Port Sorell U3A - 10th Anniversary
Hon. Mike Gaffney MLC
Member for Mersey
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6 August 2024
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Mr. President, this morning I would like to bring to your attention the recent 10th Anniversary of the Port Sorell University of the Third Age (U3A).
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It gives me great pleasure Mr President, to welcome representatives from Port Sorell U3A to the Chamber today.
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Mr President, for me, community is everything and in my past as the Mayor of Latrobe, and currently in my ongoing role as the Member for Mersey in the Legislative Council, I believe Port Sorell U3A to be one of the most successful community groups in the Latrobe Municipality.
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This is in terms of its all-inclusive culture of openness and goodwill, where every new member is welcomed as an old friend ready to share engaging new experiences, an incredible diversity of knowledge and warm, genuine companionship.
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I am proud to state, Mr President, that in 10 years there have been 5 presidents, 36 committee members, 119 tutors and program leaders, 236 courses and activities, and currently over 400 active members - what an extraordinary achievement!
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Mr President, it is interesting to note that the U3A movement began in France in 1973 and soon spread worldwide. U3A surfaced in Melbourne in the 1980’s and in 1990 the first programme was launched in Hobart at Jane Franklin Hall; groups were subsequently established at Clarence and Kingston.
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In life, I know that timing is everything and the Hon Kerry Finch’s presentation on the success of the Tamar Valley U3A as a “Special Interest Matter” in the Legislative Council in 2013 caught my immediate attention. Enough to say that it was the catalyst that helped start the conversations that made Port Sorell U3A what it is today.
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That’s not to presume that it came easily Mr President. As with all start-ups, there’s an incredible amount of behind the scenes work from a small number of enthusiastic, positive and selfless key individuals who are essential in bringing a brand-new community entity to life.
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Indeed, Mr President occasionally I have a decent idea and when I was approached earlier in the year and asked if I would be able to speak at the 10-year celebration event, I did feel that it was perhaps important to place on the record the history and origins of Port Sorell U3A at this significant occasion.
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Mr President, I considered that this would be a fitting Parliamentary Intern Project however, after this idea did not eventuate, I was happy to sponsor the collation and publication of that information, which was a truly collaborative effort.
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Mr President, my fellow Honourable Members have been provided with a booklet highlighting the rich history of the Port Sorell U3A and I am very pleased to see that the founding members are wonderfully recognised in the booklet and are applauded by positive comments from many individuals.
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Mr President, a current Port Sorell U3A Newsletter has also been distributed to my fellow Honourable Members which may useful to their respective communities who have an interest in the U3A movement.
The booklet was launched as part of a highly social afternoon/evening celebration event, that whilst it was somewhat cold and wet outside, there was a buzzing warmth inside that brought the Port Sorell U3A community together. This was with a flurry of celebratory speeches, spread through the evening, from past U3A Presidents, the Latrobe Mayor, myself and the Hon Kerry Finch too, as a warm segue into a number of musical performances.
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Mr President, we had the ever-popular U3A Ukelele Group and the U3A choir too that encouraged us all to join them in a couple of numbers that were enthusiastically supported by everyone present, together with the wine and cheese accompaniments.
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Mr President, we also enjoyed a variety of displays from a number of U3A classes and courses, and possibly the most illuminating of which was the incredibly popular lantern making group; one that perhaps embodies the truly vibrant and fully inclusive nature of Port Sorell U3A.
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Whilst I have heard that lantern making is a highly social activity with lots of banter and conversation within the group, I was astonished by the range, scale and creativity of the lanterns that have been produced – dare I suggest that we in this place might learn from their example as a way of casting light on the many issues before us, as well as being highly productive at the same time.
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Mr President I strongly believe that Port Sorell U3A helped their community stay connected (including through challenging COVID pandemic times), with hope and confidence for what is now an exciting time and an enthralling future.
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Members, tutors and community minded organisations and individuals have supported U3A over the years with venues, sponsorship and freely giving of their time and energy. This allows a strength and inclusivity that I believe will see Port Sorell U3A continue to evolve and thrive for many years to come.
I am happy to say Mr President, Port Sorell U3A, in celebrating its first ‘zero’ birthday is stronger than ever.
