Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about Rotary. I had the privilege of attending two handover dinners, at which the discussions that I had with Rotarians brought back memories of the time that I spent in Rotary. Rotary International is an organisation of Rotary clubs located all over the world. Rotary began as an idea more than 100 years ago. Today Rotary flourishes worldwide, with 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary International is the world's first service club organisation, with more than 33,000 clubs worldwide.

Rotary members are volunteers who work locally, regionally and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace and eradicate polio. Rotary's best known motto is 'Service above self' and its secondary motto is 'They profit most who serve best'. In my first speech I made reference to the fact that I will always put service above self. The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster, firstly, the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; secondly, high ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society; thirdly, the application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life; and, finally, the advancement of an international understanding of goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Based on the objects of Rotary, the avenues of service are Rotary's philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which each club activity is based. 'Club service' focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club. 'Vocational service' encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practise high ethical standards. 'Community service' covers projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community, and there are several significant projects within the electorate of Hasluck that Rotarians provide their time to in order to improve the quality of life of many individuals. 'International service' encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary's humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace. 'New generation service' recognises the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership, development activities, service, projects and exchange programs.

The four-way test that Rotarians hold themselves to is a test which has been translated into more than 100 languages. It asks the following questions:

Of the things we think, say or do

1.Is it the TRUTH?

2.Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3.Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4.Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

What I enjoy about the Rotarians that I have met within my own state, within my electorate and across this nation is their preparedness to give of their time even when their time is challenged by the occupations in which they work and live on a daily basis. Their unfaltering commitment to improving communities and the nation and their international commitment to the eradication of polio are highly ethical thoughts and pathways of action that they undertake. What I always find interesting is that people who are busy always tend to find time to give to fellow human beings in a way that sometimes all of us should give. Passion for what you do and what you believe is the essence of group camaraderie, but it is important that you, as a collective group of professionals, believe that your personal value in serving others above self is in the way in which you build a community and a society that protect and look after their own and that nurture those who require support and intervention during their life. I commend to all of you the thought that Rotary is an organisation that is well worth being concerned with. (Time expired)