REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST - PUBLICATION No. VBH 6369
THE
RO U CLU
Start to 2011 marred by natural disasters
T
ABOU D N B
MARCH 2011
“We’ve had ten years of drought, followed by the worst floods in living memory. Then cyclone Yasi hit. Bushfires in WA and NSW…just as well we don’t have any active volcanos!” This statement pretty much sums it up. It was a terrible start to 2011 for Australia in terms of natural disasters.
The floods Floods wreaked havoc on urban and rural communities, leaving a trail of destruction across four states and killing 35 people. As tens of thousands of people in floodstricken towns and cities in Queensland worked to clean out their homes and offices, heavy rains and floods meted out fresh disaster, this time here in Victoria. Four major rivers were in full flood, with 43 towns, 3,500 people and 1,400 properties affected. Hundreds of people had to evacuated their homes. Everyone in Echuca prepared to be swamped by the Campaspe River. Even the army was called out to assist in sandbagging. The floods began in Queensland where they caused billions of dollars in damage from broken infrastructure, lost commodity exports and the paralysis of the state capital, Brisbane, a city of two million (see also interview on page 9). Queensland has accounted for all
fatalities, though the floods have also hit New South Wales and Tasmania.
Swiss Assistance
It is estimated that this disaster, linked by some scientists to global warming and rising sea temperatures, has caused damage estimated at $10 billion or more.
The Swiss government generously donated CHF10,000 to the Swiss Community Care Society in Queensland to help support Swiss that have been affected by the flood.
Victoria’s State Emergency Service described flooding in the north-west as probably its worst since records began.
“Three-quarters of the town was under water. Some of those houses will probably have to be bulldozed. The force of the water was just unbelievable. Every street that the river was running down was just like a torrent, even cars were washed away. The water is just brown and stinks,” a resident said. In Victoria thankfully no fatalities occurred and no reports have been received of Swiss that have been affected to an extend that they would need assistance.
off roofs, toppling trees and causing widespread power blackouts. Cyclone Yasi, an enormous system with an epicenter of over 80km wide and winds of over 280km per hour, threatened Australia with its second major natural disaster in as many months but ended up missing heavily populated areas. The eye of the cyclone crossed the coast near the tourist town of Mission Beach and damaged areas around Tully and Cardwell, where many older homes suffered severe damage. The storm destroyed a large part of the nation’s sugar cane and banana crop as it moved across Queensland and into the Northern Territory.
Cyclone Yasi
No end in sight
Queenslanders voiced relief and surprise after one of the world’s most powerful cyclones spared the northeast coast from expected devastation as it made landfall on Wednesday, 2 February, with no reported casualties despite winds tearing
Even as this edition goes to print, the extreme weather conditions continue. Bushfires in Perth and the Hunter Valley where one firefighter perished and Melbourne saw flash flooding that turned Camberwell Junction into a river.
In Charlton, the Avoca River was running higher than in the historic 1956 floods, inundating much of the town.
89 Flinders Lane • Melbourne 3000 • Victoria • Australia • w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
IS SW S
CBD FUNCTION AND MEETING ROOM WITH A DIFFERENCE The Second Floor at the Swiss Club
BUSINESS FUNCTIONS, CONFERENCES, SMALL MEETINGS
• • • • • •
Theatre style seating for up to 90 Work shop seating for up to 55 Cocktail set up for up to 120 Private meeting room for up to 16 Architect designed space Choice of catering from the Swiss Club Restaurant or Terra Rossa • Modern amenities
• Basic coffee making facilities • Parking close by • 5 minutes walk to Flinders Street or Parliament Station • 2 minutes walk to Tram 75/70/48 • Friendly venue with Swiss history • Competitive rates
*O 4FSWVT 0VU Fly with Austrian via Vienna. Europe’s fastest transfer airport.
OR DINNER/ DANCE FUNCTIONS, LAUNCHES, PRIVATE EVENTS
Information & booking at www.austrian.com, 1300 655 727 or at your travel agency. Earn miles with Miles & More.
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• • • • • • •
Unbeatable location Ample parking close by Train, tram and bus close by Dinner seating for up to 80 Cocktail set up to 120 Dance floor Architect designed modern space with lots of ambience
• Modern amenities • Choice of catering from the Swiss Club Restaurant or Terra Rossa • Choice of BYO caterer • Catering kitchen with 4 ovens, microwave and industrial dishwasher • Friendly venue with Swiss history • Competitive rates
AT THE PERFECT VENUE – THE SWISS CLUB OF VICTORIA Contact us on E: info@swissclubvic.com T: 1300 893 968 to check for availability, more information or a quote www.austrian.com
SWISS CLUB OF VICTORIA 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000 T: 1300 893 968, F: (03) 9650 3104 E: info@swissclubvic.com W: www.swissclubvic.com
Damian Schaller Event Manager M: 0410 461 364 E: damianschaller@swiss.org.au
Groupe Romand du Victoria President: Marianne Puccinelli 7 Eric Court, Wheelers Hill Vic 3150 T: (03) 9561 9595 W: www.swiss.org.au/chfrvic
SWISS CLUB SUB-GROUPS
Club Opening Hours Lunch: Mo - Fri from 12noon Dinner: Wed, Thurs & Fri from 6pm. Bookings T: (03) 9650 1196
Swiss Folk Dance Group Alpenrose President: Sylvia Hochuli T: (03) 9531 6575 E: hochuli@tpg.com.au
Pro Ticino President: Claude Rossi 5 Falls Road, Hoddles Creek Vic 3139 T: (03) 5967 4542 E: marclas@dcsi.net.au
Founded in 1899
Swiss Club Catering For all Functions contact Chef & Catering Manager Roger Moullet T: (03) 9650 1196, F: (03) 9650 3104 M: 0409 040 249 E: swissclub@hotmail.com The Second Floor Function Bookings CBD Function Room with a difference! Meetings and functions up to 120 persons. Info and/or bookings: T: 1300 893 968 E: swissclubvic@swiss.org.au
COMMITTEE Barbara Kündig President T/F (H): (03) 9005 4938 M: 0402 018 363 E: barbara@swiss.org.au
Swiss Companion Singers Convenor: Heidy Giger T: (03) 9889 9321 E: adelheid1@bigpond.com Ladies Luncheons Convenor: Heidy Giger For bookings T: (03) 9650 1196 For information: T: (03) 9889 9321 E: adelheid1@bigpond.com Saturday Morning Swiss School Convenor: Andrea Pinch T: (03) 5331 6762 E: pinch@hotkey.net.au W: www.swiss.org.au/scvschool Swiss Playgroup Ingrid Preston T: (03) 9772 0516 Chantal Imbach T: (03) 8407 3766 W: www.swiss.org.au/playgroup
Rolf Huber Immediate Past President T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rhuber@swiss.org.au
The Swiss Diners Club Convenor: Amy Bohren M: 0410 037 095 E: abohren@swiss.org.au
Gerda Probst Secretary M: 0439 936 313 E: gerda@swiss.org.au
Swiss Festival Chairman: Rolf Huber T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rhuber@swiss.org.au
Urs Derrick Wildi Treasurer / Membership Relations T/F (H): (03) 9824 7930 M: 0403 040 930 E: uwildi@swiss.org.au Sigrid de Castella Building Management M: 0416 088 000 E: sigrid@swiss.org.au Antony Anderson Building Management M: 0416 069 666 E: antony@swiss.org.au Patrick Rychner Corporate Communications/ Web Administrator M: 0404 657 886 E: paddy@swiss.org.au w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
SWISS COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS Swiss Society of Victoria (Benevolent Society) President: Franz Schnellmann T: (03) 9449 2245, M: 0412 203 893 E: schnellmann@dodo.com.au Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess Australian/Swiss Cultural Society President: Sylvia Hochuli T: (03) 9531 6575 E: hochuli@tpg.com.au
Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn President: Marco Unternährer 3 Bluegum Court, Upwey Vic 3158 T: (03) 9729 3338, (03) 9752 6996 (H) W: www.swiss.org.au/matterhorn Swiss-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) General Manager: Marcel Svatos T: (02) 9262 1511, F: (02) 9290 1928 E: admin@sacci.com.au W: www.sacci.com.au Swiss-Australian Academic Network (SAAN) E: info@sanm.id.au W: www.saan.id.au Consulate General of Switzerland T: (02) 8383 4011, F: (02) 9369 1334 E: syd.vertretung@eda.admin.ch W: http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/ home/reps/ocea/vaus/cgsyd.html Honorary Consulate (Victoria) T: (03) 9824 7527, M: 0413 042 728 E: melbourne@honorarvertretung.ch Organisation of the Swiss Abroad Council Delegate: Roland Isler Contact details: see below under Editor W: www.aso.ch / www.swiss.org.au/csa
Impressum ‘Edelweiss’ appears quarterly in March, June, September and December. Circulation 500. For all enquiries contact: Roland Isler, Editor T: (03) 9524 6335 (B), M: 0412 935 565 E: risler@swiss.org.au 67 St Georges Crescent Heatherton Vic 3202
Unless otherwise stated, postal address for all is: 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000
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President’s Message Dear members and friends of the Swiss Club, Welcome back to another year of Swiss Club events and social gatherings! We trust you enjoyed the summer break even though it was a bit wetter than usual. The Club restaurant has been open for business again since mid January. Welcome back to Roger and his team. The Committee went back to club activities the first Wednesday in February and is looking forward to another good year. The usual regular and well liked events are again on our social calendar. We hope to surprise you with the occasional, a bit different function during the year. Let’s see how we go. If you have any ideas and suggestions, please let us know. Don’t be surprised though if we will ask you to help organise it! We definitively would love to see you at our Annual General Meeting in March. We look for your involvement and participation. While the building is an important asset of our club, it is actually the members that are the most valuable for our social club. We want to recognise long-term club support and member loyalty. There is a long time between joining up and becoming
a Honorary Life Member after 40 years and 70 years of age. We wanted to close the gap, and therefore, the committee initiated a member recognition program. End of last year we held two functions to honor members who have supported the club with 10, 20 and 30+ years of membership. We thank the members for coming along. The Swiss Festival will take place at the Austrian Club on Sunday, 3 April. Please get involved by volunteering and spreading the word to other Swiss and anyone interested in Switzerland. Further information about the Festival can be found on pages 16 and 17. The Swiss Club is embracing social media and while it may sound a bit alien and out there for some, it is simply another tool to get information out. If you can, please join us. Damian’s Websurf on page 19 explains it further. By the time you read this newsletter, the Folk Dance Group Alpenrose would have performed at the Chinese New Year Festival on 6 February at Melbourne’s China Town. It is exciting that the organising committee of the Chinese Festival approached our Dance Group to participate. Congratulations to all the dancers on their performance. The Committee and I are looking forward to seeing you at the club. Barbara Kündig, President
Members Recognition Reception 30+ years 17 November 2010
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Swiss Club of Victoria
Get well Due to health problems Ruth Politowski, Marcel Theiler and Beat Altermatt had to spend some time in hospital. We wish you all the best for a speedy recovery and we hope to see you again at the Club soon. Our best wishes are also with Inge Altermatt who is not well. Also in recent times Urs Marfurt has struggled with some health issues and we wish him all the best.
Welcome to our new members
The last farewell
We welcome Dorina Meda and John Ridley. We are looking forward to meeting you at one of our forthcoming functions.
It is with great sadness we report: Esther, mother of member Ros de Castella and grandmother of Committee member Sigrid de Castella passed away on 23 December 2010, aged 93. We extend our deepest sympathies to Ros, Sigrid and family.
Congratulations Happy birthday to the members who were celebrating their milestone birthdays over the past months: Vreni Asher, Ruth Lambrides, Bruno Jenny and Heino Tonisson could commemorate their 80th, while Natalia Hartmann and Trudy Fanger were celebrating their 90th. We congratulate you wish you good health in many years to come! Congratulations to Dieter Hochuli who has been promoted to Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. His parents Sylvia and Fritz are very proud!
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Dear members, if your partner, your friends or fellow members have a reason to celebrate, are unwell or have left for a better place, please let me know so that others know too. Editor
The Swiss Club of Victoria is looking for a keen administrator, managing our new venue The Second Floor. If you are interested or want to know more, please call 1300 893 968.
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Mystery Trip Fahrt ins Blaue, 10 November 2010 It’s a warm morning, people climbing busily into the bus. We are in the city but our destination is Burwood to collect the second bus. Along the sea we travel most of the way. The view from the bus is grand. The buses start to climb around bends and more bends. Stop! Arthur’s Seat with a view across the sea, what a sight! That’s when morning tea occurs. Biscuits and drinks, and ample talking. We meet old friends of long ago. The weather is bright and sunny. The bus driver is most informative, explaining everything, all along the way to our final destination. Mornington comes in to view. They have a large market, really large. I would like to jump out of the bus and have a good look. We arrive at Kirk’s and all the tables are set! A short and informative speech from Sylvia, just right for the occasion. The group has it down to a fine art. Help from the ladies of the Trachtengruppe is at hand for anyone that needs it. They take the initiative to bring the people together. The staff from Kirk is unobtrusive but so efficient and friendly. We have a three course meal with all the trimmings. Next raffle tickets! Everyone hopes to win, they sell quickly! Then the numbers are drawn. We laugh and joke along the way. Have you got blue 15 or red 22? Oh, all the prices have gone, but we can’t all win. What fun! Thank you with a mighty hug! PS: For me it’s a special day. Max’s 90th Birthday which he celebrates in a better place, but his spirit is here. Thank you everyone for taking good care of me! Inge Kulmanis
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Swiss Club of Victoria
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Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea 4 December 2010. Sponsored by the Swiss Society of Victoria It is with pride and satisfaction I can report, that the Christmas party for our Swiss National Seniors was once more a full success. As ever, it was a joint production of our diverse groups and willing helpers. Thank you very much, especially to Sylvia Hochuli, who brings two of her groups to do the tremendous work! A small but significant aspect of the expatriate’s story is loneliness, homesickness, the tyranny of distance, the yearning to see the homeland again. Feelings that are especially evident around Christmas time. It is essential, that one tries to set up a Christmas celebration within our community almost as experienced during childhood ‘at home’. Therefore we are most grateful to the Swiss Society of Victoria that funds were again made available to finance the party. President Franz Schnellmann’s presence and his interaction with our Elders was very much appreciated. The Christmas Guetsli were exquisite and plentiful! To all the Zuckerbäcker, thank you, you may be asked again. Rita Schwärzler-Abbt
The Swiss Companion Singers will be celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year. Come and join us in a joyful year of singing and good companionship. We rehearse every second and third Thursday of the month at the club. We look forward to be part of the Swiss Festival in April. For more information phone our Convenor Heidy Giger on 9889 9321.
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Swiss Club of Victoria
The Brisbane wet Editor: Patrik, we met through SwissCommunity.com and what I know is that you are a Swiss living in Brisbane. Can you expand on this and tell us a little more about yourself please? Patrik: My name is Patrik Good and I am 43 year old. I grew up in the cantons of Zürich and Schwyz. Before moving to Australia in 2008 I have been living in Zürich, St. Gallen, Lausanne and Burgdorf. I have studied Business Administration at the Universities of St.Gallen and Lausanne and also worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Management in St. Gallen. I am a keen and passionate scuba diver. My partner Muriele is a Swiss-Australian dual citizen. She was born in the Northern Territory, went to school in Brisbane and in Switzerland. She is working as a registered nurse. Editor: Dramatic images of the floods in Brisbane were shown almost non-stop on TV. It was unbelievable to see people paddling in Kayaks and rubber dinghies where normally one would see cars driving. Did you have to resort to this kind of transport too? Patrik: No, I stayed away from the danger zones and luckily, I didn’t need a boat to get to my home. But for many people in other parts of the city, this was the only way to inspect their homes. Sadly, despite the obvious danger, there were many that just wanted to satisfy their curiosity, paddling around to have a look at the destruction and behaving as if Brisbane has become a giant swimming pool. Editor: You and Muriele have just bought a house in Wynnum last year. Was there any damage to your home? Patrik: Our house is situated on a hill near the coast. We were lucky. Water pooled around the foundations but didn’t cause any damage. That’s certainly nothing compared to the destruction in the centre of Brisbane, or even in low laying parts of Wynnum. Editor: Apart from this, did this disaster affect you? Patrik: Muriele works in a private hospital about 30 minutes by car from where we live. She had to get to work travelling through two flood prone areas. We were very much afraid that something might happen. We’ve seen images of cars being washed off the road by suddenly appearing flash floods. We had to check council maps to decide whether it was safe to go to and come from work. Muriele even took necessities, tooth brush, spare clothes, water and food with her, just in case she would get stuck midway. We lived through some anxious moments. Thankfully, all was ok in the end. Editor: On the discussion forum on SwissCommunity.com you said that you saw pictures of the flooded house of another Swiss family on the news. That would have been pretty dramatic since you had not heard of the family for some time? Patrik: Yes, that’s right. We had been living with those friends w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
when we first came to Brisbane and are close friends ever since. It was a relief when you told me that you were able to make contact with them and that they are ok. Editor: Were there any other friends or family that got into trouble? Patrik: We had a camping-weekend planned with friends. Because of the bad weather we cancelled it short-noticed. We knew our friends would go ahead with the plan. They neither answered nor returned our phone calls for days. Finally, we got notice that they were unharmed but hungry, cut off from home for days. It turned out that their tent had been washed away by a huge wall of water with only a few minutes for them to jump to higher ground and safety. Editor: How did people generally react? Was there panic? Patrik: Queenslanders as Australians in general have a laid-back approach to life. They are used to natural disasters and mostly took it with a stoic calmness and a good dose of bravery. While the weather was perfect in Wynnum, there was a sort of eerie feeling to it. The mood somehow depressed. No one knew how the floods would affect their lives after all. Editor: What went through your head at that time? Patrik: It was my intention to start the new year by looking for a new job. Instead of job-hunting, I was getting ready to do my share of the clean-up effort. The will and drive of the people to help those in need was exceptional. Hopefully they will keep going as time goes on. Editor: As far as immediate help is concerned, people were ready and willing to help each other, wouldn’t you say? Patrik: Yes definitely. Solidarity amongst everyone, whether they were affected by the flood or not, was strong, it was heart-warming to see. A colleague of mine spontaneously opened his house to people in need of shelter, offered meals and at night filled sand bags. Editor: Is the population happy with how the government managed this crisis? Patrik: Absolutely. The state and federal government were responding to the crisis exceptionally well. Some politicians will definitely emerge from this crisis stronger. While the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, for instance, was under constant, very negative criticism before this tragic event, people now seem to agree that she managed this crisis outstandingly well. She was informing professionally but even when she was almost in tears during a TV interview this was widely considered as appropriate rather than as weak and pretentious. Editor: You have been in Australia relatively a short time. Has this experience made you think about staying in this country or returning back to Switzerland? Patrik: No, not really. I occasionally miss Switzerland, my family and friends, but Australia is my home now. We’ve got a lovely house in beautiful Brisbane that luckily was spared from being flooded. I have the best diving spots right outside the front door, nature in all its splendour. The Australian economy is prosperous and I am happy – what else could I wish for. Editor: Let’s hope it’s going to stay this way Patrick. Thank you for this interview and best of luck.
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I want to see my mountains Painter Giovanni Segantini had two great passions: the Swiss Engadine Alps and light, resulting in works of great power and beauty. The remarkable life and oeuvre of the artist, who grew up in Milan and died in the mountains near Maloja, are now the subject of a major exhibition at the Beyeler Foundation near Basel. Descendents of his family, including exhibition co-curator Diana Segantini, still live in Maloja where they look after his house, the Villa Kuoni. “Giovanni Segantini was described by the family as being a very down to earth, humble person who had a very difficult childhood and never forgot those difficulties,” Diana Segantini said. The show, which opened on 16 January and runs until 25 April, brings together 45 paintings and 30 drawings from all phases of his career, including many works which have rarely been seen before – many of them tracked down by Diana Segantini. But the curators say it is not perfect: some of his most famous works are missing, in particular ‘Alpine Triptych’ in painting form – which he was working on at his premature death aged 41 – deemed too fragile to be moved from its home at the Segantini Museum in St Moritz. Fresh look Nevertheless they hope that the exhibition will offer a fresh look at the artist, who largely remained forgotten in Switzerland until a Zürich exhibition in 1990 and was sometimes banished to the realm of the kitsch for his depictions of mountain life. The curators seek to show how Segantini has made a contribution to the development of modern art. “Especially the Beyeler Foundation with its collection of modern paintings will change the view of the artist as the works will be shown near van Gogh, Monet and Cézanne,” said Guido Magnaguagno, co-curator and Segantini expert. Segantini (1858-1899) was born in Arco on Lake Garda, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, into a poor family.
Return from the Woods
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He was destined to remain stateless during his lifetime after a relative annulled his citizenship. Only after his death was he awarded Swiss papers. His artistic talent was discovered while he was living in Milan and the exhibition opens with dark-hued urban scenes and portraits of upper class Milanese – much in contrast to his later works. Segantini then moved to the northern Italian lake district of Brianza, taking with him Bice Bugatti, sister of his friend, the furniture designer Carlo Bugatti, and relative of the car designer. They remained unmarried because of his statelessness. Love of light It was here Segantini created his first masterworks, including ‘Ave Maria on the Lake’ where the artist’s emerging love of light is powerfully brought to the fore. But it is for his mountain paintings that Segantini is most well known, executed while living in the Swiss villages of Savognin and Maloja. “Only the clear blue skies in the mountains and clear, fresh air would give him this light which we can see in the exhibition in different works,” curator Segantini said. The man who was raised in the industrial city of Milan had developed a deep reverence for the Alps. Mountains were, for him, a paradise on earth. “I always strove upward. From the hills I moved up to the mountains, among the peasants, shepherds and mountain dwellers…it was in these regions that I fixed my gaze more boldly on the sun whose rays I wished to conquer. It was here that I studied nature most deeply, her most vivid forms and her most luminous colours,” wrote the artist. Divisionism For this vision Segantini developed his characteristic divisionist technique, using pure, mostly horizontally layered bands of complementary colours. It can be seen to great effect in the paintings ‘Return from the Woods’ and ‘Midday in the Alps’. “It was his invention because he looked for more light in his paintings, like van Gogh in Provence,” explained Magnaguagno. “This technique was very important in Italy and he founded a whole school of Italian divisionists.” Segantini spent hours outside, painting huge canvases in all weathers – as photographs that can be seen in the show attest. Ave Maria on the Lake Swiss Club of Victoria
The artist was sometimes accompanied by his younger friend and pupil Giovanni Giacometti, father of the famous Swiss sculptor Alberto. Death The painter became celebrated during his Midday in the Alps lifetime, showing his unique view of the Alps at international art fairs and at the first Venice Biennale in 1895. However he was dogged by money problems, so the family has no paintings left in their possession, explained Diana Segantini. The ‘Alpine Triptych’, which can be seen at the Beyeler in the form of rediscovered drawings, was destined for the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris. Under the titles Life-Nature-Death, it was designed to show the harmonious cycle of nature. It was while working on the middle panel on the 2,731 metre high snow-covered Schafberg that Segantini died after suffering a ruptured appendix. His last words: voglio vedere le mie montagne (I want to see my mountains). Had he lived, Magnaguagno believes that Segantini would have moved towards an abstract style, as evidenced by his later works. But the curator hopes that people will be touched by Segantini’s vision. “In the centre of his work is not art, but love for nature, mankind and animals,” he said. “And of course, love of the mountains, especially the Swiss Alps because they are the most beautiful thing in the country.”
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We would Dear like toSwiss thank theMember following members for their Club generosity by sponsoring Coat of Arms on the Second Floor. It is fantastic to see how well supported our new venue and the It is with great pleasure that we announce the completion of the refu club in general is. Floor’. It has been an absolute success!
Walter & Barbara BS panels sepa One mainPurtschert feature of the new room are the frosted glass
from the main function room. To make a link to our common heritage a
Rosmarie took Fries up the theme of our cantonal coat of arms, but inZH a more modern
We Rogers-Locher would like to give the club members the opportunityLU to sponsor ‘fro Roy & Marta
at a cost of $350 each. A plaque, listing the sponsors and their nomina
Maya Wagner AR Bruno Schweitzer BE), will be put on view. However, donations of any and will be listed in the Swiss Club Newsletter ‘Edelweiss’.
Margrit Gasinski-Aepli
SG
We need and appreciate your generosity and support. If you have a quer of the Swiss Club Committee. Heinz & Charlotte Gujer ZH
General Donation
Agnes Da Pos
Kind regards
Colin Wilkinson
Marcel & Trudi Theiler Barbara Kündig
BE, AR
President
Please note: The Second Floor will be rented out to the Comedy Festival from 27 March to 27 April and therefore will be unavailable to any events or usage by subgroups. Name of Sponsor The SwissCanton Club apologises Indication for any inconvenience this may cause. Payment EFT**
Cheque
Cash
Credit Card
Amou
Card Number: Cardholder’s Name: Signature: ** (BSB: 013-375, Account: 3536 82406
Please state your name and ‘2F Sponsoring’ in the R
Membership enquiries swissclubvic@swiss.org.au
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LAST OPPORTUNITY – CLOSING SOON!
6SRQVRUVKLS &DOO IRU µ7KH 6HFRQG )ORRU¶ 6SRQVRUVKLS &DOO IRU µ7KH 6HFRQG )ORRU¶ Dear Swiss Club Member It is with great Dear Swiss Clubpleasure Memberthat we announce the completion of the refurbishment of ‘The Second Floor’. It has been an absolute success! One main feature of the new room are the frosted glass panels separating the conference room It is with greatfunction pleasureroom. that To wemake announce completion the refurbishment ‘The Second from the main a link the to our common of heritage and the ClubofRestaurant, we Floor’. hastheme been an absolute success! took upIt the of our cantonal coat of arms, but in a more modern contemporary fashion. One main like feature of the are the frosted glasstopanels separating the conference We would to give the new club room members the opportunity sponsor ‘frosted’ cantonal coat of room arms from the main function room. To make a link to our common heritage and the Club Restaurant, we at a cost of $350 each. A plaque, listing the sponsors and their nominated canton if so desired (i.e. took up the theme of our cantonal coat of arms, but in a more modern contemporary fashion. Bruno Schweitzer BE), will be put on view. However, donations of any amount are most welcome and will belike listed in thethe Swiss Newsletter ‘Edelweiss’. We would to give club Club members the opportunity to sponsor ‘frosted’ cantonal coat of arms at cost of $350 each. Ayour plaque, listing the canton if so desired (i.e. Weaneed and appreciate generosity andsponsors support. Ifand youtheir havenominated a query, please contact a member Bruno Schweitzer BE), will be put on view. However, donations of any amount are most welcome of the Swiss Club Committee. and will be listed in the Swiss Club Newsletter ‘Edelweiss’. We need and appreciate your generosity and support. If you have a query, please contact a member Kind of theregards Swiss Club Committee. Kind regards Barbara Kündig Kind regards Barbara Kündig, President President
Barbara Kündig President Name of Sponsor Canton Indication Payment Name of Sponsor EFT**Indication Cheque Canton
Cash
Credit Card
Amount
Card Number: Payment Cardholder’s Name: EFT** Cheque Signature: Card Number:
Expiry: Cash
** (BSB: 013-375, Account: 3536 82406 Cardholder’s Name:
Credit Card
Amount Expiry:
Please state your name and ‘2F Sponsoring’ in the Remarks Field!)
Signature: ** (BSB: 013-375, Account: 3536 82406
Please state your name and ‘2F Sponsoring’ in the Remarks Field!)
Membership enquiries swissclubvic@swiss.org.au
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Membership enquiries swissclubvic@swiss.org.au
Swiss Club of Victoria
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Wir treffen uns monatlich am Samstag (für Daten siehe Swiss Klub Kalender) von 1 bis 4 Uhr im 2. Stock des Klubs Gratis für Swiss Club Mitglieder; $5 pro Familie für Nicht-Mitglieder. Auskunft und Anmeldung: Andrea Pinch, 5331 6762, pinch@hotkey.net.au
© G & M Probst
Across
Across 3. In what Swiss city is the so called ‘Fritschi’ carnival being held for one week, beginning from ‘dirty Thursday’? In what Swiss city is the so called 'Fritschi' carnival being held for one week, beginning from 'dirty Thursday'? 4. Swatch co-founder and Smart Car inventor (1928-2010) 4. Swatch co-founder and Smart Car inventor (1928-2010) 6. Upscale international Swiss 90inhotels in 26 plus 5 luxury cruise ships. 6. Upscale international Swiss hotel hotel chain. chain. 90 hotels 26 countries Founded in 1948 by Ueli Prager. countries plus 5 luxury cruise ships. Founded in 1948 by 7. On a bi-monthly basis (next in early March), on what weekday are the Ladies' Luncheons being held?Prager. Ueli 10. Swiss children's book classic, written by Klaus Schaedelin in 1955. 7. On a bi-monthly basis&(next in early on not what 11. Of German, French, Italian Romansh, whichMarch), language did evolve from the Romans’ Latin? weekday are the Ladies’ Luncheons being held? Down 10. Swiss children’s book classic, written by Klaus Schaedelin 1955. lowest elevation at 193 meters Practice has started early for the Dance Group. The first 1. in Switzerland's 2. Of What was Jeremias Gotthelf's first& work, which appeared inlanguage 1837. performance in 2011 has been at the Chinese New Year 11. German, French, Italian Romansh, which did 5. Milk flavouring product, made mainly from malt extract, cocoa and egg. Made by Wander AG, Festival in the city. originally developed in Berne in 1904.Latin? not evolve from the Romans’ 8. Oldest Swiss Police Special Unit, formed in 1972. The group will support the Austrian Club with a 9. Down Most common last name, according to the Swiss phone directory. performance at the Austria Festival on 13 March. 1. Switzerland’s lowest elevation at 193 meters. We will, as we have in the past, entertain and volunteer 2. What was Jeremias Gotthelf’s first work, which appeared at the Swiss Festival on 3 April. in 1837? 3.
5. Milk flavouring product, made mainly from malt extract, cocoa and egg. Made by Wander AG, originally developed in Berne in 1904. 8. Oldest Swiss Police Special Unit, formed in 1972. 9. Most common last name, according to the Swiss phone directory. For answers go to page 18 Advertisement
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Volkstanzfest 2011 The group will travel to Sydney over Easter. We will participate at the ‘Volkstanzfest 2011’, organised and sponsored by the ‘Brücke’, National Council of Germanspeaking Clubs and Organisations in Australia and New Zealand, the Austria Club Sydney and St.Raphael Dance Group. Unterhaltungsabend Soon after, the group will be busy organising the always fun night called Unterhaltungsabend. Please come and join us and at the same time support the group. See page 21 for more. To Chris Thalmann: We wish you a happy retirement. We look forward to see at the Unterhaltungsabend and at the Jass nights at the Club. Sylvia Hochuli
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Samichlaus Breakfast 12 December 2010 This year, Samichlaus visited us on a rather cloudy and rainy day. Despite the forecast, we decided to hold the event once again at Fawkner Park and not indoors. We had many familiar (growing) faces attending, but it was also fantastic to welcome a few new families. The freshly baked Zopf from Tanner’s and the delicious Birchermüesli were once again welcome highlights of the breakfast buffet. But nothing was as welcome as Samichlaus and Schmutzli, who ‘Aussie traditionally’ arrived in their reindeer ute. After a relaxed chat and singing some Christmas carols, it was time for the presents. Samichlaus and Schmutzli had even time for a photo session, before it was then time to return to Switzerland. A big thank you to Samichlaus & Schmutzli and all the other helpers before and on the day! We look forward to seeing you all again at the next Samichlaus this December. Gerda Probst
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Swiss Club of Victoria
Swiss high tech to orbit Mars Bern University has been selected to contribute to a prestigious US-European mission which will take close-up 3-D pictures of Mars. The university’s Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, headed by British-born Professor Nicolas Thomas, is to oversee construction of the telescope camera that will take the images. Swiss firms will be invited to tender for the manufacture of the parts. Being asked to construct the camera is a real feather in the cap of the institute, Thomas said. He described participation in the programme as a “fantastic opportunity”. It started in January this year when Thomas received a phone call about the ‘Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter’ from his colleague Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona, with whom he had already worked on another Mars observation project. They agreed to submit a joint application to work on the new mission, which is shared between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States, and the European Space Agency (ESA). The purpose is to look for gas on the surface of Mars. The mission will take colour stereo pictures of the surface. Having 3-D images will make it easier to look for possible landing sites, or to see where there could be methane deposits. “Perhaps people associate methane with Swiss cows,” Thomas joked, “but we are interested in the geological explanation.” Once the sources have been located, the camera will be able to focus on them in great detail. “For me, that’s the exciting moment. We will then be able to investigate and analyse these locations to see if they have anything to do with the presence of life – but I am sceptical. But at least with the camera we’ll be able to see the role of the geology.” Passion for physics Sitting in his office in the university’s Physics Institute overlooking Bern station, Thomas talked about his fascination with physics and particularly with what happens on other planets. “It was my sixth form teacher in England who sparked my passion for physics,” he grinned. “He had a really long name, and was a very tough guy, a real disciplinarian. We learned a lot from him.” “I never wanted to be an astronaut, that’s really not my thing. And I don’t want to find ET either,” he said. What he is interested in are the rules governing physics on the planets and stars. “Where you have different conditions, where it’s much colder or much hotter than it is on Earth, you see fascinating things going on. It’s amazing!” Is the real reason for the planned mission to find out about life on Mars? “That’s basically the direction of everything we do,“ Thomas w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
said.” I don’t believe there is life on Mars, but we don’t know with absolute certainty.” Three billion years ago it was much warmer on Mars. There could have been life on the Red Planet at that time – “perhaps in a very primitive form”. “It’s a question worth answering.“ Telescope camera Thomas’ department is responsible for the casing and mechanical parts of the telescope camera, which can be swivelled through 180 degrees so as to be able to take the stereo pictures. Launch is not planned until 2016, but given all that has to be done, the timetable is relatively short, Thomas said. The telescope has to be designed, built and tested in time for delivery in the second quarter of 2013. It will then be assembled and the electronics fitted, after which further tests will be carried out. Then it will be delivered to the ESA, where it will be mounted on the space probe, followed by more tests and delivery to NASA in the US. Once there, it will be mounted on the rocket and final tests will be conducted before launch. Old friend Thomas is well acquainted with Mars. Back in 2001 he participated in the development of the ‘High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment’ (HiRISE) in Arizona. This has been orbiting the planet since 2006 taking pictures in a resolution never previously achieved. Since then he and his team in Bern have been observing the surface of Mars in two week cycles, looking for scientifically interesting objects. As he explained, there is sometimes leeway to take some extra pictures – and the adrenalin flows as he decides which point looks as if it might turn up something interesting. “It’s stressful, but fun,” he said. The old physics teacher with the long name would doubtless be truly proud of his former pupil.
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Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year so far. Looking forward to another year of your company at the Luncheons. New members and non-members of all ages are very welcome.
• Wednesday, 2 March Guestspeaker: Herbert Schwärzler (Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela)
• Wednesday, 4 May Price $22 pp for members, $25 pp for non-members. Includes 2-course meal, wine, soft drinks and coffee. For information and bookings ring me on 9889 9321or Roger at the Club on 9650 1196. Bookings are essential! Heidy Giger
Ladies Christmas Luncheon When we walked in, it looked festive with Christmas decoration welcoming! We laugh, we talk and always have a great time. Marianne deserves an accolade for her fantastic ‘Santiglaus’ Yoga lesson with fun combined. ‘Santiglaus’ hat’s and reindeer noses for every one to wear. Heidi does a great job with her helpers. Roger as always presents a delectable lunch with Christmas pudding, yam! Thank you for a great year! We all are looking forward to our ladies luncheon’s in 2011. Inge Kulmanis
We seek your help! The Swiss Festival Committee is looking for volunteers and helpers for the upcoming Swiss Festival 2011, which will be held on Sunday, 3 April at the Austrian Club in Heidelberg. We are seeking your assistance to set up the festival, various tasks throughout the event itself as well as the packing up of stalls and equipment afterwards. Volunteers are needed for the following time slots on the Festival weekend:
Saturday, 2 April Sunday, 3 April
14.00h – 16.00h 10.00h – 18.00h
We will honour a two-hour contribution with a beverage and a meal at the festival itself. Tasks on the day of the festival may include working at any food or beverage stall, selling tickets for the guessing competition or helping with parking to name a few. The annual Swiss Festival has grown considerably in the last few years and we are expecting a crowd of over 1,000 spectators. This is our platform to showcase our fascinating history and culture to Australia, so become part of the team and support the Swiss Festival 2011 as a Volunteer! Please contact the Swiss Festival Community Liaison Coordinator Chantal Imbach on 03 9439 4270, 0413 216 589 or email swissfestival@me.com Become a fan of the Swiss Festival on facebook (www. facebook.com/Swiss-Festival-Australia), follow our daily updates on Twitter (@SwissFestivalAU) or visit our homepage www.swissfestival.com.au Yours sincerely, Swiss Festival Committee: Patrick Albert, Bruno Giger, Chantal Imbach, Damian Schaller, Rolf Huber
Upcoming Jass Nights - 2011 Swiss Club
Matterhorn
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1st 2nd 3rd 4th & Final
26 March 4 June 9 July 10 September
1st 2nd 3rd
26 February 7 May 13 August
Jass Championship Sunday, 12 June All day including Lunch. Held at the Club. Mark it in your diary. More information to follow or contact Roger on 9650 1196. Swiss Club of Victoria
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After the success of ‘Lancelot – The one-armed Kangaroo’, Adrian Plitzco has come up with a new audio book:
Pirate – The barking Kookaburra Dramatized narration by Anne Phelan, David Tredinnick, Francis Greenslade and Drew Tingwell. Music by Patrick Wauthier. Text and Illustrations by Adrian Plitzco. ISBN: 978-0-646-54287-4 Price: $24.95 It comes in a beautifully designed 6-panel-pack with pictures, music and text. 2 CDs. Total Playing Time: 2 hours 24 minutes. For children from 4 to 10. What happens when you combine the thrill of an adventure movie with the magic of a good book? You get a movie inside your head. You get Pirate – The barking Kookaburra, an exciting audio book that has it all – adventure, humour, friendship, passion and warmth. Pirate is a lost baby kookaburra. He befriends a colourful bunch of dogs and a cat. His sense of fun turns their life upside down. But at the same time, the dogs’ survival skills and the cat’s wisdom take Pirate on a journey that changes his life forever. Pirate grows up. He learns to stand up for himself, to overcome fear and to care for his loved ones. This is not just an audio book in the traditional sense – as an aid for the blind – it is an audio book for any child wanting a great story. It uses literature in a very lively way and makes it ideal for in-car entertainment. At last, long drives with nagging children in the back are a thing of the past. For the long holiday trip we cram the family car full of toys, snacks and DVDs. But your children will only be glued to yet-another screen. Remember to bring along good stories on audio. Children can listen to them individually with headphones, still watch the landscape and use their mind to picture the story. Or everyone can share the story experience together on the car stereo. There is something special about listening to an audio book on a long car trip together as a family. No more are we there yet’s. You can relax. About the Author Swiss-born writer Adrian Plitzco has a background in drama education for children. He is now an audio book producer as well as a producer and broadcaster at SBS Radio for the German language program. There he hosts a monthly children’s show and writes and produces radio plays. Available in book and music stores and online www.plitzco.com
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Fribourg-style sauerkraut pie Preparation time: approx. 30 min Chill: approx. 30 min Baking time: approx. 30 min Quantities for a 28-30 cm pie tin, greased Pastry 150 g plain flour ¼ tsp salt 50 g butter, in pieces, cold 75 ml water Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and mix. Add butter, rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water, blend quickly to a soft dough, do not knead. Press dough flat, cover and chill. Roll out on a lightly floured board into a circle, line the pie tin with pastry dough and prick base all over with fork. Filling 6 rashers bacon, cut into strips 300 g cooked sauerkraut, well drained and pressed 150 g Gruyère, diced Fry the bacon slowly in a frying pan until crispy, drain and place into a bowl. Add the sauerkraut and Gruyère, mix and spread over pastry base. Preheat oven to 220°C and bake for approx. 10 min on bottom shelf. Remove from oven. Custard mix 200 ml milk 100 ml double cream 2 eggs 1½ tbsp plain flour 1½ tbsp caraway, to taste 1 tsp salt & a little pepper Mix all ingredients well and pour topping over filling. Bake for approx 20 min. Remove tin from oven and let cool for a few minutes on a wire rack. Remove pie from tin and serve wit a glass of white wine! Bon appetite! From ’The Swiss Cookbook‘ by Betty Bossy. See ’Edelweiss‘ June 2010.
Test your Swiss Knowledge - Answers Across: 3. LUCERNE; 4. NICOLASHAYEK; 6. MOEVENPICK; 7. WEDNESDAY; 10. MEINNAMEISTEUGEN; 11. GERMAN Down: 1. LAGOMAGGIORE; 2. BAUERNSPIEGEL; 5. OVOMALTINE; 8. ENZIAN; 9. MUELLER Swiss Club of Victoria
The Swiss Club and Social Media How to find us online A s As a member of the Swiss Club of Victoria you would have most likely visited our official homepage which gives the visitor a snapshot of what our club is all about. One can learn more on upcoming events or find out about the restaurant opening hours. There is a slight drawback to the site though as the conversation upon it is very much one way only. The committee can announce things to you but you can’t answer. Say you had a great meal in the restaurant or took a few snapshots of your family at our latest function, unfortunately there is no easy way for you to share this with fellow club members. Here the buzz word social media comes into play as you can now find the Swiss Club of Victoria on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and hopefully very soon on Foursquare as well. If you’re not familiar with these sites here is a quick explanation: facebook.com The worlds largest social media site with approximately 650 million users worldwide. You can create a profile for yourself and then connect very easily with your friends and groups that interest you. Facebook is tipped to be the biggest advertising spend in 2012 of any media channel and you can find many companies with their own page such as Swiss Airlines, Lindt or Victorinox. You are mistaken to think that ‘only young people’ join facebook, the biggest growth sector with 35% are people over 50 who join up. You can find our club by typing in ‘Swiss Club of Victoria’ into the search field. Be sure to hit the ‘Like’ button on the top of the page as this will add you to our fan list and we can update you with the latest news. LinkedIn.com This site is similar to facebook but aimed at professionals who want to connect with their colleagues, customers and industry groups. Users have the possibility to add a resume to their profile and to share their professional career steps and company news with their contacts. Many companies nowadays rely on LinkedIn to hire new personnel or find services. The Swiss Club is just starting to develop our presence on this platform and we will mainly use it to advertise our new second floor and to connect with our business customers who frequent our restaurant. Search for Swiss Club of Victoria and hit the ‘follow’ button. You can also connect with any committee member by searching directly for their name. twitter.com Think of twitter like sending a text message (SMS) via the web but to your entire address book. Why would I do that you might w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
wonder and you’re quiet right for a private person it seems odd to share news about your life in 160 letters with other people. However for companies and news corporations it has become the tool to share information in this fast paced world. Once you have created your profile and unique username you can start following other people and companies. You don’t necessarily need to take part in the conversation, many people decide to just ‘listen’ and use twitter to stay abreast with news that really interests them. Later on you might decide to retweet a message that you find particularly good and therefore sharing it with your network of contacts. You can find the Swiss Club by searching for SwissClubVic and then start following our tweets. foursquare.com This application makes use of the GPS in modern mobile phones and gives you the opportunity to connect with your friends based upon your location. Even more interesting for companies or restaurants is the fact that you can offer location based specials to Foursquare users. This could mean for us that we could attract new guests and members to the club who would otherwise pass us by. You can already check in at the Swiss Club restaurant once you have activated Foursquare on your mobile phone. We need your help In order to spread the work about the Swiss club and any upcoming events such as the Swiss Festival on 3 April, we would like to ask you to do the following: Search for the Swiss Club of Victoria on facebook and become a fan of the page. Make sure you suggest the page to as many of your friends as possible and select ‘like’ on our posts. Follow our twitter account by searching for swissclubvic. If you want to follow the Swiss Festival, their page on facebook is called Swiss Festival Australia and their twitter account is SwissFestivalAU. Please retweet all our messages to your network and feel free to comment by sending a message back. The purpose is to spread the word about our club and upcoming events and activities. You can also visit our homepage www.swiss.org.au for more information. Damian Schaller
Part of German Language program on Melbourne 93.1fm
Tune into news, information and entertainment about everything that is Swiss in Switzerland and downunder. Ursula Schappi presents an informative half-hour program in Swiss-German. Every Sunday from 8:30 to 9pm on 93.1fm To listen online visit: www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/german To contact Ursula: leave a message on (02) 9955 7628 or ring 0407 995 578
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SWISS CLUB MOVIE ‘Die Standesbeamtin’ (Will You Marry Us?) Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 8pm Swiss Club, 2nd floor CH 2009. Comedy/Romance. Directed by Micha Lewinky. With Marie Leuenberger, Dominique Jann & Oriana Schrage. Duration: 90 mins. Swiss German, English Subtitles Rahel Hubli is employed as a civil registrar. She hasn’t believed in the so-called ‘love of her life’ in ages. But when a childhood friend, Ben, suddenly turns up, Rahel recalls again what it felt like to be in love. And that leads to even more problems, because Rahel is already married. And Ben would like to get married: by Rahel Free for members, non-members gold coin donation. Enjoy dinner at the club, before or after the movie. Please book with the restaurant on 9650 1196.
January 2011 was special because it had 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays and 5 Mondays. This occurs only once every 823 years and, in folklore tradition, means that this year is a particularly fortunate one in money matters. I hope it will come true for you! Editor
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Set-back for e-voting In a surprise announcement cantons Zürich and Geneva decided to suspend the pilot program to introduce e-voting – a step that has repercussions for the rest of the country and is a disappointing set-back for Swiss Abroad. The halt, and government-imposed limitations, have frustrated the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) which says democratic rights are too often at the mercy of unreliable global postal services. “It would have been appropriate for these two e-voting pilot cantons to have used the federal election in October for first voting tests, since tests during nationwide votes have been very positive and convincing,” the OSA commented. Canton Zürich blamed the postponement on technical issues and costs. Canton Geneva authorities are more worried about legal issues and want to avoid court battles. While e-voting costs about CHF150 per vote in Zürich, Geneva could conduct an online ballot for about CHF15 per vote. “It would be less than CHF2 if every Geneva expat or resident who could vote via the internet did so,” the cantonal chancellor said. Subcontracting vs. public management To explain the difference, Anja Wyden Guelpa highlights the management system in place in Geneva. “Our system uses open-source software managed by the canton’s IT services, as opposed to Zürich, which uses a private company sub-contractor to manage part of it. This public management of electronic voting offers all the guarantees in terms of security and transparence”, Guelpa said. “Since 2000 we have successfully conducted 17 electronic votes monitored by a permanent electoral commission, made up of elected officials and experts named by the cantonal government.” Yet despite the successes, the canton still postponed tests scheduled for 2011. “Before starting internet voting in elections, the canton wants to have a solid, clear legal basis to guard against the risk of court appeals,” Guelpa said. After each vote, electronic or otherwise, appeals and disputes tend to surface. Electronic voting – even though ingrained in the cantonal constitution by more than 70% of voters in 2009 – demands caution. The cantonal chancellery also points to restrictions imposed by the federal government. “In limiting the number of cantonal internet voters to 20% and for all of Switzerland to 10%, we aren’t able to get out of the test phase,” Guelpa said. “And after ten years of conclusive tests we’d like to be able to offer the three options for voting – at a polling station, by mail or over the internet.” Swiss Club of Victoria
Cautious government The federal chancellery issued a statement. “Electronic voting carries risks. In addition to irregularities, serious consideration should be given to rumours of abuses committed abroad that could undermine confidence in electronic voting.” “According to the cabinet, electronic voting can only be put into general use once all the players – voters, politicians and authorities – are familiar with the new procedures, have accepted them and have confidence in them. The government therefore opted for a careful approach by implementing electronic voting in steps.” Since other Swiss cantons must rely upon the Zürich and Geneva systems, electronic voting remains on hold. But on an international scale, Switzerland is still a leader in the field. I am looking forward to participating at the spring session of the Council of the Swiss Abroad which will be held in Brunnen on 9 April. Apart from the usual business, the main items on the agenda will most likely be the federal budget cuts, Swiss Banks and the Swiss Abroad, access to higher education for Swiss Abroad, as well as the federal election. Roland Isler – Delegate, Council of the Swiss Abroad
Unterhaltungsabend Saturday 14 May, 7.30pm • Three course dinner • Music: Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand • Tombola with lots of prizes • Cost: $40 p.p. Bookings must be made with the Swiss Club. It is always a fun night. Please come and join in the fun and support the group at the same time. We look forward to see you at the Unterhaltungsabend. Sylvia Hochuli
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Dear compatriots, II wish you and your families a Happy New Year, excellent health and good cheer for 2011. During the last 18 months I have had the pleasure of travelling to Victoria numerous times and meeting with various Swiss organisations and their members. I am very happy to see the Swiss culture alive and well in Victoria and I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Swiss Festival in Heidelberg on 3 April 2011. 2011 is an exciting year, this October there will be a Swiss Federal election. Since 1 July 1992 Swiss citizens living abroad are eligible to take part in the political activities of Switzerland. You can vote on federal issues and in elections for the National Council without having to travel to Switzerland. To exercise this right please ensure that you are registered with the Consulate office in Sydney. If you are not registered yet are eligible to vote simply register with the Consulate General in Sydney in person or in writing by completing the ‘Registration as Swiss abroad with voting rights’ form. This form is available on our website at www.eda.admin.ch/asd, ‘Publications Travelling and Living Abroad’. Be aware that registration must be renewed every four years. You will receive a renewal form from your voting commune which can be signed and returned, you can also renew in person at your voting commune. Please note, if you change addresses you must notify the Consulate General in Sydney. All citizens registered to vote will receive official voting papers from Switzerland, these must be completed and placed in the sealed voting envelope together with your ‘Stimmrechtsausweis’ and posted to your voting centre. The last few months have been difficult for anyone living in Australia, floodwaters affected large areas of Victoria and it was with sadness and horror that we followed the water trail on the news. The team at the Consulate and me place ourselves at the service of any Swiss citizens affected and I urge anyone affected who has not yet done so, to make them known to me. The Consulate is constantly in touch with the different Swiss care societies all over Australia in order to coordinate the assistance measures for all the Swiss in need. My team at the Swiss Consulate General in Sydney and myself are looking forward to having fruitful contacts with all Swiss citizens, living here or discovering this fantastic country as a tourist. The Swiss consular representation is a service centre for all Swiss, please stay in touch. Markus Meli – Consul General of Switzerland
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NOTICE
2011 Annual General Meeting of the SCV Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Swiss Club of Victoria will be held at 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, on:
Wednesday, 16 March 2011, 8pm Agenda: 1. Opening and Welcome 2. One Minute of Silence 3. Attendance, Apologies, Proxies 4. Adoption of Minutes of Half-Yearly General Meeting 2010 5. President’s Report 6. Accounts and Financial Statements 7. Election of Auditor 8. Election of Office Bearers 9. General Business: – Question Time 10. Conclusion
Minutes of the 2010 HalfYearly General Meeting of the SCV Held Wednesday, 15 September 2010 at 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 1. Opening and Welcome The President of the Swiss Club of Victoria, Mrs Barbara Kündig, opened the Half-Yearly General Meeting at 8.10pm and welcomed the Honorary Life Members, and Members of the Swiss Club. She thanked everyone for attending the Half-Yearly General Meeting. A total of 22 voting members were present, which forms a quorum. 2. One Minute of Silence Barbara invited all members to stand up and observe one minute of silence to remember our friends and members who have left us. Our sympathies go to their families. We will remember them. 3. Apologies Beryl Black, Tony Boll, Ruedi & Marlyse Birmele, Paul & Ros de Castella, Sigrid de Castella, Corinne Duggan, Greig Foletta, Sylvia & Fritz Hochuli, Ernst Hugli, Erika Kimpton, Marlies & Sepp Krummenacher, Doris Marr, Margrit Meier, Marcel Muntwyler, Martin Probst, Kurt Rietmann, Johanna Ruediger, Sue Schnellmann, Irma & Chris Thalmann, Marcel & Trudi Theiler.
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4. Adoption of Minutes of Annual General Meeting March 2010 The minutes of the Annual General Meeting, held Wednesday, 17 March 2010, were published in the September 2010 newsletter. The minutes had been read and are a true record. They were moved by Franz Schnellmann and seconded by Walter Purtschert. All in favour. 5. President’s Report “Dear honorary life members, honorary members and members of the Swiss Club. I can’t quite believe it is already time for the half-yearly meeting. Thank you for taking the time to come along and being interested in the administrative side of our Swiss Club. I would like to start by saying thank you to all the heads of our interest groups for all their time and commitment on getting their groups going and organising functions for all club members. Thank you to Sylvia Hochuli, Dance Group Alpenrose, Heidy Giger, Companion Singers and Ladies Luncheon, Andrea Pinch, Saturday Morning Swiss School and Familienplausch, Chantal Imbach, Swiss Playgroup and Rolf Huber, Swiss Festival. Let’s not forget Louis Schneider for organising the billiard events – please also notice the great new billiard table construction we now have, courtesy of Louis. Thank you to all of you, please continue with your wonderful work. I would also like to congratulate Franz Schnellman, Past President of the Swiss Club and the Octoberfest Society for having been elected to the Swiss Society as their new President. All of us at the Swiss Club wish Franz all the best. We look forward to continuous good relationships between the Swiss Club and the Swiss Society. When you sat here last in April, the room was just finished, the paint hardly dry. Some things hadn’t been finished. As you can see, in the meantime, we have installed the kitchen; the glass feature has been completed. The most important information you probably like to know about our renovation: we are definitively within budget, actually slightly below. The construction cost of the kitchen has been lower than anticipated thanks to good planning (thank you Tony) and to purchasing kitchen appliances at lower costs. The kitchen is not quite finished though, we are still planning to close it off with glass windows similar as the stacker doors on the other side of the room. We received some wonderful positive feedback and approval from members and guests. The overall consensus is what a great room. Personally, I enjoy this room due to its openness, the possibility to see all the way to Flinders Lane. This has been achieved by a simple idea; moving the toilet blocks to the back. I don’t think we have officially acknowledged, In true Swiss Club tradition before the Annual General Meeting, Roger Moullet and his team serve
‘Schüblig & Potato Salad’ Cost: $12.50 p. p. (for members attending the AGM) Bookings essential on 9650 1196. A la carte menu also available at regular prices.
Swiss Club of Victoria
who actually thought of this. It was the suggestion of Ms Erika Kimpton, our Honorary Consul of Switzerland and member. While Erika wasn’t able to be here tonight, we would like to thank Erika very much for this wonderful suggestion. What a difference it has made to this room. There are comments that the room is a bit bare, we should have some Swiss decorations etc. While this floor is the club facility for our interest groups to meet regularly, the concept from the outset has been to make it a versatile function room which anyone can make their own and that we do not give it a specific “Swiss” theme but that the room stands on its own pleasing to Swiss and non-Swiss alike. “Swiss” is reflected through the colours scheme and the glass frosting at the entrance. We do have a “Swiss” restaurant on the second floor which reflects our traditions and culture. But Switzerland also stands for being modern, great design and functionality. We now have two floors which show Switzerland from all sides! If you have participated in functions up here, I think each time the room looked great inviting, suiting the style of function. The comedy Festival took place in April. They really loved the room, as now it is more spacious and they can fit in more seats. The Australian Society of Magicians are also back for their regular monthly Monday meetings. The official member opening dinner dance in July was a lovely and fun evening. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family, John, Lucas, Rhea and Marius very much. They are not here, but together we actually came the night before to finish the room. The kitchen had just been installed that Friday afternoon. The four of them worked really hard to clean it all up and set it up for the member opening dinner. Considering that my children are only between 8 and 13 years of age, and weren’t allowed to come to the event itself, I think they deserve a mention and acknowledgment. They actually often come and help and support me in my club activities. The Swiss Club were proud hosts of the grant presentation by the Multicultural Commission. Several Ministers attended: the Hon Browyn Pike MP - Minister for Education, Skills and Workforce Participation, the Hon James Merlino MP - Minister for Sport, Recreation, Youth Affairs and Minister assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs and the Hon Richard Wynne MP - Minister for Housing, Local Government and Aboriginal Affairs, as well as about 50 representatives from all kinds of community groups. They loved the room and enjoyed their time with us. We are please to tell you that this year, the Swiss Club received three grants. One for the Swiss Festival, one to support our Newsletter printing cost and the third towards the 1st August celebrations. We will continue to apply for grants. We also had the 1st August Afternoon tea and the Seniors Luncheon up here as well as the Ladies Luncheon. Tomorrow, the Australian Opera Society will have their annual luncheon here with approx. 65 guests. Which brings me to the promotion of the room. This has been a slower process than we first thought. We have put together a brochure which will be used to promote the room. Part of our promotional activities will be corporate opening function in October. We also plan a flier drop in some targeted buildings such as 101 Collins etc. As you know our budget is somewhat non existent and therefore the most important and most economical channel is of course mouth to mouth. You, the members, are our best ambassadors; please spread the word among your friends, family and of course business associates. If you want some fliers, let us know. w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
If you have any suggestions or connections, please let us know as well. With the end of year festivities starting soon, please consider the Second Floor if you or your company plans a Christmas function. Another way you can support the Second Floor is by answering our call for donations. Please consider supporting us through a sponsorship of one of the canton flags. What a lovely Christmas gift or in memory of a loved one. We really hope you will support us in this. We have now two great floors. Unfortunately, the stair chase looks now rather shabbily. First impressions are important so if the entrance doesn’t look neat, it is a bit harder to sell the rest. The committee is trying to address this, but we are a bit in a catch 22, as we don’t really have budget/funds for it but if we don’t do it, it might impact our opportunities to sell the room. We are working on a satisfactory solution and outcome. That’s about it for the past six months. We have a great club in the heart of Melbourne for that we should be pleased and grateful. We look forward to another six months of events, functions and get together. Thank you to Roger Moullet and his team for their continuous contribution and support. Many thanks to the entire committee for their time, efforts and
Swiss Club of Victoria
Nomination Form for Office Bearers for 2011 We, being Honorary Life Members, Honorary Members or Ordinary Members of the Swiss Club of Victoria hereby nominate (please use block letters) Name of person nominated:
for election as a member of the Committee. 1. Name of Member: Signature: 2. Name of Member: Signature: I, (name of candidate) being a member of the Swiss Club of Victoria, hereby, consent to act as a member of the Committee, if elected. Signature: Note: Any two Ordinary Members, Honorary Life Members or Honorary Members of the Swiss Club of Victoria may nominate other members for election to the Committee. To be valid, this Nomination form must reach the Secretary no later than 2 March 2011.
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initiative. Thank you to you the members for your support and encouragement.” 6. Treasurer’s Report Second Floor: Overview of costs Work & Equipment at cost (ex GST) .................. $ 319,175.29 Outstanding Invoices ........................................ $ 7,137.00 Contingency ...................................................... $ 5,000.00 Bank Loan utilized ........................................... $ 315,877.78 Bank Loan limit ................................................. $ 350,000.00 The contract with A1 was a smart move, because it detailed and agreed on expenses, with no hidden costs for the club. The income stream is expected to pick up. Frosted door Coat of Arms sponsorship will help to reduce the costs. Unexpected large Operational Expenses • February: Water bill of almost $10,000 due to no meter reading during 18 months. Back charges older than 12 months have been disputed. • April: Elevator valve replacement $11,800. Repair was the only viable option as new elevator costs in excess of $100,000. Forecast Summary 2010 Actual 31/08/2010 Forecast 2010
2009
Income ..............$ 94,173
$ 137,790
$ 130,458
Expenses ...........$ 122,031
$ 175.399
$ 124,638
P&L .................–$ 27,858
–$ 37,609
Depreciation......$ 28,000
$ 44,000
$
5,820
$ 36,000
The financial year 2010 will end with a loss. However loss will not result in negative cash flow. 7. General Business Franz Schnellmann congratulated the committee on The Second Floor sponsorship initiative. He also expressed concerns regarding the safety and maintenance of historical flags and a sponsor board. He suggested having them on permanent display, in honour of people that sponsored them. Albert Forster suggested displaying them in the entrance/hallway where there is enough space. Franz Schnellmann suggested promoting the Second Floor through the Multicultural Newsletter and the Consulate. Other ideas included; Patrick Albert’s suggestion to approach Swiss companies, Austrian Club, German Club etc.; Walter Purtschert’s suggestion to contact SACCI re using 2F venue for their associates and holding their meetings; Roland Isler’s suggestion to advertise all our venues on the SwissCommunity website; Fred Dumar’s suggestion informing the town hall of this venue. Patrick Albert asked what the annual loan cost was and what income we would need to generate. Derrick responded that we are facing $40k-$50k per year with repayments over 10 years. In the past, our Second Floor revenue was about $12k per year. Barbara Purtschert also suggested reviewing and possibly adjusting the past income of $4,000 from the Comedy Festival. Fred Dumar stated that Roger and the committee might be too busy to look after The Second Floor marketing, and suggested using a commercial person to look after the facilities, be
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present. He also recommended opening up a tender for this. The discussion revolved around how the committee was currently approaching the renting of the space. It was again stressed that subgroups have priority, and that the committee is currently putting together the rate and discount structure. Franz Schnellmann warned that the club has to be careful with arrangements of functions alongside the regular bookings, with what Patrick Albert agreed. He suggested to urgently appointing one committee member as the single point of contact. Barbara responded that this was currently a work in progress and a discussion point amongst the committee. The Swiss Club now has a 1300-number, and all calls are forwarded to one committee member. This is to ensure that all general calls, including Second Floor bookings, can be channelled to the appropriate person. The number is 1300 893 968. Barbara Purtschert was questioning if a room rent was applicable, even if Roger did the catering, or if this cost would be incorporated into the quote? The committee responded that the end user would only pay one bill; the club and Roger would agree on the portion between themselves. Roland Isler informed that the Congress of Swiss Abroad was
Proxy Form for the Annual General Meeting 2011 of the Swiss Club of Victoria To: the Secretary of the Swiss Club of Victoria (please use block letters) I, being a member of the Swiss Club of Victoria, my address being:
hereby appoint:
his/her address being:
being another member of the Swiss Club of Victoria, to vote for me and on my behalf at the Annual General Meeting of the Swiss Club of Victoria to be held on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 and at every adjournment thereof. Signed by hand this
day of
2011
Signature: Note: Only members who are entitled to vote, having paid their subscription or being Honorary Life Members or Honorary Members, may represent other members as proxy. Proxy forms must be handed to the Secretary at least 48 hours before the meeting is to take place.
Swiss Club of Victoria
held in St.Gallen in August. Important matters were discussed, which Roland will put into the December newsletter. An interesting new website specifically for Swiss Abroad has been launched: www.swisscommunity.org. Hans Keller announced that he and Doris would like to donate the LCD screen in the restaurant to the club, but wanted to bring it up at this point because the committee had originally voiced their opinion against it. He asked to put forward a motion to members to keeping and installing it in the restaurant. Albert Foster suggested hiding it in a cupboard etc. which will bear a cost to the club. Monika Hofmann asked how the running times of the TV could be successfully managed. Roland Isler commented that this would definitely need to be monitored, and rules set up for operation and usage only for special events, Jass nights, etc. Patrick Albert suggested that only advertised events should be shown. Hans Keller proposed to mount the LCD screen on the wall adjacent to the Ladies toilets, Roland Isler seconded; 13 in favour, 5 against, 4 abstain. Everybody thanked Hans and Doris for their generosity by donating the TV. The committee will try to identify an easy and cheap way to cover it up. Rolf Huber took the opportunity to promote the Swiss Festival which will take place on 3 April 2011. He asked for member support regarding sponsorship, and especially somebody that could help with a marquee for inclement weather. Rolf Huber told the members of the upcoming World Cycling Championship in Melbourne and Geelong, which attracts famous Swiss Cyclists Fabian Cancellara, Australian Cadel Evans and others. Rolf asked for Swiss fans to come along, show the Swiss colours and support the teams. Franz Schnellmann thanked the committee for their hard work and effort they put in on a continuous basis. There were no further questions or comments from the members. 8. Conclusion Barbara closed the Half-Yearly General Meeting by thanking all present for their continuous interest and support in the Swiss Club of Victoria. The meeting closed at 9.20 pm and all members were invited for a drink. Minutes taken by Gerda Probst, Secretary
Trust you had a pleasant break and a good start to 2011! The Swiss Club Championship was held on 26 November 2010, resulting in Campbell Black triumphing over yours truly, Louis Schneider. The 2011 dates to mark in your diary are:
Newsletter Deadlines 2011 June Issue: Covering June/July/August Editorial Deadline: Monday, 2 May Mailing: Wednesday, 18 May September Issue: Covering Sept/Oct/ Nov Editorial Deadline: Monday, 8 August Mailing: Wednesday, 24 August December Issue: Covering Dec/Jan/Feb 2012 Editorial Deadline: Monday, 7 November Mailing: Wednesday, 23 November
w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
• 18 March - Swiss Club Doubles Championship • 17 June - Bernard Sandoz Trophy • TBC - Swiss Club Singles Championship Cost: Only $20 per person which includes dinner. Bookings are essential, please ring Roger at the Swiss Club or myself on 9439 7593 or 0418 645 313. New players are always welcome! Looking forward to a great competition in 2011. Louis Schneider
Support those that support your Club. Consider our Advertisers
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Swiss Events & Functions Please note that this calendar also list events other than those organised by the Swiss Club of Victoria and its subgroups. Please book all Swiss Club functions (bold entries) with Roger, phone 9650 1196 or fax 9650 3104 and check website for latest information and details of upcoming events. For all other events please contact the relevant organisation (see page 3 for contact details).
FEBRUARY
Saturday Saturday
12 26
Familienplausch Jass Night - Matterhorn
MARCH
Wednesday Thursday Wednesday Friday Saturday Monday
02 03 16 18 26 28
Ladies’ Luncheon Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Annual General Meeting Billiard - Swiss Club Doubles Championship Jass Night - Swiss Club Comedy Festival starts (2nd floor unavailable until April 27)
APRIL
Sunday Sunday
03 24
SWISS FESTIVAL Comedy Festival ends
MAY
Monday Wednesday Thursday Saturday Saturday Wednesday
02 04 05 07 14 18
Editorial Deadline - Newsletter June issue Ladies’ Luncheon Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Jass Night - Matterhorn Unterhaltungsabend - Swiss Folk Dance Group Alpenrose Movie Night at the Club - ‘Die Standesbeamtin’
OTHER REGULAR SWISS CLUB MEETINGS: Committee Meetings: every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month
From a 1952 Tourist Map of Switzerland
Swiss Folk Dance Group Alpenrose: practice every Tuesday evening at 8.15pm Swiss Companion Singers: practice and social gathering every 2nd and 3rd Thursday of each month at 8pm Familienplausch: monthly on Saturday (check for calendar above for dates), from 1pm to 4pm Swiss German Playgroup: every 1st Thursday of each month from 11am to 2pm The Swiss Diners Club: dates for get-together can be found on www.swiss.org.au or on our Yahoo group http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/YoungSwissMelbourne
SWISS NEWS, WORLD WIDE
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Swiss Club of Victoria
CBD FUNCTION AND MEETING ROOM WITH A DIFFERENCE The Second Floor at the Swiss Club
BUSINESS FUNCTIONS, CONFERENCES, SMALL MEETINGS
• • • • • •
Theatre style seating for up to 90 Work shop seating for up to 55 Cocktail set up for up to 120 Private meeting room for up to 16 Architect designed space Choice of catering from the Swiss Club Restaurant or Terra Rossa • Modern amenities
• Basic coffee making facilities • Parking close by • 5 minutes walk to Flinders Street or Parliament Station • 2 minutes walk to Tram 75/70/48 • Friendly venue with Swiss history • Competitive rates
*O 4FSWVT 0VU Fly with Austrian via Vienna. Europe’s fastest transfer airport.
OR DINNER/ DANCE FUNCTIONS, LAUNCHES, PRIVATE EVENTS
Information & booking at www.austrian.com, 1300 655 727 or at your travel agency. Earn miles with Miles & More.
8F GMZ GPS ZPVS TNJMF
• • • • • • •
Unbeatable location Ample parking close by Train, tram and bus close by Dinner seating for up to 80 Cocktail set up to 120 Dance floor Architect designed modern space with lots of ambience
• Modern amenities • Choice of catering from the Swiss Club Restaurant or Terra Rossa • Choice of BYO caterer • Catering kitchen with 4 ovens, microwave and industrial dishwasher • Friendly venue with Swiss history • Competitive rates
AT THE PERFECT VENUE – THE SWISS CLUB OF VICTORIA Contact us on E: info@swissclubvic.com T: 1300 893 968 to check for availability, more information or a quote www.austrian.com
Dancers, Singers & Matterhorn performing at Nursing Homes
THE
RO U CLU
Swiss Assistance
T
ABOU D N B
Start to 2011 marred by natural disasters
The floods
IS SW S
Mystery Trip
Senior Christmas
Cyclone Yasi
Samichlaus Breakfast
No end in sight