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Mr Graham Lightfoot AM. Personal Reflections on 25 years as an AMWS Councillor |
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Refreshed from three and a half months as a “guest” of Saddam Hussein in Kuwait and Baghdad I attended my first social event back on home soil. it was the opening of Mariners Court at Woolloomooloo by the Governor of NSW Rear-Admiral Peter Sinclair on December 1st 1990.
Mariners Court was the initiative of the then board of the Sydney Sailors Home (SSH) (later known as the Australian Mariners Welfare Society or simply AMWS) and its role was to provide retirement accommodation for seafarers and their families. it was a major milestone event well attended by the shipping industry.
During that afternoon event I recall having a long conversation with the well respected James (Jim) Israel who served with distinction on the SSH board from 1983-2008. I do not think the idea of my joining the board was discussed on that day, however shortly after in 1991 I accepted an invitation from Jim to join as a SSH board member. I have been there ever since!
During all those years I have served under the competent Chairmanship of Jim Israel, John Hunter, Alan Tait and currently David Parmeter. A more dedicated and hard-working group would be hard to find in any organisation. It was also an honour to serve as Vice Chairman during Alan Tait’s long tenure of office.
In round terms I estimate I have attended around 100 SSH/AMWS board meetings. The membership of the various boards over the years has come from many different spheres of the shipping industry, and some councillors indeed were direct competitors in the business world. This never in my experience interfered with the harmonious working of the board. Similarly, Unions and Shipowners were often at different sides of a table in industrial negotiations but both had no impediment working side by side at SSH/AMWS meetings with the clear objective of providing for the welfare and needs of seafarers of all nationalities and creeds. I recall many meetings with the late MUA head John Coombs who was always a solid contributor to the business on hand.
Over the years I had the pleasure of working with many fine councillors and
sadly, some are no longer with us. Four that I will always recall with affection are John Bowen QC, Donald Dykes, Ric North, and Malcolm Longstaff. Sadly, in recent days Ian McKinnon also has passed away. All brought their own particular skills to the table and the Australian Mariners Welfare Society was the beneficiary then and indeed today of their undoubted talents.
LG Lightfoot 07/22
Mariners Court was the initiative of the then board of the Sydney Sailors Home (SSH) (later known as the Australian Mariners Welfare Society or simply AMWS) and its role was to provide retirement accommodation for seafarers and their families. it was a major milestone event well attended by the shipping industry.
During that afternoon event I recall having a long conversation with the well respected James (Jim) Israel who served with distinction on the SSH board from 1983-2008. I do not think the idea of my joining the board was discussed on that day, however shortly after in 1991 I accepted an invitation from Jim to join as a SSH board member. I have been there ever since!
During all those years I have served under the competent Chairmanship of Jim Israel, John Hunter, Alan Tait and currently David Parmeter. A more dedicated and hard-working group would be hard to find in any organisation. It was also an honour to serve as Vice Chairman during Alan Tait’s long tenure of office.
In round terms I estimate I have attended around 100 SSH/AMWS board meetings. The membership of the various boards over the years has come from many different spheres of the shipping industry, and some councillors indeed were direct competitors in the business world. This never in my experience interfered with the harmonious working of the board. Similarly, Unions and Shipowners were often at different sides of a table in industrial negotiations but both had no impediment working side by side at SSH/AMWS meetings with the clear objective of providing for the welfare and needs of seafarers of all nationalities and creeds. I recall many meetings with the late MUA head John Coombs who was always a solid contributor to the business on hand.
Over the years I had the pleasure of working with many fine councillors and
sadly, some are no longer with us. Four that I will always recall with affection are John Bowen QC, Donald Dykes, Ric North, and Malcolm Longstaff. Sadly, in recent days Ian McKinnon also has passed away. All brought their own particular skills to the table and the Australian Mariners Welfare Society was the beneficiary then and indeed today of their undoubted talents.
LG Lightfoot 07/22