MC: Bernie McIntosh
Reflection: Cheryl Lacey – transcript included later in this bulletin
A busy meeting, after welcoming visitors and guests (see the full list later in this bulletin), President Philip, Immediate Past District 9800 Governor, Michael Lapina who presented on behalf of District 9800 a Paul Harris Fellow for her service as President of Rotary Melbourne, and a special Rotary International Service Above Self award to past president Mary Barry for her comprehensive service to District 9800 and to Rotary Melbourne.
Immediate Past President Catherine Baxter then took over the podium to present to Past President Quin Scalzo AM, present with his family, the annual David Wittner AM, Mentoring Award.
She noted that “… Quin joined Rotary Melbourne at the invitation of his business friend, David Wittner. As such it is apt that he is recognised with this award for his outstanding service and mentorship since joining in 2001.
Quin responding with a lively address on the legacy of David Wittner’s leadership, which can be read in a separate bulletin article.
Philip then highlighted the forthcoming 100th birthday of Honorary member, Bill Pratt AM as we recorded a special video for his family.
Philip then drew members attention to the sad news of passing of Genny Knight, wife of friend of the Club, Past District Governor Ian Knight OAM, noting that A service will be held on Thursday in Albert Park and details can be found online or with the Rotary Office.
He also mentioned the sad loss of Marie Fels … see details elsewhere in this bulletin. Valé Marie Fels.
Finally, Philip reminded members that nominations for the AGM 2015 Nominating committee, which closed on 3 September 2025. He reminded the meeting that we will be honoured to have VFL/AFL legend David Parkin as our guest speaker on 24 September 2025. An ideal opportunity to bring along your family and friends and display your AFL Club loyalty.
Tony Battaini then came to the podium to introduce our Guest Speaker: Anna Schulze, Director, Government relations and External Affairs at CSL.
Anna spoke about the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Snakebite Project, a lifesaving initiative supported by Rotary Melbourne and other partners. She began by noting her family’s Rotary connection—her late father was a long-standing Rotarian—and highlighted the significance of Rotary’s support in tackling snakebite, a severe but often overlooked public health crisis in PNG.
PNG, with a population of 11–17 million, faces major challenges in health and data management. It has one of the world’s highest snakebite mortality rates, with around 1,000 deaths annually—many among children and economically productive adults. Snakebite disproportionately harms providers in subsistence communities, creating a ripple effect of poverty and hardship.
Australia and PNG share many of the same snake species, meaning Australian antivenom is effective in PNG. CSL is the world’s only producer of Australian antivenoms, manufacturing just 7,000 vials annually, of which about 10% now go to PNG. However, production is costly, species-specific, and commercially unviable, with the Australian government as the sole purchaser. Previously, PNG purchased too little, payments were unreliable, and supplies often leaked to the black market at exorbitant prices.
The project launched in 2018 after CSL, the PNG Department of Health, Port Moresby General Hospital, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs established a new distribution model. CSL donates antivenom; Australian government partners oversee secure distribution; and in-country providers manage training and stewardship. Initially run by the University of Melbourne, the program is now operated by St John’s Ambulance PNG, which has expanded reach, training, and emergency support, including a 24-hour hotline.
Key progress includes:
Rotary’s contributions have been especially vital in enabling school and community education, directly improving survival rates. Schultz closed by looking ahead to innovations such as drone-based medical delivery systems, which could further transform access in remote PNG.
In essence, the PNG Snakebite Project demonstrates how cross-sector partnerships—CSL, governments, NGOs, and Rotary—can deliver tangible health outcomes in one of the world’s most difficult healthcare environments.
To view video recordings of the full meeting click here and the recording of our guest speaker presentation view below or click here.
