemmings ACT Distinguished Service Award<br />
Shirley Horswill NSW Distinguished Service Award<br />
Meglyn Lawther NSW Distinguished Service Award<br />
John Scott MacLennan NSW Distinguished Service Award<br />
Roderick Roland Minell NSW Distinguished Service Award<br />
Jemima "Ina" Sinclair NT Distinguished Service Award<br />
Sylvia Meg (Meg) Arthur QLD Distinguished Service Award<br />
Elizabeth Joyce Hansen QLD Distinguished Service Award<br />
Margaret Walsh QLD Distinguished Service Award<br />
Barbara Johnson SA Distinguished Service Award<br />
Lynne Landy VIC Distinguished Service Award<br />
Joan Owen VIC Distinguished Service Award<br />
Carol Richardson VIC Distinguished Service Award<br />
Jill Stringer VIC Distinguished Service Award<br />
Anne Ivy Brinkworth WA Distinguished Service Award<br />
Louise Hunt WA Distinguished Service Award<br />
Lorraine Sanderson WA Distinguished Service Award<br />
Carol O'Shea ARCBS Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Vedran Drakulic NAT Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Frank Ellis NT Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Sonya Keep QLD Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Melissa Patterson QLD Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Chris Staines QLD Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Noelene Humphries TAS Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Phyl Ockerby TAS Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Pamela Morris WA Distinguished Staff Award<br />
Marie Sellstrom ARCBS Meritorious Service Award<br />
Susanne Brown NT Meritorious Service Award<br />
Helen McEwen NT Meritorious Service Award<br />
Craig Seiler NT Meritorious Service Award<br />
Joan Washington NT Meritorious Service Award<br />
Alan Clayton QLD Meritorious Service Award (Bar)<br />
Greg Goebel QLD Meritorious Service Award<br />
Sheryl English VIC Meritorious Service Award<br />
Lorraine Fagg VIC Meritorious Service Award<br />
Joanne Wilson-Hawe VIC Meritorious Service Award<br />
Michael Barker NT Youth Meritorious Service Award<br />
Bree Steward NT Youth Meritorious Service Award<br />
Anna McInerney SA Youth Meritorious Service Award<br />
Gerald Condon QLD First Aid Award of Merit<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P45
Henry Dunant supporters<br />
Henry Dunant is the highest level of<br />
membership, involving a financial<br />
contribution of $500 per year. In<br />
recognition of their generosity, we<br />
acknowledge the following members:<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Capital Territory<br />
New South Wales<br />
Mr D Lean<br />
Mr S Borland<br />
Ms Mary Pollard<br />
Mr Keith L Bennett<br />
Mr Ian Burton<br />
Mrs Martha Danos<br />
Mr Andrew Everett<br />
Mr Peter John Hanson<br />
Mr Derek Heath<br />
Ms Kimberley Lehmann Needle<br />
Ms Yik Chi Sam Li<br />
Mr Michael Lieu<br />
Mr Shih-Chieh Lin<br />
Ms Karen Loblay<br />
Mr Michael Lynch<br />
Mr Fernando Merodio<br />
Mr John Moller<br />
Mrs Barbara Osborne<br />
Ms Robin B Potter<br />
Mr James C Ryan<br />
Mr Simon Stevenson<br />
Mrs Edith C Stewart<br />
Mr Juan Tan<br />
Mr Gary Vassallo<br />
Ms Ning Wong<br />
Northern Territory<br />
Mr John Reeves<br />
Mr Peter Kennon<br />
Queensland<br />
Mrs Jane Blomfield<br />
Dr Samuel Kim<br />
South Australia<br />
Ms Christin Morony<br />
Mrs Irene Moseley<br />
Mr Stan Robinson<br />
Dr Jane Thorn<br />
Victoria<br />
Dr Susan Bevan<br />
Miss Margaret Bowman<br />
Miss Rachel Choi<br />
Mr Matt Bolton<br />
Western Australia<br />
Mrs Eve Shannon-Cullity<br />
Mr Ian Anson<br />
Tasmania<br />
No supporters submitted for this year.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P46
goal 3<br />
forge a unified, inclusive and sustainable<br />
movement, soundly managed and financially<br />
secure, which reflects our country’s diversity<br />
Will Salter<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P47
Governance Statement<br />
1. Formation and incorporation<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> was initially formed as a branch of British <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in 1914,<br />
and was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1941.<br />
Supplemental Charters and new Rules were made in 1961, 1999 and 2004 with<br />
the consent of the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.<br />
2. <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> undertakes significant reform<br />
In 2004 <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> embarked upon one of the most significant Governance and management reforms in its 90-year<br />
history. A key aspect of that reform was the conferral on the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board the authority to determine what would<br />
be the ‘national functions’ of the organisation. In 2005 a wide definition of these national functions was adopted by the Board,<br />
giving it the power to determine policies across the organisation in almost all strategic areas.<br />
The effect of this reform has been to enable the Chief Executive Officer to lead a national management team dedicated to<br />
building a cohesive national organisation.<br />
The Chief Executive Officer is supported in leading this new national function framework by three senior managers, namely the<br />
Director of Operations, the Chief Financial Officer and the National Director, Marketing, Fundraising & Communications.<br />
When the functions are not national but are delivered in more than one State or Territory, the National Management team will<br />
endeavour to coordinate and standardise them to the maximum extent possible, bearing in mind any relevant local conditions<br />
and circumstances.<br />
Where functions are Divisional (operating only in that Division), the Executive Director of the Division continues to <strong>report</strong> to the<br />
Divisional Board, although the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board will monitor the ongoing profile of these activities.<br />
3. Strategic planning and budget reforms<br />
For the first time in its 91 years of existence, <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> has achieved a<br />
national framework for the annual budget which will allow the financial management<br />
of the organisation to be aligned to the now well-established strategic planning and<br />
implementation process.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P48
Governance Statement continued...<br />
4. Council of the Society<br />
The Council usually meets once a year at the <strong>Annual</strong> General Meeting. The membership is made up as follows:<br />
The President<br />
28 voting members – the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee,<br />
a Youth representative, and the Chairman of each of the eight State and Territory offices and 16 representatives taken<br />
from the States and Territories.<br />
Up to seven non-voting members – the President and a maximum of six Vice Presidents.<br />
President<br />
Her Excellency Mrs Marlena Jeffery<br />
Vice-Presidents<br />
John Pinney AM<br />
Belinda Barnard<br />
Rod Martin<br />
Rod McKinnon ESM<br />
Margot Stretch AM<br />
Jim Forwood AM<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board<br />
and Council Members<br />
Greg Vickery AM<br />
Chairman<br />
Michael Legge<br />
Vice Chairman<br />
Graham Addison<br />
(to April 06)<br />
Chairman, Audit and Risk<br />
Management Committee<br />
Garry Richardson<br />
(from April 06)<br />
Sam Reed<br />
Representative of the Youth<br />
Section<br />
Ron Clapham<br />
ACT Divisional Chairman<br />
Richard Dunn<br />
NSW Divisional Chairman<br />
John Reeves QC<br />
NT Divisional Chairman<br />
Tony Pixley<br />
QLD Divisional Chairman<br />
Alan Clayton<br />
QLD Divisional Chairman<br />
(to Nov 05)<br />
Jim Kostoglou<br />
SA Divisional Chairman<br />
(from Nov 05)<br />
Dennis Daniels PSM<br />
TAS Divisional Chairman<br />
Richard Stone<br />
VIC Divisional Chairman<br />
Ian Anson<br />
WA Divisional Chairman<br />
Council – Divisional<br />
Representatives<br />
Kaye Hogan AM PSM<br />
and Doug Barton<br />
ACT Division<br />
John Fries and Robyn Rooth<br />
NSW Division<br />
Rick Damelian<br />
NSW Division<br />
(until Nov 05)<br />
Jim Forwood AM<br />
and Belinda Peacocke<br />
NT Division<br />
Tony Pixley and Katherine Wall<br />
QLD Division<br />
Joan Lindsay<br />
QLD Division (until Nov 05)<br />
Barbara Deed and Tim Murton<br />
SA Division<br />
Michael Howarth and Scott Harvey<br />
TAS Division<br />
Judy Newnham OAM<br />
and Gillian Abbott<br />
VIC Division<br />
Bill Ainley<br />
VIC Division (until Nov 05)<br />
Betty Smith-Gander OAM<br />
and Mr Peter Baughan<br />
WA Division<br />
Kate Cornell and Jill Lester<br />
Co-opted Board Members<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P49
Governance Statement continued...<br />
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.<br />
7. 8.<br />
5. <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
The Council elects members to the<br />
Board, appoints auditors and also has<br />
the right to amend the Charter and Rules.<br />
The Board consists of 12 persons all<br />
of whom are members of the Council.<br />
The twelve people are four elected<br />
office bearers and a representative<br />
appointed from each of the Divisions,<br />
other than the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Blood Service (ARCBS). Two additional<br />
Board Members were appointed to the<br />
Board in July 2006.<br />
1. Greg Vickery AM BA/LL.B (UQ)<br />
Chairman<br />
Mr Vickery was first elected Chairman in<br />
2003 and has extensive legal, education<br />
and <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> experience. Mr Vickery<br />
has served on the Queensland Divisional<br />
Board, including the role of Chairman<br />
(1998-2002), on the ARCBS Board and<br />
previously as a member of the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board and Council.<br />
Professionally he is a Senior Partner and<br />
Brisbane Chairman of Deacons Lawyers.<br />
He also holds positions as Adjunct<br />
Professor in Law at the University of<br />
Queensland and member of the National<br />
Companies and Markets Advisory<br />
Committee. He is also a court-appointed<br />
mediator and arbitrator, member of the<br />
Key Centre for Ethics Law Justice and<br />
Governance and Chairman of the<br />
Queensland Law Society Company Law<br />
section and Vice Chairman of the Law<br />
Council’s Corporations Committee.<br />
2. Michael Legge<br />
Vice Chairman<br />
Mr Legge was elected Vice Chairman<br />
in 2003 after joining <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
in 1986. He has been a member of the<br />
Tasmanian Division Council and Finance<br />
Committee and was Deputy Chairman<br />
of the Division in 1998 and Chairman<br />
in 1999. Mr Legge has been a member<br />
of the ARCBS Board since 2001 and<br />
manages a diverse agricultural and<br />
mining business. He is also a<br />
Director/Chairman of several<br />
organisations.<br />
P50<br />
3. Graham Addison FCA FCPA B Bus<br />
Grad Dip Bus FCSA FICD Grad Dip<br />
CSP Chairman, Audit and Risk<br />
Management Committee<br />
– to 1 April 2006<br />
Mr Addison was appointed (then)<br />
Honorary Treasurer in 2001 after six<br />
years as Treasurer of the Western<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Division. He has been<br />
a partner in the chartered accounting<br />
firm KPMG for 20 years and has<br />
extensive experience in not-for-profit<br />
organisations. Mr Addison was formerly<br />
Vice President and Treasurer of the<br />
Paraplegic Quadriplegic Association<br />
of Western Australia.<br />
4. Garry Richardson Chairman, Audit<br />
and Risk Management Committee<br />
– from 1 April 2006<br />
Mr Richardson has had extensive<br />
experience as a chief executive in<br />
the <strong>Australian</strong> health insurance industry<br />
in addition to other senior positions<br />
in the financial industry. He retired from<br />
his executive career in 1997 and is now<br />
an independent, non-executive director.<br />
In addition to his role as Board Member<br />
of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, Mr Richardson<br />
currently holds positions as Chair of<br />
Health Super Pty Ltd; Commissioner<br />
of the Private Health Insurance<br />
Administration Council; Chair of Housing<br />
Guarantee Fund Ltd; and Independent<br />
Chair of the Stonnington City Council<br />
Audit Committee. Mr Richardson is a<br />
Fellow of the <strong>Australian</strong> Institute of<br />
Company Directors.<br />
5. Ian Anson CPA, AAIB<br />
Mr Anson has been a practising<br />
accountant and business consultant for<br />
over 30 years. Mr Anson became Chair<br />
of Western <strong>Australian</strong> Division and a<br />
member of the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Board in November 2004 after serving as<br />
an office bearer and on Divisional<br />
Committees since joining<br />
in 1998.<br />
6. Kate Carnell AO – Additional Board<br />
Member – commenced July 2006<br />
Best known for her successful term<br />
as Chief Minister of the <strong>Australian</strong> Capital<br />
Territory from 1995-2000, Ms Carnell<br />
held the Treasury, Health and Community<br />
Care, Information Technology and<br />
Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander<br />
Affairs portfolios among others. Currently<br />
the CEO of <strong>Australian</strong> Divisions of<br />
General Practice (ADGP), a Patron of<br />
UNIFEM, among other organisations,<br />
and chair of CRC Forestry Ltd,<br />
Ms Carnell also holds Directorships of<br />
the Institute of Technology Australia and<br />
National Institute of Clinical Studies.<br />
Ms Carnell has been Chair of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
‘Caring Across Canberra Appeal’ for the<br />
past three years.<br />
7. Ron Clapham BA LL.B<br />
Mr Clapham is a partner of Meyer<br />
Vandenberg Lawyers in Canberra where<br />
he has practised as a lawyer for 27 years<br />
and has been a public notary since 1982.<br />
He was first elected Chairman of the<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Capital Territory Division of<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in 1994-1996,<br />
before being re-elected in 2004.<br />
Mr Clapham has been a member of<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
Capital Territory since 1990.<br />
8. Alan Clayton – from November 2005<br />
Mr Clayton joined <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in 1979<br />
as a foundation member of the<br />
Queensland IHL Advisory Committee<br />
and was its chair from 1992 until 2005.<br />
He was elected to the Board in 1999<br />
and has held positions on, and chaired<br />
a number of, Divisional committees.<br />
Mr Clayton was elected Queensland<br />
Division Chairman in 2005. Mr Clayton<br />
has had more than 37 years’ experience<br />
in senior educational management and<br />
policy positions within the Queensland<br />
Public Service. Though retired, he<br />
continues to practise as an educational<br />
consultant.
Governance Statement continued...<br />
9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.<br />
9. Dennis Daniels PSM<br />
Mr Daniels was elected Chairman of the<br />
Tasmanian Divisional Council and as a<br />
member of the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Board in 2003. Mr Daniels was first<br />
elected to the Divisional Council in 2001.<br />
During his professional career Mr Daniels<br />
served on various councils and boards,<br />
including the Council of Social Welfare<br />
Administrators, the <strong>Australian</strong> Aboriginal<br />
Affairs Council, the Child Protection<br />
Board, the Mental Health Guardianship<br />
Board, and the Alcohol and Drug<br />
Dependency Board.<br />
10. Richard Dunn FCPA<br />
Before taking up a position as<br />
Corporate Governance Director with<br />
a management services organisation,<br />
Mr Dunn was the Director, Internal Audit<br />
for the State Rail Authority, and prior to<br />
that was Assistant Auditor General in<br />
the New South Wales Auditor General’s<br />
Office. He is a past member of the<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Society of Certified Practising<br />
Accountants Public Sector Accounting<br />
Centre of Excellence. Mr Dunn has been<br />
the Chair of the New South Wales<br />
Division since 2003 and has held a<br />
range of Council and executive<br />
positions in the New South Wales<br />
Division since 1995.<br />
11. Jim Kostoglou<br />
Mr Kostoglou has 34 years of executive<br />
experience in the petroleum industry.<br />
Following retirement he has served<br />
on a number of community and<br />
business development committees.<br />
Mr Kostoglou has been Chairman of<br />
the Executive of the South <strong>Australian</strong><br />
Division since 2003 and is also<br />
a member of various committees of<br />
the Division.<br />
12. Jill Lester – Additional Board<br />
Member – commenced July 2006<br />
Jill Lester is a communications<br />
professional, specialising in reputation<br />
and crisis management, and strategic<br />
communications advice. Her previous<br />
roles include a decade as Executive<br />
General Manager, Communications of<br />
the Commonwealth Bank, where she<br />
was responsible for providing advice<br />
to the CEO and Leadership Team on<br />
reputation management, public relations,<br />
community relations and internal<br />
communications to the Bank's 35,000<br />
staff. She has also had extensive<br />
experience in the <strong>Australian</strong> Public<br />
Service, most recently with the<br />
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.<br />
She sits on a number of boards,<br />
including the US based International<br />
Issues Management Council and the<br />
Advisory Board of the <strong>Australian</strong> Centre<br />
for Public Communication, University of<br />
Technology, Sydney.<br />
Jill has Bachelor degrees in Arts and<br />
Economics, post graduate qualifications<br />
in Education and Librarianship and a<br />
Masters Degree in Economics.<br />
13. Tony Pixley – to November 2005<br />
Mr Pixley has over 30 years<br />
experience as a senior executive in<br />
the petroleum industry. Mr Pixley joined<br />
the Queensland Division of the Society<br />
in 1975. Mr Pixley was elected<br />
Chairman of the Queensland Division<br />
in 2002, and has 20 years service<br />
on the Divisional Board and its<br />
committees.<br />
14. Sam Reed<br />
Representative of the Youth Section<br />
Mr Reed was elected as Representative<br />
of the Youth Section on the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board and Council in<br />
November 2004. Mr Reed previously<br />
served on a number of committees and<br />
as Youth Representative in the South<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Division.<br />
15. John Reeves QC<br />
Mr Reeves has practised as a barrister<br />
in Darwin for 20 years and was<br />
appointed a QC in 1997. Mr Reeves has<br />
been Chairman of the Northern Territory<br />
Bar Association since 2000 and Vice<br />
President of the <strong>Australian</strong> Bar<br />
Association since 2004. Mr Reeves<br />
was a member of the House of<br />
Representatives 1983-1984 representing<br />
the Northern Territory. Mr Reeves joined<br />
the Council of the Northern Territory<br />
Division of <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in 1998 and was<br />
elected Deputy Chairman in 2002 and<br />
Chairman in 2003.<br />
16. Richard Stone FAIBF AICD<br />
ANACD (USA)<br />
Mr Stone is Head of Corporate<br />
Governance KPMG Australia and<br />
has held a number of business and<br />
community board positions including<br />
Rotary Club President and Board<br />
Member of the Central Melbourne<br />
and Christian Brothers Foundations.<br />
Mr Stone was elected Chairman of the<br />
Victorian Division and to the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board in 2001, having<br />
served as Deputy Chairman of the<br />
Division and on the Council of the<br />
Society since 1997.<br />
The Chief Executive Officer, Chief<br />
Financial Officer, Director of Operations,<br />
Director – Marketing, Fundraising and<br />
Communications and the Board<br />
Secretary attend meetings of the<br />
Board but are not members.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P51
Governance Statement continued...<br />
5. <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board (cont’d)<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P52<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board<br />
role and responsibility<br />
The role and responsibilities of the<br />
Board include:<br />
providing strategic direction and<br />
approving strategic initiatives and<br />
endorsing implementation plans;<br />
evaluating the performance of and<br />
selecting the Chief Executive Officer<br />
(CEO) and endorsing the selection<br />
of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO),<br />
Director of Operations (DOO) and<br />
National Director – Marketing,<br />
Fundraising and Communications<br />
(NDMF&C);<br />
setting CEO and senior<br />
management remuneration;<br />
succession planning;<br />
financial performance and <strong>report</strong>ing;<br />
risk management;<br />
relationship with the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> and<br />
<strong>Red</strong> Crescent Movement,<br />
maintaining a direct and ongoing<br />
dialogue with the IFRC, ICRC and<br />
other National Societies, ensuring<br />
the Movement is informed of the<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> position on<br />
significant developments;<br />
maintaining a policy (and<br />
compliance) framework;<br />
evaluating the performance of<br />
the Board as a team;<br />
selecting and recommending<br />
to Council the appointment or<br />
otherwise of the external auditor;<br />
determining the terms of<br />
appointment and ongoing<br />
independence of the external<br />
auditor; maintaining a direct and<br />
open dialogue with the external<br />
auditor.<br />
The roles and responsibilities of the<br />
Board will soon be encapsulated<br />
within a Governance Charter.<br />
The Charter will describe those matters<br />
that are reserved for the Board and its<br />
Committees, and those the Board has<br />
delegated to its Blood Service (ARCBS)<br />
and management.<br />
The Selection and Role of the<br />
Chairman, Vice-Chairman and<br />
the Chairman of the Audit & Risk<br />
Management Committee<br />
The Council of the Society elects the<br />
Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the<br />
Chairman of the Audit & Risk<br />
Management Committee from among<br />
the members of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
at the <strong>Annual</strong> General Meeting.<br />
The Chairman’s role includes:<br />
providing effective leadership on<br />
formulating the strategic direction<br />
of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>;<br />
ensuring the Board meets at regular<br />
intervals, and minutes of meetings<br />
accurately record decisions taken;<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> member<br />
independence<br />
All members of the Board, other than<br />
those persons appointed as an<br />
Additional Board Member, must be<br />
members of the Society. With the<br />
endorsement of the Board, the<br />
Divisions may establish Divisional<br />
Boards with different eligibility criteria,<br />
including for independent Board<br />
Members. If independent Board<br />
Members are appointed in the Divisions<br />
then each Division determines the<br />
processes to ensure independence of<br />
Divisional Board Members upon<br />
appointment is maintained.<br />
Avoidance of conflicts of interest<br />
by an <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board<br />
Member<br />
The Board is conscious of its<br />
obligations to ensure that Board<br />
Members avoid conflicts of interest<br />
(both actual and apparent) between<br />
their duty to the Society and their own<br />
interests and has under development<br />
policy and procedures to ensure<br />
conflicts and potential conflicts of<br />
interest are disclosed to the Board.<br />
Developing policy will provide that if<br />
there is an actual or potential conflict<br />
of interest, that member must formally<br />
declare the conflict and abstain from<br />
voting on the matter giving rise to the<br />
conflict. The disclosure is to be<br />
recorded in the minutes and the Board<br />
shall decide whether the member shall<br />
remain in the meeting or not while the<br />
subject of the disclosure is considered.<br />
A register of conflicts will be maintained.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board Member participation at meetings<br />
for the year ended 30 June 2006<br />
A B A B<br />
Greg Vickery AM 10 10 John Reeves QC 10 9<br />
Michael Legge 10 9 Tony Pixley (b) 10 3<br />
Graham Addison 8 8 Alan Clayton (a) 7 7<br />
Garry Richardson 3 2 Jim Kostoglou 10 9<br />
Sam Reed 10 9 Dennis Daniels 10 9<br />
Ron Clapham 10 8 Richard Stone 10 10<br />
Richard Dunn 10 9 Ian Anson 10 10<br />
A Meetings held during the period of office of the Board Member<br />
B Meetings attended by the Board Member<br />
(a) Denotes appointment at the AGM of the Council on 25 November 2005<br />
(b) Denotes retirement at the AGM of the Council on 25 November 2005
Governance Statement continued...<br />
6. Committees 7. <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Blood Service (ARCBS)<br />
Meetings of the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> Board and their conduct<br />
The Board has 11 scheduled meetings<br />
each year. It also meets whenever<br />
necessary to deal with specific matters<br />
between the scheduled meetings,<br />
usually by way of teleconference.<br />
The Office Bearers in consultation<br />
with the CEO meet throughout<br />
the year to ensure comprehensive<br />
consideration of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
operations and financial <strong>report</strong>ing and<br />
the organisation’s strategic direction<br />
and major risks. The Board Members<br />
who approve the meeting program<br />
have the opportunity to review the<br />
meeting materials seven days in<br />
advance. Board Members are always<br />
encouraged to participate with a robust<br />
exchange of views and to bring their<br />
judgements to bear on the issues<br />
and decisions at hand.<br />
The CEO, DoO, CFO and NDMF&C<br />
attend all Board meetings and other<br />
senior members of the management<br />
team are regularly invited to attend<br />
Board meetings for items of interest<br />
and those of its committees to deliver<br />
presentations. They are able to be<br />
contacted by Board Members between<br />
meetings. The Board regularly meets<br />
for a period without management or<br />
the Board Secretary immediately<br />
before each meeting. The Audit & Risk<br />
Management Committee and also the<br />
Nominations and Remuneration<br />
Committee may meet without<br />
management as it requires, including<br />
meeting with the auditors or<br />
consultants.<br />
The <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board<br />
has an established comprehensive<br />
framework of committees to support<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> in policy<br />
formulation, governance and<br />
accountability.<br />
The following Committees have<br />
been established by the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board:<br />
Asian Quake & Tsunami Appeal<br />
Steering Committee<br />
Audit and Risk Management<br />
Committee<br />
Blood Service Governance Committee<br />
Divisional Rules Review Committee<br />
International Operations Committee<br />
National Asset Strategy Committee<br />
National Awards Committee<br />
National Emergency Services<br />
National Tracing, Refugee &<br />
Asylum Seeker Advisory Committee<br />
National Youth Advisory Committee<br />
Nominations and Remunerations<br />
Committee<br />
Committee procedures<br />
The Committees develop an annual<br />
meeting plan but also meet on other<br />
occasions as necessary. Each<br />
Committee is entitled to the resources<br />
and information it requires, including<br />
direct access to the CEO, senior<br />
management, and access to<br />
professional advice subject to prior<br />
approval from the Chairman and<br />
CEO as applicable.<br />
A copy of the minutes and/or <strong>report</strong>s<br />
from all Committee meetings form part<br />
of the papers for the next practicable<br />
meeting of the Board and usually the<br />
Chairman of the Committee will present<br />
the Report. Each Committee must<br />
review its own performance annually.<br />
Board Secretary<br />
The Board Secretary is responsible for:<br />
functional responsibilities for the<br />
management of the company<br />
secretarial functions of the Board;<br />
together with the CEO, carrying<br />
out the instructions of the Board,<br />
assisting in the implementation of<br />
strategies and giving practical effect<br />
to the Board’s decisions; and<br />
assisting the Board and individual<br />
Board Members with governance<br />
principles, assistance in the<br />
implementation of governance<br />
programs and advice on the<br />
Charter and Rules.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P53
8. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the national team<br />
The <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board has<br />
delegated to the ARCBS Board the<br />
management of its Blood Service<br />
subject to the authority of the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board set out in the Charter<br />
and Rules. An ARCBS Advisory<br />
Committee has been established for<br />
the purpose of advising the ARCBS<br />
Board on a range of technical and<br />
safety issues concerning the Blood<br />
Service. The <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
Board appoints all members of the<br />
ARCBS Board (with the exception of<br />
the ARCBS CEO) and the ARCBS<br />
Advisory Committee and determines<br />
the remuneration of members of the<br />
ARCBS Board. The ARCBS Board<br />
appoints the CEO of the Blood Service<br />
on terms and conditions it determines.<br />
The independent governance<br />
framework of the Blood Service is<br />
described in a separate <strong>Annual</strong> Report.<br />
Robert Tickner (LL.B, LL.M Hons, BEc)<br />
Robert Tickner has been the Chief<br />
Executive Officer (CEO) since February<br />
2005. Mr Tickner brings a wealth of<br />
knowledge of international issues and<br />
policy development, marketing and<br />
communications to <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>. Prior to taking up this<br />
appointment he was the CEO of Job<br />
Futures Ltd (2000-2005). Mr Tickner<br />
served as Federal Minister for<br />
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander<br />
Affairs from 1990-1996, was Chairman<br />
of the Parliamentary Group of Amnesty<br />
International for ten years, served on<br />
many parliamentary delegations and<br />
has represented Australia before the<br />
United Nations. Prior to being elected<br />
to Parliament in 1984, Mr Tickner was<br />
a Lecturer in Law at the New South<br />
Wales Institute of Technology and then<br />
Principal Solicitor to the New South<br />
Wales Aboriginal Legal Service.<br />
Dale Cleaver<br />
Dale Cleaver is the Director of<br />
Operations at <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
(Chief Operating Officer), responsible for<br />
the day-to-day operations of <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>, including International<br />
Operations, Domestic Operations,<br />
Tracing, Refugees, International<br />
Humanitarian Law, Community Services,<br />
Youth, Human Resources and Strategy.<br />
Dale has worked within the not-for-profit<br />
environment for over 20 years in a<br />
variety of roles and functions, including<br />
aged care and disability. Dale has<br />
qualifications in social work and<br />
management. From November 2004<br />
to February 2005 Dale was acting<br />
Secretary-General and was in charge of<br />
the <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Tsunami Appeal following<br />
the tragedy of 26 December 2004.<br />
He has continued in the role of Appeals<br />
Director for the Tsunami Appeal.<br />
Prior to moving to National Office,<br />
Dale was Executive Director of the<br />
South <strong>Australian</strong> Division of <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
Justin Cooper<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
P54<br />
From left to right: Steve Joske Executive<br />
Director WA, Greg Goebel Executive Director<br />
Queensland, Sue Miller General Manager<br />
Organisational Development, Kerry Symons<br />
Executive Director SA, David Ham Business<br />
Strategy Manager, Ian Burke Executive<br />
Director TAS, Sharon Mulholland Executive<br />
Director NT, John O’Connor Chief Financial<br />
Officer, Ian Rentsch Executive Director ACT,<br />
Andrew Hilton Executive Director VIC,<br />
Jennifer Gibb Director Marketing, Fundraising<br />
& Communications, Robert Tickner CEO,<br />
Dale Cleaver Director of Operations, Lewis<br />
Kaplan Executive Director NSW. Absent:<br />
Noel Clement Domestic Operations General<br />
Manager, Donna McSkimming International<br />
Operations General Manager.
9. Audit and financial accountability<br />
John M O’Connor, FCPA, MAICD,<br />
B.Bus (Acct’g), M.Mktg<br />
John O’Connor joined <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong> in January 2005 as the inaugural<br />
Chief Financial Officer of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong>. The position was created after<br />
the Society changed its Governance<br />
structure in late 2004, replacing the<br />
‘Honorary Treasurer’ role.<br />
John has extensive international<br />
experience in the manufacturing and<br />
service sectors across a diverse range<br />
of disciplines including finance, general<br />
management, marketing and strategic<br />
development.<br />
In addition to his role at <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong><br />
<strong>Cross</strong>, he is also a volunteer Board<br />
Member of ‘Guide Dogs Victoria’ which<br />
provides services to vision and mobility<br />
impaired people.<br />
Jennifer Gibb M Comm B Comm<br />
LTCL ATCL<br />
Jennifer Gibb has been National<br />
Director, Marketing, Fundraising and<br />
Communications since May 2004.<br />
She has an established career in<br />
profit-focused business development,<br />
direct marketing and corporate<br />
communications, particularly in the<br />
financial services area, in Australia,<br />
USA and UK.<br />
Prior to joining <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>,<br />
Jennifer held the dual roles for<br />
Accenture of Director of Marketing,<br />
Financial Services - Asia Pacific<br />
and Director of Marketing &<br />
Communications - Australia and<br />
previously was Director, Business<br />
Development & Communications at<br />
Clayton Utz. Her background also<br />
includes sourcing and establishing<br />
new start-up business initiatives for<br />
the Lend Lease Group, Barclays<br />
Bank (UK), American Express<br />
and AGC.<br />
Jennifer has also studied, played and<br />
taught music professionally in Australia,<br />
the US and UK for more than 25 years.<br />
Other members of the National<br />
Management Team include senior<br />
national office managers and the<br />
Executive Directors of the Divisions.<br />
The <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> Board<br />
receives regular <strong>report</strong>s about the<br />
financial condition, operational results,<br />
compliance and risk factors. The CEO<br />
and CFO provide regular statements<br />
of financial performance and the formal<br />
financial statements attest that the<br />
financial statements present a true<br />
and fair view of the financial<br />
condition and operational<br />
results of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
Audit governance and independence<br />
Audit governance principles – the<br />
Board is committed to preparing<br />
financial <strong>report</strong>s that represent a true<br />
and fair view, complying with all<br />
applicable and relevant accounting<br />
standards and also to ensuring the<br />
external auditor is independent and<br />
services the interests of <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>. <strong>Australian</strong> Accounting<br />
Standards are monitored and practices<br />
reviewed accordingly.<br />
The Board maintains a high standard<br />
of internal control in all aspects of its<br />
operations. Internal control comprises<br />
all policies, systems and procedures<br />
established by the Board and local<br />
management to safeguard assets and<br />
ensure the accuracy and reliability of<br />
records, provide operational efficiency<br />
and encourage adherence to the<br />
Society’s policies. To achieve this, the<br />
Board has established two principle<br />
Committees – the Audit & Risk<br />
Management and National Asset<br />
Strategy Committees, which operate as<br />
an independent appraisal to measure<br />
and evaluate the effectiveness of internal<br />
controls being applied throughout<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong>.<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong> appointed BDO<br />
as its auditors in February 2006 for an<br />
initial three-year term.<br />
The Audit & Risk Management<br />
Committee may meet with the external<br />
auditor without management being<br />
present. The external auditor attends<br />
the <strong>Annual</strong> General Meeting and is<br />
available to answer questions from<br />
the Council on the conduct of the<br />
audit, the preparation and content of<br />
the audit <strong>report</strong>, the accounting policies<br />
adopted in the preparation of the<br />
accounts and the independence of<br />
the auditor in relation to the conduct<br />
of the audit.<br />
Internal audit – the Audit & Risk<br />
Management Committee is currently<br />
developing an Internal Audit Charter to<br />
include the standards, relationships and<br />
the other internal audit arrangements<br />
applicable to the <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Cross</strong><br />
environment.<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Report 2005-06<br />
P55
General enquiries<br />
1 800 246 850<br />
Donations<br />
1 800 811 700<br />
First Aid enquiries<br />
1 300 367 428<br />
Blood Donor enquiries<br />
13 14 95<br />
www.redcross.org.au<br />
National Office<br />
155 Pelham Street<br />
Carlton VIC 3053<br />
Tel 03 9345 1800<br />
ACT<br />
Cnr Hindmarsh Drive<br />
and Palmer Street<br />
Garran ACT 2605<br />
Tel 02 6206 6000<br />
NSW<br />
159 Clarence Street<br />
Sydney NSW 2000<br />
Tel 02 9229 4111<br />
NT<br />
Cnr Lambell Terrace<br />
and Schultz Street<br />
Larrakeyah NT 0820<br />
Tel 08 8924 3900<br />
QLD<br />
49 Park Road<br />
Milton QLD 4064<br />
Tel 07 3367 7222<br />
SA<br />
207-217 Wakefield Street<br />
Adelaide SA 5000<br />
Tel 08 8100 4500<br />
TAS<br />
40 Melville Street<br />
Hobart TAS 7000<br />
Tel 03 6235 6077<br />
VIC<br />
23-47 Villiers Street<br />
North Melbourne VIC 3051<br />
Tel 03 8327 7700<br />
WA<br />
110 Goderich Street<br />
East Perth WA 6004<br />
Tel 08 9325 5111