Slap Tomorrow was super successful

“Slap Tomorrow – A Wake-Up Call” was successful in the extreme, exceeding everyone’s expectations.

The hundreds of interested people at the June 6,
"Slap Tomorrow - A Wake-Call" forum.

The June 6 forum attracted hundreds of people. The forum was held at Shepparton’s Eastbank auditorium that seats more than 800 people and it was easily more than two thirds full.

The overriding goal for the forum was to initiate a discussion about our changing climate encouraging people to identify the opportunities arising from the subsequent changes and incorporate them with their lifestyle.

The forum featured Climate Commissioner, Prof Veena Sahajwalla; the former chair of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Anna Rose; and environmental consultant, Rob Gell; with Victoria’s Sustainability Commissioner, Prof Kate Auty, as the moderator.

Rose talked about how youthful experiences in north-western New South Wales illustrated to her important realities about soil, water and climate led to her working with a group of school friends to set up what eventually became the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.

Sahajwalla, an engineer with the University of New South Wales talked about how we could take what exists and reapply it to our advantage, explaining that by detailing a working project in which old motor tyres and used in the manufacture of steel.

Gell, who has long been immersed in many aspects of the climate and community engagement, took those at the forum on 20 minute explanatory journey through the realities of climate changes.

The idea for the forum emanated from among those who gather each month “Beneath the Wisteria”.

Jim O'Connor and fellows workers
from Game Game Traffic and
Contracting, one of four major
sponsors.

It was supporter Terry Court who declared several months ago that it “felt as if we were talking with ourselves” and encouraged Beneath the Wisteria supporters to “take” the conversation to the wider public.

A small committee of nine came together, almost by osmosis, initially meeting every fortnight and then as the June 6 drew closer, the meetings became weekly. Electronic communication (email) was incessant.

Our next gathering Beneath the Wisteria will be at 11:30am on Saturday, June 29, at which “Slap Tomorrow – A Wake-Up Call” will be reviewed.