Bulletin 18 February 26

Bulletin 18 February 2026

Highlights

This Week
Member News
Club News
Last Week's Meeting
Other News
Upcoming Events

This Week Wednesday 18 February 2026
No 5112 in the Club's 105th Year

Lunch with Prof. Jeremy Oats, AM
February 18, 2026, 12:45 pm to February 18, 2026, 2:00 pm

No 35, Sofitel on Collins 25 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000

Honorary Professorial Fellow

Topic: Freebirthing: Pros & Cons
Wednesday 18th of February 2026
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
No 35, Sofitel on Collins
Also Online via Zoom

CLICK READ MORE TO BOOK

About this week with Jeremy Oats

Join us to hear Professor Jeremy Oats AM, Honorary Fellow at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and our longstanding club member, present Freebirthing: Pros and Cons. As former Chair of the Victorian Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity and adviser to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, he has helped shape understanding of pregnancy outcomes nationwide.

Drawing on decades in clinical care, research and national maternity review, Jeremy will explore safety, autonomy and how maternity services can better respond to women’s experiences and expectations.

This Week's Duties - 18 February 26

On Duty: Rosemary Nixon, Bob Glindemann (reception), Stephen Mandie (Raffle), Rosemary Nixon (MC), Peter Dakin (Reflection), Gerald Ashman (Photos).

Member News

Members Anniversaries & Birthdays - Week 18 February 2026

Membership Anniversary Joe Balci (19).

Happy Birthday George Giamadakis, Jeremy Oats, Rob Medcalf.

Club News

Monash University honours Dr Alan Finkel AC with building name

Rotary Melbourne Honorary member Dr Alan Finkel AC was honoured on 11 February 26 with a Monash building named after him at their Clayton Campus. Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Sharon Pickering today announced the Alan Finkel Building for Technology and Design as the new name of Building 94, alongside Chancellor Megan Clark AC at an unveiling on the Clayton campus.

PNG Snakebite Project Update

by Anthony Battaini

Kate Datson, St John Emergency Services Project Lead, PNG Snakebite Partnership, addressed members at the 4 February lunch. Kate spoke about the challenges faced in delivering effective prevention and treatment services in a country with limited infrastructure and one of the highest mortality rates from snakebite globally.

FOOTY FANS - Go Pies

by Branko Panich

As the start of the 2026 footy season approaches quickly, we turn our mInds to all things AFL. If you're lucky enough to barrack for the mighty Magpies but are not yet a member of the GO PIES group/team please reach out to Branko on email to be added to this mighty team. If you don't barrack for Collingwood, consider setting up your own coterie group.....

Last Week's Meeting

Last Week's Evening Picnic 11 February 26

Last Wednesday 11 February was our annual Picnic at Rotary Melbourne Peace Park, South Yarra. We had a wonderful crowd, including visitors from Japan, representatives of the City of Melbourne and the Botanical Gardens, and many members and some prospective members. After a few glasses of bubbles, the heavens opened and most retreated to the Botanical Hotel to continue a very social evening inside!

Visiting Rotarians: Ian Knight (Werribee), Pam Dittmer, Shinji Higuchi (Osaka).

Guests of Members: Andrew Laidlaw (Rob McGuirk), Nick, Kimberley Pierzchalski (Peter Berg), Jane Wang (Chris Wang), Myra Fisher (Robert Fisher), Srita Das, Caroline Pilot, Louise Nelson (Adrian Nelson).

Other News

Rotary International launches new peace center in India

Rotary Peace Center at Symbiosis International University will train peace and development professionals from across Asia. Leaders of Rotary International and Symbiosis International University gathered in Pune, India, to inaugurate a new Rotary Peace Center at the university. Supported through The Rotary Foundation, the center will provide experienced peacebuilders from across Asia with one-year professional development certificate fellowships to study subjects such as conflict transformation, sustainable development, and social change.