Rooty Hill Toast Masters - Guest Speaker !

A few weeks a go I met Darryl, a member of the Toast Masters International, Rooty Hill  Club  9627. He had spoken of his local bus stop issue, which I  am interested in his issue and in return he pleasantly invite myself as a guest speaker to talk our group (Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group Inc); its beginning to present, at his club.

I was warmly greeted by the majority of the  members and listen and following their meeting proceedings - which involved short speeches for 1 or 2 minutes, table talk topics (out of the blue) and longer speeches.

I must admit each speech was very interesting as each person spoke with true feelings and emotions from the bottom to the top of their heart. There were new members and members that had been there for years. I loved the applause after each speech and then all speeches evaluated by others. The ones doing evaluation must be alert and  focus on listening to every word. It was great and I do suggest anyone that wants to learn how to speak to others public or private and is seeking for self-improvement try International Toasters!

So back to guest speaking, I have spoken in front of 300 people at a 'Listening Campaign' at Bowman Hall, Blacktown for Sydney Alliance on 11/7/10. I was nervous before I started speaking yet, when started  - the nervous went away!

Guest Speaker

Last night, I didn't start that nervous but I think towards the end I was and this was in front of 12 people. Yet the applause sounded exactly like the applause for 300 people at Blacktown Bowman Hall.

I thank the Toastmasters International, Rooty Hill Club  for the providing myself the opportunity to provide information of our group and to Darrel for the personal invitation.

                    Here is a great speech by Darryl 'Children'!

Click here for the link to Toast Masters International

ACTUAL SPEECH

Good evening ladies and gentleman.

I would like to acknowledge the Dharug people who are the traditional custodians of this land. I would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present of the Dharug nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people present.

My name in John Svoboda and I am from the Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group Inc. formerly Save Our  Bus Services Mount Druitt and Surrounding Suburbs.

Our group is made up of Mt Druitt community members who are fighting for the return of vital bus services that have been taken away from us by the NSW government; and for improvements in public transport infrastructure within our local community.

We are fighting for the community because we have heard stories of hardship; stories like elderly women walking for over an hour to see their doctor, no buses on the weekends, no buses early in the mornings or late at night, stories of community members spending more money on taxis because of the lack of buses.

I became involved with this group because of the impact the removal of bus services would have on my life. Travelling to and from work was going to be difficult for me- I also became involved because the heart of the community was being ripped out.

Today, I will be sharing our story with you.

Our story begins almost 3 years ago while I was waiting for a bus outside Whalan shops. On the 8^th October 2009, I was talking to one elderly lady at the bus stop of corner of Ellengown Crescent and Bulolo Drive Whalan (Bus Stop Number 2770143). Her name was Betty.

 I began talking to Betty to find out what the local community group was doing about the cancelation of bus services in the area. Betty told me she would find out.

Two days later I was talking to Joan, another community member, she told me that I had really stirred things up by talking to Betty. Joan told me not to worry- that it was a good thing to get people doing things around the area! 

 We decided to put up posters at the bus stops around the area advertising a petition day for the reintroduction of the bus services that were cancelled.

On the day we met community members and the local press. Within 2 hours we received around 500 signatures on our petition. People came and told us how badly they were being impacted by the removal of bus services by the government right across Mt Druitt. What we had thought was only going to be one street affected by the bus removal turned out to be more.

Next day we decided to form our group – Save Our Bus Services. Our first action was to draw up another petition which included all of the suburbs affected by the cancellation of bus services in Mt Druitt. By the end of it we got over 3000 signatures.

During our time:

-         We have held three community meetings with big turnouts every time

-         We have made a film of community members from different suburbs talking about their transport issues

-         We have put over three hundred of our stories on our website of hardship.

-         Local reporters from the Mount Druitt-St Marys Standard & also St Mary – Mount Druitt Star always  contact  myself and members of our group in relation to public transport issues/improvements

-         We have been interviewed by 2UE, Channel nine and have had many stories in our local papers and have spoken at Blacktown city council meetings to be heard.

In February 2009, 6 of us met with the Minister of Transport, handed him 3000 signatures and told him our community story. Within 2 weeks of this meeting, one of our major services – the 755 was immediately partially reinstated. Also a second limited bus service 674 has been reinstated.

We have had success- even when some of us didn’t see any hope in our cause and thought we were fighting a losing battle with the government.

We have had group representatives on the Western Sydney Public Transport Users Inc. Policy Committee and I have been elected the Vice Present since October 2010, discussing public transport issues that have been raised by local groups and the support of them.

In November 2010, we started to look at changing our group to ‘Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group’ and it was officially started in March 2011 and commenced incorporation in May 2012.

March 2011, our young Blake Bardowski won the inaugural Chifley Youth Awards.

On behalf of the group, I have been invited to attend Blacktown City Council Transport Forum in 2010 Blacktown. The next meeting was held at the new Mount Druitt Hub (a suggestion from myself) in November 2011.

Both our Groups have been nominated as the Outstanding Community Group for the Zest Awards, Greater Western Sydney Community Awards 2010 & 2011. And Outstanding Community Leader, I was nominated for 2010 & 2011. Blake Bardowski, was nominated for the Youth Zest Awards and received the ‘High Commended Award’.

Our website has been visited over 50,000 times and has been mentioned in NSW Government Hansard as a website to visit.

We are currently holding an open to the public ‘Have a Statement day’ on the 13^th October 2012, 1-4pm. Rooms 1-2, The Hub, Mount Druitt, open to the public. Monthly meetings are on the third Saturday of each month.

On a personal level I’d like to share my involvement with the individual commuters of western Sydney. Their stories and suggestions on public transport improvement has given this group the motivation and drive for change and progress within the transport system.

Our story has inspired other community members to do other things for our community- Blake a 16year old boy from the area has redesigned the bus system for Mt Druitt. We have worked for the return of proper bus services so that life for the community can be easier. The community told us their problems, we heard, we fought, we won and are winning back more, we have a long way to go, only for the community! Community comes first!