TOASTMASTERS District 72 - New Zealand

Welcome!

Welcome to the Toastmasters New Zealand website! This website provides news and resources for New Zealand Toastmasters. It also contains information for people wanting to know more about Toastmasters, and for potential members wanting to know how to join a Toastmasters club.

Finding your way

Through the site menu on the left you can navigate your way through all the District 72 Website has to offer. If you are looking for information about Toastmasters, you might want to start with "About Toastmasters". If you are looking for information specific to joining Toastmasters, then "Join Toastmasters" might have what you are looking for.

And if you're after something specific (such as Speechcraft Courses, District Supplies, the Club Finder or the calendar with upcoming events), then the Quick Links on the right will help you.

What's happening?

Spinnaker Toastmasters Open Meeting

One of the most Distinguished Toastmasters Clubs in New Zealand is holding a very special open meeting with a very distinguished guest speaker: Keith Calder.

Keith is the Harbour Strategy Coordinator for the Porirua City Council.

Porirua Harbour has had health problems for a while. Keith has been part of the 'triage team' for the past 5 years - assessing and diagnosing the condition and causes - and now prescribing and overseeing the treatment to restore the health of the harbour. Keith will share insights into the research, management and future of Porirua Harbour as a member of the team implementing the award-winning Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan.

To download the flyer for this very special meeting, please click here for DOC format or here for PDF format.

This is a very special open meeting and you don't have to be a Toastmaster to come along. More information and questions please contact spinnaker@toastmasters.org.nz or visit www.spinnakertoastmasters.org.nz. Tuesday 18 June 2013, 19:30-21;30, St Andrew's Parish Centre, Steyne Avenue, Plimmerton,

Blown Out? Not Quite...!

Good storms don't just stop: they fade away. If you thought the Blown Away! storm has passed already: think again! Head over to the Blown Away! Convention page for the latest news, lost & found property, the Doug Colouring Competition, to find out how you can obtain a Blown Away! Convention bag and...the official Convention pictures.

New Zealand salutes their new champions!

A big congratulations to all contestants in the District 72 Evaluation Contest and International Speech Contest, held during the Blown Away Convention in Wellington. Competing in these Contests on a national level takes a lot of skill and you can be proud of your achievements.

Only one can be declared the winner though, so we salute our new champions:

All Contestants in the Evaluation Contest

First place and the new Evaluation Champion of New Zealand, representing Division E: Erin Daldry
Second place: Angela Cruz
Third place: Barbara Curran

All Placegetters in the International Speech Contest

First place, the new International Speech Champion of New Zealand and representing New Zealand during the World Championship of Public Speaking for the second time in his Toastmasters career, representing Division D: Kingi Biddle
Second place: Pablo German
Third place: Ami Pepe

For pictures, news and more information, head over to the Convention page.

Open Meeting Promotion/Club Growth Promotion

Two exciting new District Promotions have launched today (30 April). These promotions encourage and reward Clubs that organise an Open Meeting and draw new Members from it.

Read all about these new promotions on the District Incentives page.

Division D Conference Report

Saturday 13 April 2013 saw Toastmasters from Tauranga, Rotorua, Hastings, Napier descend into sunny Whakatane to attend the Division D Conference.

For a full Conference report including an overview of the Contest winners, please go to the Division Conference page.

DIAtribe Toastmasters Auckland Demo Meeting

DIAtribe Toastmasters is a new Club in central Auckland. This Club will have a demonstration meeting on Wednesday 1 May 2013, 16:00 - 17:00 (4pm - 5pm) in the Puhutukawa room, level 9 AA Building, 99 Albert Street, Auckland.

Interested people (both experienced Toastmasters as well as people interested in finding out what a Toastmasters meeting looks like) are welcome to attend.

Please be present at the reception on level 6 15 minutes before the meeting starts. For more information, please contact Prem Memon via email or on 027 - 421 2442.

Report for Blast Off - Division E Conference

Division E had their semi-annual conference on 13 April. The Blast Off theme was enjoyed by attendees, providing many an opportunity for a laugh during the day. Kingsley Moody our LGM was there to see the excellence that is always Division E, along with the energy and enthusiasm in the room that is a key component of our excellence.

The International Contest was of a very high standard with the seven speakers having us all eating out of the palm of their hands, with the winner being Kris Gapes. After a highly entertaining speech by our Test Speaker, Sue Dugdale, the evaluation contestants got to work, giving us a master class in the art of effective feedback, with the winner being Erin Daldry.

We also celebrated the commitment and dedication of Margaret Nixon, who was recognised for 30 years of Toastmaster membership, a feat well worth recognition. The day finished with the launch of two rockets by our Contest Winners to blast the current Div E team off.

For the full report of the Blast Off Conference and to see the Contest winners, please refer to the Division Conference page.

Report for Division C Conference

On Saturday 6 April, Division C held their annual conference at the university of Otago which kindly donated the room for the day; this is the only time each year that all of Division C come together, It is always a great chance for us to catch up with old friends and make new friends. We were privileged to have as our special guests, Lt Gov Education & Training Ellie Young DTM and Dave Young DTM.

For the full report of the Division C Conference and to see the Contest winners, please refer to the Division Conference page.

Starting Over Went to Air!

Screen grab from Starting Over, courtesy of topshelfproductions.

Last year, the Central Park, Talking Heads and Papakura Toastmasters Clubs hosted the filming of the "Starting Over" programme for the television channel VIBE, featuring Tanya Miller.

Tanya's Toastmasters training was a big part of Tanya's grooming for this programme. Seeing the change in Tanya's confidence from her Toastmasters training is a credit to Toastmasters. What an amazing organisation this is - and you can't help but feel proud to be part of it. It does change lives!

This was a great and challenging experience for everyone involved and would recommend to everyone that if they are ever offered the same opportunity they should grab it with both hands.

The airing of Tanya's episode was on Sunday 17 March at 19:30 (7:30pm) on VIBE and Encore on Wednesday 20 March at 19:30 (7:30pm).

For a post peek, please click here.

An example of Toastmasters flexibility and can do approach

The Charter meeting of Top Notch Toastmasters (the corporate club of the far North District Council in Kaikohe) was to be held in the council chamber. At short notice, a councillor needed that room for a meeting and no other meeting rooms were available, so the club held its charter function outside. The photo shows the club sponsor Graeme Kettle ACG ALB addressing the meeting.

Street signs now available

You can now order street signs for your Club from District Supplies. For ordering and for full specifications of these street signs, please refer to the Street Sign Order Form found on the District Supplies page.

Programme Brief May 2013 Convention revealed

In order to help you prepare for the Blown Away Convention, the timings of some key elements of the programme are revealed on the Conventions page. The full programme will be available in your convention handbook which you will receive from the Registration Desk during the convention.

Keynote speaker May 2013 Convention revealed

The Convention Committee for the May 2013 District Convention in Wellington, "Blown Away!" is honoured to announce one of the keynote speakers to be Mai Chen.

Mai Chen moved to New Zealand at the age of six. She was a student of Otago Girls' High School. She obtained her law degree from the University of Otago and was admitted to the bar in 1986. In 1988 she was awarded a Masters degree from Harvard University.

Chen went to work at the United Nations' International Labour Office in Geneva. In 1989, Chen took up a lectureship at the law school at Victoria University of Wellington, and wrote her first book on the discrimination of women. In 1990, she chaired a government review on the Policy of Excluding Women from Combat, and in 1992 she became the youngest senior lecturer in Law in New Zealand at that time. Currently, she co-owns Chen and Palmer law firm with former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer.

More information about the Convention and a registration form can be found on the Conventions page.

Find out more about...being an Area Governor

"It is not what the book costs. It is what it cost you if you don't read it" (Jim Rohn)

The Toastmasters programme provides many benefits that help you train and improve your Communication and Leadership skills. The opportunity to become an Area Governor is an opportunity that opens up only once a year, and every Toastmaster can do it. Don't miss it!

Read about what is involved with being an Area Governor and what the benefits are in this information sheet. Finished reading? Then start the process...

District Leadership Roles for 2013/2014

Nominations are now open for the 2013/2014 District Officers (District Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Division Governor and Area Governor). Information on these roles is on this page.

Click here to read older news and announcements

Upcoming Events

View our upcoming events on our Events Calendar below.

To add an event, contact your Division Governor or use our Events Notification form.