DESCENDEANTS OF AUSTRALIAN SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS Inc.
SUNSHINE COAST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING  5^TH DECEMBER 2009
PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2009

Don Fewquandie

I wish to take this opportunity to thank you all for coming here today for the DASSI Sunshine Coast 2009 AGM. Thanks to all committee members for their valued support during the year. I do appreciate your efforts. The Vice President Kerry for his ongoing passion and  establishment of  tree and plant vegetation and land/foreshore protection of our cultural land site at lot 71 beside the Maroochy River at Bli-Bli.

I'd also like to thank our Secretary Henry for a great effort to establish the Secretary's position into a more formal role within the Committee and Brianne for her support when required. Our wonderful treasurer Helen for her huge effort in maintaining our financial register and audit trails not only for the Association but for separate budgets for project works carried out on lot 71 funded by external sources.

Sue, Jason and Robert thanks for your support. In particular to Sue who was our stand in Secretary when it was needed and your general support in my role as President. A big thank you to Gen and Violet for their ongoing support and help to the committee. In particular to Gen for her valued advice with funding and grant issues and Violet with her very important role as our administrator for the state ASSI web site.

I do hope and pray that 2010 brings us all good tidings and all members make an effort to get behind and support the new elected Committee and the Association in general. Remember the Association is only as good as the members so it is up to us all to make an effort next year to support the association as we plan to move forward with Ideas already in the planning stage for 2010.

To reflect on some of the achievements this year, This association has been one of the leaders in the establishment to the state wide ASSI web site. The site is now live and we have established 5 trained administrators  throughout  the state.  Jeanette Morgan "Mackay", Evan Warkill "Rockhampton", Matt Nagas "Bundaberg", Violet Jones "Sunshine Coast", Jacob Ryan "Brisbane". Sue and myself  travelled the state extensively this year and spoke to various stakeholders and  ASSI associations regarding the web site.

We found very strong support and so many good things happening with ASSI issues in all areas and which we need to share as a Community. I firmly believe the web will be able to display the great things happening in the state and bring "OUR PEOPLE" closer together via this very important  communication  link. The James Cook,  Central Qld,  Sunshine Coast, and QUT are the 4 participating ASSI Foundation scholarship universities who will use the site for displaying ASSI scholarships info and input into student graduations etc. Multicultural Affairs Qld will also be inputting into the site in relation to ASSI Foundation issues and other matters of interest to our community.

Community association profiles, community events, photo of events, newsletters, Jobs advertised, student profiles  etc will be the main focus to start the site moving. We will gradually move into the more community sensitive areas such as  history, family photos, stories, songs etc.This will only happen as the site develops and the community is involved via a stringent consultation process and signed off at community, family and or indivual level. My main concern  is intellectual property ownership and protection of individual, family, association or ASSI community property. We need to share our past and history but we must also respect the ownership of this property and get permission to display or use on the web site through proper consultation with the owner or owners.

CSR who are an existing ASSI tertiary education sponsors have previously advised that they would like to support our youth and advertise youth programs such as apprenticeships and cadet-ships on the web site MACKAY SUGAR who have sponsored this web site have indicated similar interest in the past also.

The Vanuatu  Government have  indicated an interest with a link to our site and hopefully contact with the the Solomon Island Government will also indicate interest in our web. At one stage a couple of years back when we were discussing the establishment of a web site interest was shown by Vanuatu Airlines The site can be viewed on http://www.assi.org.au/

The clearing of the land  and the re-vegetation and tree planting and establishment of shoreline protection  at lot 71 has been a major achievement for Kerry , Jason and the members and their supervised workforce. Was good to see young Desmond and his sister clearing undergrowth on the land a couple of Sunday ago when we were planting some trees on the site. An  application from DASSI  for registration as a minor land care group  has been sent to QLD Water and Land Carers  which will cover us for public liability when we or groups are working clearing or upgrading in environmental activities on the lot 71 site.

Many thanks to Gen for helping with the documentation. The establishment of the Secretary's position into a more formal role within the committee by way of formal documentation and process has commenced. Thanks to Henry for that good work Our local university student Peta Parter has sat for her final exams Nursing Degree and will be moving  to Townsville to take up a nursing graduate position at the Townsville Hospital. May I note that she has graduated with very high marks in a degree which is not easy. Well done Peta we all are very proud of you! We now have a representative who sits on the Aboriginal & Island Court system. Murri Court in the Caloundra Court youth and adult and who does regular prison visits. We have held BBQ'S and family/children fun days at  Mudjimba Park and on lot 71 which are very important to the association.

I personally consider our association to be one that endeavors to pull our community together and most of all gives our children the opportunity to interact with each other  and as family. These children will remember these gatherings and events for the rest of their lives and hopefully carry on in a similar way. Remember....without family you really haven't got much.                                                  

NEXT YEAR PLANS

Our goals for next year is to continue to upgrade and further reestablish lot 71 and work with council and the wider community regarding local and broader ASSI issues to ensure we have regular input into the State web site. Violet is our local administrator, if you need to get something onto the web site or you need to know how to check the site if you are having difficulties please speak to her. Thanks Violet Have a representative on the local regional council creative communities committee. Set up a ongoing working partnership with the Bunya Bunya group in relation to lot 71 Pursue grant funding to finance lot 71 upgrades We have had some sad events within our island community this year with the passing of Mal Fewquandie and  Rodney Jones senior  [Wogga].

I WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOU ONE AND ALL A VERY MERRY XMAS  AND A SAFE HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR REMEMBER OUR ASSOCATION IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WE ALL MAKE IT.

Please join the committee and members at the Mudjimba beach park for a family BBQ AND GAMES. 

Our best wishes to you all from Sue & Myself

If you wish to become a member of the Australian South Sea Islanders Association Incorporated go to the contact us & membership application part of the website.