Why North Hobart is Saying 'No'
One in four Australian women have experienced violence from an intimate partner. We aren't just wearing purple; we are working to shift the culture.

In Australia, a call for help is made every two minutes due to domestic violence. Yet, for many, that call is impossible because their phone has been broken, taken, or is being monitored.
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We collect phones... they are wiped... they become lifelines.

At the Rotary Club of North Hobart, we believe that the best way to find ourselves is through service to others. This belief drives our commitment to building safer, more connected and more peaceful communities.

Across Australia, domestic, family and sexual violence is recognised as a problem of epidemic proportions, affecting individuals, families and communities at every level. The National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032 sets an ambitious vision: to end gender-based violence within one generation .

This vision recognises a simple truth — violence is not inevitable, and change is possible when communities, organisations, businesses and governments work together.
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A local response contributing to a national goal
In partnership with Hobart Airport and DV Safe Phone, the Rotary Club of North Hobart is delivering a practical initiative that contributes directly to this national effort.
By collecting donated mobile phones and facilitating their secure refurbishment, we are helping provide safe, untraceable communication for people experiencing domestic and family violence.
For victim-survivors, access to a phone is more than convenience — it is a critical pathway to:

• safety
• connection
• support
• recovery

This reflects the National Plan’s emphasis on person-centred, coordinated responses that enable individuals to access help when they need it most .
Supporting the full continuum of action
The National Plan highlights that ending violence requires action across a continuum — prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing .
This project contributes across all four domains:
Prevention
By raising awareness and engaging the community in meaningful action, we challenge the social conditions that allow violence to occur.
Early Intervention
Access to a safe phone enables individuals at risk to seek help earlier, reducing escalation and improving outcomes.
Response
Through partnerships with Tasmania Police and frontline services, phones are placed directly into the hands of those experiencing violence.
Recovery and Healing
Ongoing access to communication supports individuals to rebuild their lives, maintain relationships, and move forward with dignity and independence.
Peacebuilding at the community level
Rotary’s approach to peacebuilding recognises that peace is built not only through global efforts, but through local action that strengthens safety, trust and respect.
This initiative reflects that philosophy by:

• restoring agency and independence
• strengthening support networks
• contributing to safe and inclusive communities

These are the foundations of lasting peace.
Partnership and shared responsibility
The National Plan makes clear that everyone has a role to play in ending violence .
This project demonstrates that shared responsibility:

• Hobart Airport providing leadership through community investment
• DV Safe Phone ensuring secure and professional device refurbishment
• Tasmania Police and frontline services delivering direct support
• Community members contributing through phone donations

Together, these partnerships reflect a whole-of-society response — essential to achieving generational change.
Supporting diverse communities
The National Plan recognises that violence affects people differently, and that responses must be inclusive, culturally informed and intersectional .
Through engagement with organisations such as Karadi Aboriginal Corporation and Safe Choices, this project supports pathways that are responsive to the needs of diverse communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Sustainability with purpose
This initiative also reflects a commitment to environmental sustainability. By diverting mobile phones from landfill and repurposing them for social good, we connect environmental responsibility with human safety and wellbeing.
This is sustainability in its truest sense — supporting both people and planet.
A shared vision for the future
​The National Plan sets out a future where all people are safe at home, at work, at school, in the community and online .
Projects like this show how that vision becomes reality — through practical action, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to change.
At Rotary, we understand that peace begins in our communities.
It begins with safety.
It begins with dignity.
And it begins when we choose to act — together.

One fall can change a life. Most are preventable. We’re here to help you stay confident, active, and connected.

Upcoming Events: Meet the Team
Join us locally to grab your free resources and start your journey to better balance.

• Thursday 19 March | Bunnings Glenorchy – Community Engagement & Info
• Tuesday 31 March | Official Project Launch (Invited Guests)
• Wednesday 1 April | New Town Plaza – APRIL FALLS DAY * Free Balance Tests & Community Stall

What is Steady on Your Feet?
Supported by a $5,000 Calvary Community Council grant, our club is taking falls prevention directly into the places you already visit. We aren't just talking about safety; we’re providing the tools to make it happen.

How We’re Helping You:

• Free Balance Tests: Available at our April Falls Day event at New Town Plaza.
• The 28-Day Challenge: Simple daily actions to build strength and confidence.
• Practical Resources: Home-safety tips that make a big difference (like better lighting!).
• Digital Education: Watch our short video clips on social media for quick, easy tips.

"Small actions. Big independence."

Our Expert Partners
We are proud to collaborate with Tasmania’s leading advocates for senior health. This project is strengthened by the expertise and support of:

• COTA Tasmania (Council on the Ageing)
• UTAS Menzies Centre
• New Town Community Association
• Rotary South Pacific

Meet the Project Team
Led by the Rotary Club of North Hobart Falls Prevention Team, this initiative reflects our commitment to practical service: Angela Holzberger (Chair), Marnie Hill, Roslyn Teirney, Adam Reibel, and Bob Morris.

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3. Recycle Rewards: The Circular Economy in ActionWe’ve turned "trash" into a community resource. Through our Recycle Rewards scheme, your 10c container refunds do double duty:

• ♻️ Planet: They stay out of landfill and enter the circular economy.
• 💙 People: They fund our local high-impact projects. It’s the ultimate sustainable win-win.

Why This Matters 

For us, volunteering is about measurable impact. When you join our environmental shifts, you’re:

• Restoring urban ecosystems from the ground up.
• Reducing pollution in our own backyard.
• Connecting with a multi-generational team that actually does the work.

Ready to get your hands dirty?
We don't need more talk; we need more people. Whether you’re a climate advocate, a weekend warrior, or someone who just wants to give back, there’s a spot for you on the team.
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Stop scrolling. Start restoring.

What if your morning coffee run or office Friday drinks could jumpstart a local career?
At the Rotary Club of North Hobart, we’re not just talking about sustainability—we’re building it. Through our Recycle Rewards initiative, we are turning Tasmania’s 10-cent container deposit scheme into a powerful engine for social good.

The Mission: Circular. Social. Sustainable.We’ve teamed up with Social Enterprise Employment & Diversity Inc. (SEED) to create a recycling loop that does more than just sort plastic. SEED creates vital employment opportunities for people facing barriers to work. When your business joins Recycle Rewards, you aren't just recycling; you’re creating jobs.

How It Works (The Zero-Friction Model)We know you’re busy. That’s why we’ve made the impact as easy as possible:

1. Sign Up: A simple agreement gets you started.
2. Get Bins: We provide dedicated collection bins for your workplace.
3. We Handle the Rest: SEED collects and processes the containers.

The Win-Win-Win

• ♻️ Zero Waste: Keep eligible containers out of the landfill.
• 💼 Inclusive Jobs: Provide meaningful work through the SEED network.
• 💙 Community Power: 100% of the funds flow directly back into local projects.

Ready to Level Up Your Business Impact?
​If your business produces eligible drink containers, don't just toss them. Turn them into a "Recycle Reward" for Hobart.
Join the movement. Let’s make every container count.

This global activity is certainly not a 'fund raiser', but a service to Rotary clubs so they may, in turn, use a well researched item to attract youngsters and even adults into the fun of reading.

Basic education and literacy is directly linked to Supporting Education - one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus - that expands and creates opportunities for addressing other socioeconomic issues.  By improving available basic education and literacy rates in our communities, Rotarians are able to have a broader impact by helping to reduce poverty, improve health, encourage community and economic development, and promote peace. Rotarians are encouraged to be people of action and support activities and training to improve education for all children and literacy for children and adults.

Please download the information brochure in the files section of the Rotary Tasmania Family group on Facebook and contact PRID John Thorne Thorne.hobart@gmail.com if you would like to take up this exciting project in your club or district. Postage of encyclopaedias is free if districts order at least 100 books.

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Thank you.

John.

(Past Director of RI)

Dr John G. Thorne AM FACEA JP 0409 817 898 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kofi Annan said, "Literacy is the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realise his or her full potential." Rotarians have the power to build that road.

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​Rotarians Against Malaria: Our International Service to open doors into the hearts of Rotarians and non-Rotarians

Introduction

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasites live to wreak havoc in their human / animal / bird hosts. While the parasites are relatively harmless to the mosquitoes, it can be deadly to humans. Both types of hosts are needed by the parasites to procreate and survive.

In contrast to COVD-19, there are far more malaria infections but fewer deaths each year. Globally, in 2018, an estimated 228 million people were infected with malaria and 405,000 deaths occurred, mainly in Africa. An estimated 1,109 deaths occurred each day. The most at risk for malarial deaths were children under five who made up 67% of the deaths in 2018. The social and economic burdens of malaria are phenomenal. The sick are unable to work and children are unable to go to school. The poor become poorer.

In the 1990s, Rotarians in Australia established a national group called Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) to fight against the scourge of malaria in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Since then, Rotarians have helped to reduce malaria in Vanuatu, PNG, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. RAM is governed by Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Ltd. In addition to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, our partners include Vanuatu and West Timor (NTT Province, Indonesia).

The primary focus of RAM is malaria control and elimination. We work closely with the Ministry of Health authorities in each country and complement the work of other malaria organisations, most notably the World Health Organisation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund). We assist countries in malaria vector control using insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying of insecticides. We also offer a PhD scholarship every five years. To sustain our international humanitarian service, we need sustained support from Rotarians across Australia.

Our success story:  Zero indigenous malaria in Timor Leste

Rotarians Against Malaria first commenced support for Timor Leste in 2006. In that year, Timor Leste was considered a 'post-conflict' fragile nation following independence in 2002 from Indonesia. In 2006,  malaria was wide-spread in Timor Leste with an estimated 223,002 malaria cases. By 2019, over a period of 15 years, malaria was reduced to zero with only nine (9) imported malaria cases. The great success story in malaria elimination was due to several factors, and one of which was the leadership of the National Malaria Program, and the continuing financial support from the Global Fund, World Health Organisation (WHO), and Rotarians Against Malaria. Rotarians' actions have averted many malaria cases with several illnesses and deaths. We have given Timorese a chance for a better life. The elimination of malaria was critical to the prosperity and peace in the country.

By 2019, Rotarians across Australia had donated a total of 112,000 bed nets to Timor Leste. Specific to District 9830 (Tasmania), the Rotary Club of North Hobart is also part of  Timor Leste's success story. In 2017, PP Dr. Jenny Kerrison, the Rotary Club of North Hobart, took a small team of RAM Volunteers to Timor Leste. Her trip highlighted the dedication and good work of the National Malaria Program and the WHO Consultant. Upon her return to Tasmania and with support from her club and help from PDG Peter Murfett D9830 The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Chair, and Rotarians Against Malaria Australia, Jenny applied for a Rotary Global Grant for Timor Leste. The Grant galvanised wide-spread support in Australia for Timor Leste. A total of 15 of 21 Rotary districts donated their District Designated Funds to the project. In addition, 13 Rotary clubs in D9800 and two Rotary clubs from across Australia donated towards the Grant. The final result was a total of USD251,334 matched Grant from TRF was raised.

Assisted by the host partner Rotary Club of Dili Lafaek in Timor Leste D9550, the Rotary Club of North Hobart in D9830 commenced the Grant project in 2018. Rotarians should be proud of the Grant's outputs. The project has donated a total of 40,000 long lasting insecticidal nets to pregnant women throughout Timor Leste. In addition, we trained 107 Community Health Volunteers, and strengthened Timor Leste's indoor residual spraying (IRS) program through a donation 80 sprayer machines. Rotarians have contributed to maintaining zero malaria in Timor Leste.

The enormous support from Rotarians for Timor Leste reflected our mindset that 'Rotarians can and will make a difference' in our International Service. Rotarians Against Malaria has provided opportunities for Rotarians to meet their international service obligations and in doing so, RAM has opened doors into the hearts of Rotarians and non-Rotarians.

Malaria on Timor Island (West and East Timor)

Our work continues on Timor Island. In February 2020, Dr. Jenny Kerrison, RC North Hobart, led a small team of RAM Volunteers to conduct a Community Needs Assessment at two border districts in West Timor. The emphasis is to eliminate malaria from the whole of Timor Island. West Timor shares the Timor Island with Timor Leste (East Timor). While malaria is eliminated from Timor Leste, the disease remains endemic in West Timor (Indonesia). Funding for the Community Needs Assessment was from Rotary District 9830 District Grant and Rotarians Against Malaria. Since our visit, D9830 has pledged District Designated Funds towards a Rotary Global Grant application for West Timor. If successful, Rotarians in D9830 will contribute to malaria elimination in West Timor and eventually, the whole of Timor Island.

Call to Action

To continue our work to end malaria in our partner countries, we need help from Rotarians. Please donate to the Rotarians Against Malaria via this link https://ram.rawcs.com.au/

Alternatively, you may wish to volunteer your time with us, in the following positions: Deputy National Manager, Newsletter Editor, Speaker, Fund-raising volunteer.

 
 
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Jenny KERRISON PhD, DEd, RN, RM
Rotary Club of North Hobart & RAM Project Manager, Rotary Global Grant for malaria elimination in Timor Leste 2018-2020
National Manager for Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) Australia - ram.rawcs.com.au

Past President Jenny Kerrison, National Manager for Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) Australia, pictured with Past President Howie Oh, National Treasurer for RAM.  Howie is the current Director of International Service at the Rotary Club of North Hobart.

More photos of the RAM projects in Timor-Leste and Indonesia are available on the PROJECTS page of our website.  

On Tuesday 30 June, the Rotary Club of North Hobart was able to celebrate Changeover with a face to face meeting.  We held the event at the Black Buffalo and 39 members and guests were in attendance.  Thank you to Tanya Dargaville who acted as MC for the evening.

Official guests were District Governor Michael Cooke and his wife Corrina, Immediate Past District Governor Ross Carlyle. Past District Governor Peter Murfett and incoming Assistant Governor Paul Fernyhough.   

The first excitement was when Effie Flaskas was inducted as a new member.  A warm welcome to Effie! 

The District Governor presented the club one of three Significant Service certificates which he awarded at District Changeover.

The award was presented to all members of the Public Image committee, Peter O'Brien, Jenny Kerrison and Roslyn Teirney.  We were able to announce that incoming President Brian has invited us to organise a similar event next year, once again at Turnbull Funerals.

Several individual Rotarians received Avenues of Service awards.  

It was an honour for us to host the last event at which DG Michael and his wife Corrina were official guests in his year of leading the district.  Thank you Michael for representing RI President Mark Daniel Maloney and bringing his message of Rotary connecting the world in the spirit of peace and service.  Throughout the evening, guests were uplifted by speeches by a number of our members, some about Rotary and some about our members.  

PRID John Thorne proposed the toast to Rotary.

PAG Paul Fernyhough, of the Rotary Club of Claremont, read the acnowledgement of the original custodians of the land on which we met.  It was Paul who edited the DG News in 2019-20.

PAG Jill Savell became a Paul Harris Fellow.  Thank you to Jill for her wonderful service.  Jill, always a wonderful public speaker, responded warmly with inspirational stories of Rotary service and travel.

Next we had another celebration of Rotary service, this time when PDG Peter Murfett, District Director of The Rotary Foundation, announced that PRID John and Shirley Thorne had reached the milestone of Major Donors for their financial gifts to The Rotary Foundation over the years.  The mementos from Rotary International were presented by DG Michael Cooke and both Shirley and John reminisced about their Rotary journeys and what motivated them to give so much to Rotary and make Rotary their charity of choice.

Thank you both for your distinguished service. What a team you've made indeed.

As always at Changeover, there were moments to reflect on the year as a whole, a challenging and probably unforgettable year, but nevertheless one in which we achieved many goals.  The Public Image committee was very proud to have the District Governor present at the launch of our "Rotary Connects the World" two minute video clip.  This featured four spokespeople from the club, listing a number of our international projects from the past year.  The clip is available to view on our club's Facebook page.

We also presented our Annual Report, which will be used as a Public Image resource in the year ahead, as well as a record for members.  The report was designed and printed by our Pride of Workmanship awardees, A and J Printers.  Thanks to Margaret and Peter, who went above and beyond.  

As prize sponsors, our club was invited to the Grade 6 Leavers' Assembly last year.  David is pictured above with the Literacy prize winner and the student who presented the award.

The occasion was well attended by parents and community leaders.  

One of the people that has made it possible for us to re-establish our link with Campbell Street i Mrs Rhonda Walker, a teacher, who happens to be a Rotarian too.  Rhonda is the President of the Rotary Club of Glenorchy.  

After the Assembly, Rhonda showed us where the school has decided to establish the Food Plant Solutions Garden that our club wants to help with.

Following the summer holidays, we visited Campbell Street again to meet the new principal, Jo Waldron.  President Roslyn Teirney is pictured below presenting two sets of STEM textbooks, on Science and Mathematics topics, featuring girl heroes.  Our member Dr John Thorne recommended these to us and the board immediately gave its support.

To finish this Rotary year, we are excited to provide resources to Campbell Street for a Gardening Workshop for migrant families.  More on this later.  

The collaboration with Campbell Street Primary School has been extremely rewarding and we look forward to developing the link and getting to know more members of the teaching staff.