The 2021 District 9705 Conference was held in Bathurst on the 19, 20 and 21 March 2021.

The conference and the dinner function were held at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC).

The welcome function was held at the Bathurst Motor Racing Museum at Mount Panorama and included entry to the museum and a BBQ dinner catered by our fellow Bathurst Rotarians.

The Conference theme was the RI Theme for 2020-21, Rotary Opens Opportunities.

Live-streamed Sessions

The conference was live-streamed to the District 9705 YouTube channel, and the recordings are available for viewing below.

Keynote Speakers

RI Director, Dr Jessie Harman Zone 8 Director-Elect

Rotary International Director 2021-23 Dr Jessie Harman is definitely a glass half full kinda gal. As the first female from Zone 8 to be elected to the RI Board, she is a trailblazer for Rotary in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Her passion for our organisation is irrepressible, her voice bubbling over with enthusiasm as she speaks of her journey and her hopes for the future.

As chair of Rl's membership committee, she says it has provided a wonderful opportunity to think strategically about Rotary right around the world.

Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, Commissioner for Resilience NSW

Shane Fitzsimmons AFSM is the Head of Resilience NSW and previously the New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner between September 2007 and April 2020.

He became State Operations Officer in 1996 and two years later was named Assistant Commissioner, Operations.

This role later became expanded and restyled as Assistant Commissioner, Regional Management and Strategic Development.

He was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal in 2001. He went on to be Commissioner and oversee the historic 2019-20 NSW bushfires.

Please note: Shane was unable to present at the conference due to the NSW flood emergency, which was occurring over the weekend of the conference.

Dr Justin Borowitz, Australian National University

Justin Borevitz obtained his PhD in 2002 from the University of California at San Diego with Joanne Chory, studying Natural Variation in Arabidopsis light response.

He performed postdoctoral research with Joseph Ecker (2002-2004) at the Salk Institute, studying genomic diversity in Arabidopsis using tiling arrays.

From 2004 until 2012, he was an Assistant and Associate Professor in the Dept of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago.

In 2012 he moved to the Australian National University and became a full Professor in 2014. Research focuses on genome-wide association studies of growth and developmental traits under simulated climates in plant models Arabidopsis and Brachypodium. Landscape genomics is being used in crops and Eucalyptus foundation species.

The goal is to identify climate adaptation's genetic basis to predict and select adaptive genotypes for changing and challenging growing conditions.

Admiral Chris Barrie AC (Retd), former Chief of the Defence Force

Admiral Christopher Alexander Barrie, AC, is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 1998 to 3 July 2002.

Barrie was promoted to admiral and assumed Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) on 4 July 1998. He held this position until his retirement. For his "eminent service to the Australian Defence Force", he was further advanced to Companion of the Order of Australia in 2001 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (Military) by Singapore's government.

As CDF, Barrie became involved in the "Children Overboard Affair" of 2001, a high-level political controversy during the Australian federal election campaign. Barrie retired on 3 July 2002 and was succeeded as CDF by General Peter Cosgrove.

Commissioner Georgeina Whelan, ACT Emergency Services Commissioner

The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) welcomed Ms Georgeina Whelan as the fifth Commissioner to lead the ESA.

Formerly the Chief Officer of the ACT State Emergency Service for two years, Commissioner Whelan is highly regarded in the emergency services sector and across government.

She will deliver a renewed focus on our first responder staff and volunteers' safety, training, health, and well-being.

Ms Whelan's appointment is for a five-year term to August 2024.

Project speakers

Various Rotary project leads shared their projects with conference attendees.

Conference Program

Day One

Saturday, 20 March 2021

Day Two

Sunday, 20 March 2021