U3A Network President’s Christmas Message

As we near the end of 2024 may I wish all U3A committees and members a joyful Christmas season and a prosperous new year in 2025. This year has certainly had its successes and challenges, and I hope your U3A has enjoyed the many benefits of U3A membership.

I’m pleased to share with you some of the recent happenings at Network.

Network State Conference 2025

Planning is underway for the next U3A Network State Conference to be held on Bribie Island 6 – 8 May 2025. The Bribie Island U3A conference planning team is promising an “unforgettable conference” so please save the date for some subtropical island enjoyment.

Registrations will open 1 February 2025 but please book your accommodation early as hotel/motel accommodation on the island is limited. Our website at u3aqld.au has a special conference page that is being updated as plans firm, and we will provide regular updates in the new year.

Regional Meetings and Visits

A survey of attendees at regional meetings during 2024 indicate unanimously that U3As value these meetings and definitely want them to continue. The final meeting for the year was for the Darling Downs, Southern Downs and Western Downs U3As hosted and held in Dalby. We were pleased to have representation at the meeting from all the U3As in this region. Where practicable, U3As would like to have a separate Tutor Coordinator Forum run as part of the main meeting.

Network plan to run two regional meetings during 2025 along with our continuing Network liaison visits by our management committee members. These regular visits have been very much appreciated by local U3As especially those in the regions.

I was pleased to attend U3A Redlands’ recent High Tea to celebrate the completion of the next stage of their building. This has been a huge undertaking by Redlands, and they are eagerly awaiting the confirmation of the $250,000 funding from the Liberal National Party, promised during the lead up to the State election.

I also took part via Zoom in the SALT Directory monthly Morning Tea. SALT (Senior and Aged Care Living Transition) allows small businesses, service providers and other organisations to showcase their organisation. They aim to connect a cohort of service providers and organisations that operate in the senior’s space.

Everald Compton Community Champions Medal

I was surprised and delighted to be one of six finalists in the National Seniors Everald Compton Community Champions Medal. This nationwide competition was to honour Everald, the founder of National Seniors nearly 50 years ago. Wayne Stitcher, founder of Cycling without Age, was announced the winner at a dinner at Tattersalls, Brisbane. Minister for the NDIS and Government Services Bill Shorten was the keynote speaker who is looking forward to taking up his new post as Chancellor of Canberra University in the new year.

Victoria State Conference

At the Victorian State Conference, I gave a presentation on IAUTA (The International Association of Universities of the Third Age). Victoria is celebrating 40 years of U3A in Australia and their conference theme was “Forty and Fabulous”. While in Melbourne, I met with the U3A Australia team. The guest speaker at the meeting was Bernardo Figueiredo, Director Shaping Connections Program, Theme Leader for Positive Ageing – Centre for Organisation and Social Change, RMIT. U3A Australia will be working with Bernardo on projects in the future.

Council on the Ageing Queensland

Network has renewed its MoU with COTA Queensland, and I’ll meet with Darren Young, CEO COTA Qld in December to discuss how COTA and U3A may collaborate on projects within our spheres of interest.

Other Network Business

Strategic Plan. U3A Network Queensland’s Strategic Plan is due to be updated in 2025. Management committee members will undertake this work in the new year and present the 2026-2029 Strategic Plan to you at the conference in May.

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) registrations. Network committee member, Trudy Graham has been working extremely hard on bulk registrations of our U3As with the ACNC. Over half of our U3As were already registered, and a further 12 have taken up the offer by Network to bulk register charitable status with ACNC.

This is important and valuable work by Trudy as the ACNC registration can be challenging. One U3A sought a quote for an outside organisation and were quoted $4000 to do the registration. Another example of the benefits of belonging to Network.

LNP Connection. The newly elected Liberal National Party Treasurer, David Janetzki invited me to meet with him last week to discuss all things U3A. David will arrange for me to have a meeting with the Minister for Seniors, Amanda Camm MP. Network realises the importance of promoting the many benefits of U3A to senior members of government if we are to be acknowledged as one of the foremost organisations for seniors in the country.

As U3As around the state are winding up for the long summer break, my message to you is stay safe on the roads, enjoy the festive season, give thanks for the many privileges and freedoms that we enjoy in Australia, and return to your U3As refreshed and reinvigorated for a life enriching 2025.

Sincerely

Rhonda Weston AM
President