From the committee
By Elisabeth Thomas
Editors NSW committee last met on 10 December 2024, continuing our trial of coming together every two months and e-corresponding on matters in between.
In a positive start to the meeting, we welcomed our new professional development officer, Kiara Thomas.
Administrative tasks followed as we planned the 2025 meetings and discussed developments for the committee’s work with feedback from the survey of committee members. The excellent proposal for the redesign of the Editors NSW committee’s share drive, by past committee member Dr Kai Jensen, was endorsed and Kai will complete the work over the next couple of months. Further discussions followed on matters of budget planning and professional development.
Our final events for the calendar year – Dr Linda Nix’s popular business planning workshop and our end-of-year dinner – were successful and well received.
Networking event report: End-of-year dinner
By Ruth Power
NSW branch members and friends enjoyed a delightful end-of-year dinner with views across Sydney Harbour. On a hot and steamy December evening, we gathered at one of our usual venues: Foys Kirribilli, in the historic Sydney Flying Squadron Club.
Starting with drinks on the upper deck overlooking spectacular Careening Cove, we attempted to catch a cool breeze before the 15 of us retreated to the dining room for a delicious feast. Over dinner, we connected with colleagues, both familiar and new, sharing anecdotes of editing and life beyond.
We enjoyed a speech from Russell Noakes, who acknowledged the highlights of 2024 and offered a special thank you to Julie Ganner AE for her years of service to IPEd. Julie stepped down as our branch president in August, but this was just one of her many contributions to the Editors NSW committee and IPEd more broadly. Justine Dixon Cooper AE and Louise Merrington AE presented Julie with beautiful plant and wine gifts on behalf of Editors NSW.
The raffle that followed ensured everybody received a festive gift, made possible through generous book donations by Hachette and Macquarie dictionary and thesaurus online subscriptions donated by Pan Macmillan Australia. We are grateful to Hachette and Pan Macmillan for their kind support.
We look forward to seeing the usual suspects again next year, at both our mid- and end-of-year dinners, and will always welcome new attendees to these festive and inclusive annual events.
Julie Ganner AE, Justine Dixon Cooper AE and Russell Noakes were among the members enjoying the dinner. Image: Ruth Power.