M. & A. EGAN
RSL has its first woman president
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By Despi O’Connor* THE Mornington Returned and Services League (RSL) has its first female president in Meryn Cooper. Cooper joined the Women’s Royal Australian Navy in 1981 and was based at HMAS Cerberus, Crib Point for her new recruits’ course, proudly wearing her uniform. She completed her category training on the base and as a cook was then posted to HMAS Albatross, Nowra Hill, NSW home of the Fleet Air Arm. Eighteen months later Cooper was posted to HMAS Coonawarra, in Darwin. Prior to 1985, women were not able to go to sea, so for her four years of service Cooper was restricted to land duties. If she had her time over again, she wouldn't hesitate to sign up for the defence force and would also encourage anybody, not just women, to do the same. Cooper says it’s a rewarding experience, the training is great, and the friendships are forever. After leaving the Navy, Cooper had a continued willingness to serve her community and became a cadet instructor in Launceston, training young people (14-19 year olds) at TS Tamar – Naval Reserve Cadets. She later returned to Melbourne where she took up a civilian position as a chef back where it all started, at HMAS Cerberus for six years. Now semi-retired, Cooper joined the RSL five years ago to continue to give back to her community. She joined the committee after she was asked to get involved and soon after was approached to nominate for vice president. Only serving or ex-serving members of the defence force can nominate for the roles of president or vice president. Women make up a very small part of the RSL overall membership, but they bring a new range of skills to the table in what has traditionally been a male dominated organisation. Cooper will now serve for two years in the role as president, leading about 200 members at the Mornington club. She hopes that the current committee can continue to work together to improve veterans’ health and welfare by improving connections in the community and at the RSL. Despi O’Connor is a Briars Ward councillor on Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
THE president of Mornington RSL Meryn Cooper. Picture: Gary Sissons
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YEAR two students at Our Lady of Fatima Primary School Laarni and Guyan during Harmony Day. Picture: Supplied
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Harmony in colour STUDENTS from schools around the Mornington Peninsula participated in Harmony Day at the end of March, getting involved in a range of activities linked to the theme of diversity and inclusiveness. On Friday 25 March, parents and friends of Our Lady of Fatima Primary School in Rosebud held a crazy colour fun run, where the rainbow of colours added to the celebration of diversity. The money raised will be used to buy resources for the school’s lunchtime club, which promotes a welcoming and inclusive environment for all children on the yard.
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for such a sensitive part of the bay.” The push for an artificial reef has largely been led by the government body the Victorian Fisheries Association, and the Futurefish Foundation, which describes itself online as “a fearless watchdog” representing recreational fishers, with an aim to “protect and enhance” recreational fishing throughout Victoria. One of its mandates is to increase the number of artificial reefs in all parts of Port Phillip. Continued Page 12
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G A L L E R Y TA L K
We are thrilled to be the first venue for the National Gallery of Australia’s newest touring exhibition Know My Name: Australian Women Artists. We’ve paired this major touring exhibition with a suite of exhibitions featuring women artists, including local artist Kylie Stillman, multidisciplinary artist Natalya Hughes and a collection exhibition that celebrates the friendships between female donors and artists. Since the Countess Report on gender inequity in the Australian arts sector in 2016, institutions around the country have taken a closer look at their own collections, exhibition programs, awards and staffing and implemented ways to address gender imbalance in the sector. MPRG’s summer exhibitions and associated programming are an important part of our ongoing mission to elevate and showcase the work of Australian women artists. In 2021 MPRG produced a new collection publication Women Artists that highlights the work of female and female identifying artists in our collection.
More than 50,000 visited the Archibald Prize 2023 at MPRG, boosting the local economy. Of these, half were from metropolitan Melbourne and around 35 percent local Mornington Peninsula residents. Over 70% said the Archibald Prize influenced their decision to travel to the Mornington Peninsula and they spent money on food, drinks, shopping and entertainment in the local area. Of those opting to stay and explore the Peninsula further, the average length of stay was two nights. The feedback about the exhibition has been overwhelmingly positive and we thank our wonderful front of house staff and everyone who came along to see Australia’s most loved exhibition at MPRG.
See you at MPRG, soon. Danny Lacy MPRG Gallery Director
mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au Civic Reserve, Dunns Road, Mornington Ph 5950 1580 Southern Peninsula News
29 November 2023
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