Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee:

That this council—

1. Acknowledges the 50^th anniversary of the formation of the Winston Churchill Trust in Australia in 2015;

2. Congratulates and pays tribute to the committee and volunteers at Churchill Fellows Association of South Australia for their commitment to honour Sir Winston Churchill's legacy in South Australia; and

3. Recognises the achievements of Churchill Fellows for their outstanding research and contribution to the Australian society.

(Continued from 13 October 2015).

The Hon. T.T. NGO (21:34): In 1962 Sir Winston Churchill, then aged 88, was asked what memorial he would like established in his name. Churchill suggested something like the Rhodes scholarships but made more broadly available. Churchill died on 24 January 1965 and the Churchill Memorial Appeal Day occurred on Sunday, 28 February 1965.

On that day in South Australia 30,000 collectors called on 600,000 homes to collect donations to establish the trust. The target for South Australian donations was the equivalent of $180,000, while Australia-wide the objective was $2 million. However, in South Australia $428,000 was collected, and $4.5 million Australia-wide. It was perhaps the most successful fundraising event ever in Australia, as remarkable as the man it honoured.

The trust has awarded more than 3,000 fellowships across Australia, including over 300 from South Australia. Churchill's wish was to give opportunities by the provision of financial support for people from all walks of life who, having exhausted opportunities at home, desired to further their search for excellence overseas.

There are no prescribed qualifications for the award of most Churchill Fellowships. Merit is the primary test, whether based on past achievements or demonstrated ability for future achievements in any walk of life. Another significant consideration is the potential for benefit to Australia.

The Churchill Fellows Association of South Australia is a network of Churchill Fellows which allows recipients to share their research passions and develop a network with other Churchill Fellows from around Australia and the United Kingdom. It includes social and professional networking including site visits to Fellows' workplaces and those create rich opportunities for research cross-pollinations and collaboration. In recent years South Australian Fellows have researched:

1. International approaches to residential and alternative care for young people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and significant challenging behaviours.

2. Family violence and sexual assault prevention approaches, programs and evaluations.

3. Business cluster development and facilitation from European leaders.

4. Development of a curriculum framework for best practice simulation teaching in Indigenous health.

5. The effectiveness of environmental sustainability programs in international wine regions.

Further, the association is run by volunteers, all former Fellows, who coordinate the association's activities and promote the trust throughout South Australia. I would like to acknowledge their efforts, both the current committee and President Graeme Adcock and all the others who have put in over the past 50 years.

I also acknowledge the regional committee which administers the trust in South Australia, its patron, His Excellency the Governor of South Australia, Mr Hieu Van Le, and the regional chair and national director of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Ms Alexandrea Cannon.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (21:50): I would like to thank the Hon. Tung Ngo for his contribution to acknowledge the 50^th anniversary of the formation of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. From my contribution earlier, and together with the Hon. Tung Ngo, we understand how important such a trust is in terms of enhancing the many projects and worthy individuals in research. Those achievements need to be acknowledged and they have been outstanding. I commend the motion to the chamber.

Motion carried.