Volume 76 Issue 16 Tuesday 19 October 2010

Today’s Guest speaker was Dr Emad Gad, a lecturer at both Melbourne and Swinburne Universities

and a Fellow of Engineers Australia. Dr Gad was introduced by Russell Brown who advised us that

the topic was something that costs Victorians more each year than the cost of all fires, floods and

other natural disasters. We were subsequently to learn that the issue in question was damage to

residential houses such as cracking in walls, movement in floor tiles, cracking in paths/driveways and

other general distortions – mainly caused through ground movement.

Approximately 50,000 new homes are built each year at a cost of approximately $40b. Houses in

Victoria are built to AS2870 standard but what many people do not realise is that this is a “minimum

standard” and does not therefore guarantee any form of superior quality. For example, home

owners are typically not told that cracks up to 5mm wide can be apparent in houses and still be

considered as meeting the standard. Another key point of the standard is that there is an onus on

the home owner to properly maintain site conditions.

While 22% of new home owner had concerns or disputes with their builder in 2005, it is typically not

poor quality of work that leads to cracks and other distortions. In fact, in only 2.5% of 1000 properties

surveyed was quality of work the root cause. The most common issues were caused by vegetation

(30%), climatic conditions leading to excessively dry (or wet) soil, especially in clay soils (24%), and

improper ground works done around the house after it was built (24%). The average cost to remedy

issues was $15,000 per house.

The closing message was that if you plan to have extensive vegetation around your new home or to

substantially landscape then consult a building engineer prior to building to ensure your building

footings will be suitable. Architects and builders typically do not have expertise in this area.

Another interesting fact was that in 1988 the average cost to build a new home was $65,000

(excluding land costs) and the average new home size was 181m2. By 2008 this had increased to

$236,000 and the average new home size was 239m2. Even allowing for the increase in house sizes

and inflation this still equates to a 50% net increase in the cost of building.

Upcoming Committee Meetings Committee Chairpersons please advise contact of your next Committee meeting.

Christmas Trailer Raffle

Ticket sales will commence

13th and 14th November

Drawn 14th December 2010

See Alistair FRASER to volunteer to sell raffle tickets

Membership fees

If you have not yet paid

your fees please do so

soon. Payment can be

made by cheque or cash

to Vic Abfalter or Glenn

Smith, electronic transfer

to BSB 633-000 A/c

118082957 or by posting a

cheque to PO Box 161

Essendon 3040.

Former members update

Graeme and Rose Allison have provided the following

article about Jim Saunders, who took up croquet after

playing it at one of our fellowship functions.

Relay for Life: Letters

have been distributed

inviting members to

participate in the event

scheduled for 25/26

February 2010.. If you

have not received one

please contact Michael

Mahoney.

Funds update: President

Glenn reported that while

the club has sufficient funds

in the Projects Account to

cover commitments the

surplus is a bit lower than

what we normally operate

at and as such attention

needs to be paid to fund

raising. President Glenn also

reported that the balance of

the Admin Account is a bit

low and this is partially

attributable to some

members having not yet

paid their dues. This needs

to be remedied asap.

Lost and Found

A pearl earring was

found at Moonee

Valley, after or

Charter function in

June. Contact

Glenn Smith if you

have a lonely pearl

wanting to be

reunited with its

partner.

Dear Sir, Greetings from the Rotary Club of Ahmedabad Metro, India. We take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as a leading Rotary club of District 3050. our club was formed in the year 1996. We are situated at Ahmedabad city, 7th biggest city of India having population of more than 7 million. We are one of the largest club of district having membership of more than 150 members. We have many doctors, engineers, chartered accountant, businessman and social worker as our members. We are doing many permanent projects and short projects regularly. You can find more details about our club from our official website www.rcahdmetro.org <http://www.rcahdmetro.org> . We would like to invite your club for friendship exchange program. You are welcome to be our Guest and enjoy your time with us in and around our beautiful city of Ahmedabad. We have international airport at Ahmedabad and you can have direct flight to Ahmedabad from Dubai, London, Doha, Singapore etc. Ahmedabad is a historic city and we shall be completing 600 years this year. You can see many heritage site along with the most modern shopping mall, multiplex and other amenities. You can find more details about our city in the attached file. I have also attached details about friendship exchange program of Rotary for your quick reference. We are sure that you shall definitely have wonderful time with us during your stay in Ahmedabad. We can also arrange to visit some beautiful place nearby like Mount Abu ( Hill Station ), Shankus Water Park, Diu or Daman ( Beach ) etc. Let us know your interest and convenient period to visit us so that we can plan accordingly. Please reply at the earliest. With best wishes, For, Labh Group of Companies Sunit Hapani Director

The Four Way Test

Rotary’s Four Way Test was written by Chicago Rotarian Herbert J Taylor (RI

President 1954-55) in 1932. The test contains the following four questions to

apply to things we think, say or do:

Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Is it the TRUTH?

Is it FAIR to all concerned?

Community committee have organised a display entitled "The First 75 Years of Rotary Club of Essendon". It will be at Moonee Ponds Central Shopping Centre, in the Mall between Hall St and Homer St, and be on display there on Sunday 31 October, in conjunction with the Centre's "Sunday Funday". Admission is free and the objective is to promote Rotary within our community. We have been greatly assisted in our endeavours by Sam Merrifield Library and Moonee Valley Racing Club who are lending us the Art Display Panels, upon which our memorabilia will be displayed, for the duration of our event. If you need any further information please contact Alistair Fraser on 0411 117 881.

AVAILABLE AT NEXT WEEK’S ROTARY MEETING DON’T MISS THIS EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!

The Rotary Club of Essendon Inc. and Kangan Institute A Team Effort in Fundraising for Bahay Tuluyan, Philippines

We have an exciting thing for you to participate in. Just donate $50 to be entered into a draw for the opportunity to win:

A $2,500 travel voucher (to be redeemed at Wings Away Travel, 55 Rose Street, Essendon)

Interested? There’s a catch, but it’s easy ……. The first 150 names to donate $50.00 (tax deductible), will be entered into the draw which will be conducted on

Friday 12th November, 2010 during the Fundraising Gala at the Gunung-Willam –Balluk Learning Centre (building W), Kangan Institute, Broadmeadows campus.

Following the draw, a receipt will be sent – unless you are the lucky winner. DON’T MISS THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.

www.rcessendon.com.au

The Rotary Club of Essendon

P.O Box 161

Essendon, 3040

Phone: 0417352190

Club President:

Glenn Smith

Club Secretary:

Shirley Kukk

Contact Editors:

Peter Halaseh

0402193379

peter.halaseh@halmed.com.au

Attendance at today’s meeting

30Members & 1 guest

Bits and Pieces

New Members Wanted! Here are some classifications suggested

by the honest, hardworking, and

sometimes hilarious Peter Baker:

Horseperson, Hospitality, Hairdressing,

Horticulture, Hosiery & Hospital

Administration

Thursday 28 October – Rotary Club of Tullamarine – Breakfast meeting with Sam Lipski, CEO of

The Pratt Foundation as guest speaker. Starts at 7am, Hilton Hotel Melbourne Airport, cost $30

including car parking

Wednesday 17 November – Rotary Clubs of Moonee Valley and Essendon North are hosting a

dinner meeting for all Clubs in our Cluster. Guest speaker is Maria Ruberto on the topic of

Positive Psychology. Time is 6 for 6.30pm at Fredrick’s, cost is $35.

Wednesday 17 November – Rotary Club of Central Melbourne Sunrise is hosting the Annual

Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Breakfast, with Professor David de Krester, AC, Governor of Victoria

as the guest speaker. Venue is The RACV Club, 7.15 for 7.30am, cost of $55 per person.

Painters

Required Rowallan Scout Camp

Riddells Creek Saturday 6th and Sunday

7th

November

Two Dormitories’

Exterior.

Paint supplied, just

bring your personal

Paint brush.

Spares will be

available.

Contact:

Wal Dibben or

Lino Airo-Farulla

Bahay Tuluyan Fund Raiser Cocktail Party we are accepting donations for the Bahay Tuluyan fund raiser, members should have received a copy a letter of request. All items big and small accepted. We are making up hampers if anyone would like to donate towards the hampers ie chocolates; candles; wine etc etc

See Shirley Kukk and Cathy Nicou

CONTACT: President Glenn advised that everyone should have received a hard copy version of

CONTACT mailed to their home. This was being done courtesy of Frank Forgione and the

Australia Post eLetter Centre. Thank you Frank. If you did not receive a copy in mail then please

contact CONTACT editor Peter Halaseh to ensure your name/address details are on the

distribution list. Conversely, if you prefer to obtain an electronic only copy via email/web then

please also contact Peter Halaseh to have your details removed from the mailing distribution list.

Make up Opportunities

If you have been absent from a recent meeting, here are some opportunities to make-up at

one of the following functions. Further details are available from the District newsletter

http://www.rotarydistrict9800.org.au/site/1164/Networker131010.pdf or by contacting Glenn

Smith. Peter Halaseh Attended Club meetings in Tasmania; Combined meeting; Sandy Bay and

Kingston Clubs.