History Council of South Australia (HCSA)
PO Box 6809 | Halifax Street | Adelaide 5000
E secretary@historycouncilsa.org.au | W www.historycouncilsa.org.au
ABN 80 979 742 192
Minutes of Council (General Committee) Meeting
Monday 9 September 2013
5.30– 7.00 p.m.
History SA Board Room, Torrens Parade Grounds
Meeting opened at 5.30 pm
Present
Margaret Anderson, Sue Coppin, Lauren Gobbett, Heidi Ing, Hugh Magarey, Susan Marsden, Alan Mayne,
Greg Slattery, Alexis Tindall, Richard Venus, Wilfrid Prest
Apologies
Adrian Rudzinski, Annette Mills, Elizabeth Weeks (minute-taker)
1.
Noting of Minutes of previous meetings
Minutes of the Meeting of the June Meeting 2013 were accepted with correction: Copyright Council
grant is $2500 not $2000.
Moved Richard, seconded Lauren, that the minutes be accepted with correction as a true and correct
record. Carried.
2.
Business Arising
a. AGM
20 Sept, 4.45–5.30 (before the Annual Lecture), Allan Scott Auditorium, University of SA. The Executive
and Elizabeth Weeks have organised arrangements including catering, venue and gold coin donation
bowl.
The Committee was informed that they still have time to submit their nominations if they haven’t done
so already.
b. State History Conference
Susan asked Committee members to let her know if they have brochures they would like included
on the State History Conference table.
The HCSA received one free registration and discussion ensued about whom to give this to. Lauren
suggested a competition on Twitter but the Committee thought this was too hard given the short
notice. It was agreed that Elizabeth Weeks be given the ticket as thanks for her volunteer work for the
HCSA.
Richard Venus has visited the Mt Gambier venue. Richard will be picking Nicole Curby (speaker) up
from the Mt Gambier airport and will show her the town before the lecture.
c. “City of Adelaide”
Ship group contacted but no response.
3.
New members and thanks
Two new Council members: Sue Coppin (on Executive) and Heidi Ing (General Committee). Sue succeeds
Jacinta Weiss representing Australian Society of Archivists, South Australian Branch. Heidi represents The
Friends of South Australia’s Archives.
Thanks to retiring member Jacinta Weiss for her role on the Executive.
Thanks also to Elizabeth Weeks, volunteer.
4.
Advocacy
a. Submission to review History School in the next week (late September) at University of Adelaide,
24 June, interview 11 July.
b. Museum of social history for SA/Museum of Adelaide: Susan is on History SA’s ‘Campaign Group’.
The Group meeting, chaired by Amanda Vanstone, will be held on the 19th September.
c.
Meeting with Steven Marshall MP, 6 August: Susan discussed with Steven the funding of the
National Trust and the HCSA’s support for a Museum of Adelaide.
Norman Etherington wrote to all SA parliamentary leaders on behalf of the National Trust about
their heritage policies.
d. Meeting requested with Premier – his reply: diverted to Ian Hunter (Minister for Sustainability etc).
Susan has set up a half hour meeting on the 22 October with a focus on heritage. Margaret
Anderson suggests Susan get in touch with Chloe Fox.
e. Advocacy discussed at Historical Society of SA committee meeting 8 August: History of HCSA
advocacy – added to website; question of joint funding for administration; cuts in heritage funding.
f.
Daryl Best reported that the HTAA is concerned about Tony Abbott’s comments regarding history
in the curriculum.
5. Events
a. Awards presentation at Government House – see 5.
b. Annual Lectures:
 14 Sept (5.45-7.30pm) (country), Nicole Curby, ‘Australian Generations: an oral history of
our living memory’, at Mt Gambier Public Library, 6 Watson Tce (co-host).
It was suggested that an invite be sent to the new member for Mt Gambier.
Richard and Susan will be attending.
 20 Sept (5.45-8pm)(city), Alistair Thomson, ‘Australian Generations...’, University of SA, City
West Campus, North Tce (co-host: Hawke Centre) plus AGM
Arrangements in place, including speakers, venues, grant (CAL), accommodation, co-hosts,
catering
Publicity
Gold coin donation will be collected on arrival. Greg will bring a bowl and Elizabeth Weeks
and Lauren will collect.
6. Awards
Thanks in particular to Wilf Prest
Annual Awards presented by His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce on 29 July at Government House to:
 Elspeth Grant - Emerging South Australian Historian of the Year Award
 Ron Gibbs AM - South Australian Lifelong History Achievement Award
 Patricia Sumerling - South Australian Historian of the Year Award.
Note: R Gibbs was overseas.
Photos by professional photographer Alex Kwong (2012 & 2013): contact secretary for copies
Media release & other publicity (including President’s Newsletter); Wakefield Press also offered to
publicise
7. Website/Communications
HCSA Website archived on Pandora
Twitter: Lauren reported that @history_sa had over 230 followers at the time of the meeting. Twitter is a
great way of advertising events, advocating for SA history and connecting with the history community
locally and globally.
8. Membership Report
 Renewals and further reminder (GS)
 National Trust of SA
 Brian Samuels
 HTASA
 Lutheran Archives
 OHAA SA
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Elizabeth Weeks
SA Genealogy Society
City of Adelaide
Ron Gibbs
Pioneers Association
Melanie Oppenheimer
Adelaide Gaol Preservation Society
9. President’s Report (SM)
Newsletter (Aug 2013) distributed to members, potential supporters and MPs etc.
Media campaign re HCSA awards: prepared and distributed media release and followup letters to
newspapers, newsletters, organisations and individuals, including HCNSW & HCWA, in the interests of an
exchange
10. Treasurer’s Report (GS)
At the end of the financial year the HCSA had $853 in the cheque account.
Greg handed out the income and expenditure report to the Committee and noted there have been many
events this year and expenses (website).
Greg needs to discuss the Deductible Gift Recipient Status (DGR) with Wilf Prest.
11. Correspondence
Inwards:
 Thankyou letters re Award, Awards night Patricia Sumerling (table), Alison Fort
 Prof Melanie Oppenheimer (email, 9.8.13): ’I have recently taken up the Chair of History at Flinders
University … I should … introduce myself and … join the History Council ... I am an Australian historian
with a special interest in social history, war and volunteering. I have a number of projects … but the
one that is taking up most of my time … is a centenary history of Australian Red Cross, which will be
published by Harper Collins in August 2014.’
Outwards:
Thankyou to Governor; letters to Messenger & Advertiser; congratulations (and award) to R Gibbs (absent
at Awards presentation)
12. Any Other Business
 Resource kits for primary school students was discussed. Margaret explained that there is a joint
project for producing resource kits for students and teachers already in place and the guidelines
are on the Community History SA website.
 Advocacy – written policy for to MPs (a call for volunteers to draft); support for NTSA policy?
 HCSA history sponsorships to be discussed at next meeting. Alternatives to the State History
conference sponsorship to be discussed.
 Wilf highlighted to the Committee that there is an impending review of State Records (retired
district judge Alan Moss to head the review)
13. Date of next meetings
 11th AGM – 20 September, 4.45–5.30 pm (before the Annual Lecture), Allan Scott Auditorium,
University of SA, City West Campus
 Executive – 21 October, 5.30–7.00 pm, State Library of SA
 Council – 25 November, 5.30–7.30 pm, History SA Board room, Torrens Parade Ground.
Meeting closed at 7.30 pm
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