Annual General Meeting, 8 October 2015

Pat and Warwick Wright became the latest life members of the Friends of the ANBG at the Annual General Meeting on 8 October. David Coutts, Friends’ past President, told us of the many and varied Friends’ activities in which Pat and Warwick have engaged over more than two decades in providing exceptional service to the Friends. Lesley Jackman, Friends’ President, presented them with a life membership citation and Barbara Podger presented them with flowers.

Also at the meeting, annual reports were presented by Friends’ President Lesley Jackman and Acting Treasurer Marion Jones.  Gardens’ Executive Director Judy West reported on the year’s highlights in the Gardens.

Newly elected members of Friends’ Council are Jeff Brown and David Cox. Lesley thanked retiring Council members Dennis Ayliffe, Marion Jones and Ian Primrose for their work for the Friends. The position of Treasurer is vacant and Council is most grateful for the fact that Marion Jones will act in the position in the short term until a successor is found.

Jan Finley, Vice President, outlined the proposed revised constitution for the Friends. It has been developed over the past twelve months in a process that involved much hard work on the part of the team involved and also extensive consultation with the Friends’ membership. Members present voted unanimously to adopt the revised constitution.   As required by ACT Associations Incorporation Act, the amended constitution was lodged with the ACT Register General. It was registered by the Registrar General and came into effect in mid-November 2015

After the formal meeting Sally Barnes, Director of National Parks, spoke about the work of Parks Australia and, assisted by Gardens’ General Manager Peter Byron, gave an outline of the new Management Plan for the Gardens. Members of the Friends were impressed with the plans for future developments in the Gardens and very pleased to hear that Parks Australia is providing $5 million to implement Stage I of the Plan. It is anticipated that Stage I will be complete in time for the Gardens’ 50^th anniversary in 2020.

Life membership conferred                                    Sally Barnes & Peter Byron