【CASS Annual General Meeting 2023】

CASS Annual General Meeting 2023 Successfully Held

Professor Stephen Li Elected As Chairperson

As a longstanding social services provider to the community, CASS convened its 42^nd Annual General Meeting on Sunday, 26 November 2023 at its Campsie Activity Hall and via online.

Chairperson Bo Zhou presided over the meeting.

Deputy Chairperson and Secretary Anthony Pang delivered a brief summary on the performance of CASS in Financial Year (FY) 2022/2023 which encompassed:

• Over 2,100 seniors from diverse multicultural backgrounds were utilising its services, including Home Care Packages (HCP) and Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
• CASS continues to receive federal funding for the provision of Short-term Restorative Care (STRC).
• The Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) in Campsie successfully underwent an unannounced quality review conducted by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in March 2023. All indicators met the requirements and received high commendation.
• In May 2023, NSW Department of Education conducted an assessment of CASS Gumnut Early Learning Centre in Campsie. The centre met all requirements as prescribed by the National Quality Standards.
• Funded by Multicultural NSW, the Disability Services Unit held “Groovability Festival” to celebrate International Day of People with Disability, which provided opportunities for people with physical or mental disabilities to showcase their talents. The event drew more than 300 attendees.
• Multicultural Community Services Development Unit actively provided a wide range of services to their respective communities while also held numerous information sessions on crucial topics such as health, early childhood education, law, and social welfare. The efforts effectively responded to the pressing demand for diverse informational needs, particularly in the Korean and Vietnamese communities.
• CASS hosted a Charity Dinner on 11 March 2023, aiming to raise funds for the construction of its second RACF in Asquith. The event garnered extensive support from various stakeholders and successfully raised over $130,000.
• The Settlement and Health Services Unit continues to receive funding from the Department of Home Affairs to provide services to newly arrived Chinese-speaking immigrants. Settlement services were also provided to the Korean community on its own fund.
• CASS actively promotes its services and activities and provides regular community updates in the multicultural community through its various websites and social media platforms, such as WeChat, Facebook, Xiaohongshu, Naver Café, KakaoTalk, etc. Furthermore, CASS consistently publishes articles under the name of “Kending”.

Treasurer Sean Zhang presented a comprehensive report on the financial performance of CASS for FY2022/2023. All aspects exhibited commendable figures, with total annual turnover surpassing $58 million. Notably, there was an increase in expenditure compared to the previous financial year due to inflation and the construction of the Asquith RACF. He praised and thanked the Honorary Executive Director, staff members, and volunteers for their unwavering dedication and diligent efforts that had helped CASS maintaining a robust business.

Both reports were unanimously approved by the attending members. Under the supervision of Returning Officer Ivan Wong, new members of the Board of Directors and the Council of Elders were successfully elected during the meeting. Additionally, motions listed on the agenda were discussed and decided upon.

The meeting concluded in a jubilant and harmonious atmosphere, with members congratulating the newly appointed Board of Directors and Council of Elders, and wishing them a smooth sailing year, working to cater to the needs of more people requiring care and assistance.

The inaugural meeting of the new Board was then convened to allocate responsibilities among the members.

During the meeting, Dr Bo Zhou stated he was unable to continue serving as the chairperson due to personal health conditions and the frequent need to stay abroad for extended periods in the coming years.  Fellow Board members expressed their understanding and concurred it would be vital for Dr Zhou to prioritise a break and attend to his health at the current stage. The Board members also extended their gratitude to Dr Zhou for his enduring dedication and numerous contributions to CASS, and eagerly anticipating his future engagement with CASS and serving the community.

The composition and organisational structure of the Board members are as follows:

• Chairperson: Professor/Doctor Stephen Li (Overall Coordination, Home Ageing Services and Clinical Care Management)
• Foundation Chairperson/Honorary Executive Director: Mr Henry Pan OAM (Daily Operations, Strategic Planning & Development and Risk Management)
• Emeritus Chairperson: Dr Leng Tan (Residential Aged Care Services and Disability Services)
• Deputy Chairperson/Secretary: Mr Anthony Pang (Corporate Compliance & Child Care Services)
• Vice Chairperson/Treasurer: Mr Sean Zhang (Finance, Audit & Cultural Affairs)
• Vice Chairperson: Ms Tica Lee (Occupational Health and Safety, Community Relations, and Promotions)

Other Directors:

• Dr Bei Lu (Services Development and Assisting in Aged Care Services)
• Mr Shun Cheng (Legal Affairs and Assisting in Corporate Compliance)
• Mr Stephen Yang (Settlement Services, IT projects and Community Relations)

Alternate Directors:

• Mrs Teresa Chu (Volunteers’ Coordination)
• Mrs Winnie Fung (Activity Groups Coordination )
• Ms Esther Dong (Assisting in Legal Affairs)
• Mr Evan Huang (Assisting in Project Development)
• Mr Dong Li (Assisting in Financial Affairs)

Council of Elders:

• Mr Francis Lee OAM;
• Ms Louise Wu;
• Mr Percy To;
• Mr Hartono Arifin; and
• Mr Shan Zou.