Simon Acfield – President | president@mx5vic.org.au
Last month at the Central Chapter’s Red Rock run, Bob de Bont pulled me aside over lunch to talk about the rising cost of fuel and what, if anything, we as a Club could do to help mitigate it.
It’s a tough question for a car club – fuel is at the heart of what we do – but it was enough to prompt me to table the issue for discussion at our April Committee meeting. This is a global challenge, and it’s one we need to consider thoughtfully.
More recently, some of our members were approached by a member of the public and criticised for using a “precious resource” like petrol while participating in a planned driving event. While we understand our purpose and passion, it’s a reminder that perceptions matter – particularly in rural communities where access to fuel may already be strained. It’s something we should be mindful of as a Club.
By the time you read this in mxtra, the Committee will likely have met and agreed on a number of actions. I won’t pre-empt those outcomes here, but it’s clear this is an evolving situation.
The Australian Government, through National Cabinet, announced a four- stage Fuel Crisis Plan on 30 March, with the country currently at Stage 2. The focus at this stage is on maintaining fuel supply, with an expectation of localised disruptions. Measures include securing global supply, relaxing fuel quality standards, and increasing transport load capacities to reduce delivery frequency. At the same time, drivers are being asked to voluntarily reduce fuel consumption and only purchase what they need – while also being encouraged to continue with planned Easter travel.
So what does this mean for us? If global conditions – particularly in the Middle East – remain unchanged, there is a possibility of escalation to Stage 3. At a state level, there appears to be little appetite for mandated restrictions, particularly given the recent experience of COVID. This
leaves us in a position where we need to
think carefully about how we respond.
Do we shift towards lower-impact
activities? More localised events? Cars &
Coffee gatherings? These are all ideas we’ll
need to explore and workshop together.
I’d genuinely welcome your thoughts and
suggestions (email address above) as we
navigate this.
Cars’n’Coffee
On that note, this may be a timely segue
to highlight our first Cars ‘n’ Coffee event,
to be held on 12 April at Ringwood Mazda.
Please make sure you register via the Club
website. If it proves successful, we’ll look to
expand this format into other areas.
Town Hall
Thank you to everyone who attended our
first Town Hall. We shared our strategic
initiatives, gathered valuable feedback,
and had Committee members provide
further insights. One suggestion was also
to share some of the ideas that didn’t make
the final cut – there may well be members
interested in picking these up and
bringing them to life. I’ll begin collating
and sharing a few of these each month in
my mid-month update.
We’re planning to hold another Town Hall
at the end of June, where we’ll continue to
share updates and explore other aspects of
Club life. Please let me know (email above) if
there are specific topics you’d like us to cover.
Farewell to a Legend
Finally, I want to acknowledge Murray
Finlay, who is stepping down from his roles
as mxtra editor/publisher, Membership
Officer, Communications, Awards and
Recognitions co-ordinator, and Central
Chapter Captain. Murray’s contribution
to the Club spans the history of the
Club – indeed, his history is inextricably
intertwined with that of the Club itself. His
impact cannot be overstated.
Murray was one of the first Club officials
I met when I joined over 10 years ago. I
remember him clearly: a Dees supporter,
notably tall for an MX-5 owner, and the
proud owner of a beautiful Velocity
Red NB SE. More importantly, he was
welcoming, generous with his time, and
incredibly knowledgeable – qualities that
left a lasting impression on me as a new
member.
It’s only in more recent years, particularly
through my time on the Committee, that
I’ve come to fully appreciate the scale of his
contribution – especially the work behind
mxtra and the broader communications
that help keep our Club connected.
During his 30+ years on the Club
Committee, Murray has been our
longest-serving President (six years), Vice
President (12 years) and has filled most
positions at different times. He has also
edited and/or produced mxtra for three
decades, including the last 242 editions
from March 2006!
He became the Club’s fourth Life member
in 1997, was inducted to the Hall of Fame
and was elevated as the Club’s first Legend
in 2021. As a Foundation member and
having recently turned 70, Murray has been
working for the Club for more than half his life!
As a Club, we now face the challenge of
filling the gap Murray leaves behind –
particularly in maintaining mxtra, which
has become one of the finest car club
magazines in the country.
If you have an interest in publishing,
communications, or contributing in any
way, I encourage you to get involved.
Replacing Murray won’t be the work of
one person – it will take a team.
Every curve, a new adventure.
Every drive, a pure joy
Simon
Bruce Gray
