Playschool Theme song
PLAYSCHOOL THEME SONG – Richard Connolly (dec, NSW, 1971).
Richard Connolly was the composer of the Play School theme song, “There’s a Bear in There”, in 1966, with lyrics by Rosemary Milne. Richard went on his Churchill Fellowship to France, Germany, Italy and the UK to study radio broadcasting, especially the making of features and stereophonic production.
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Questacon
QUESTACON – Professor Michael Gore AO (dec, ACT, 1983)
Michael was the founder of the national science institution Questacon in Canberra. Michael was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 1983 to study scientific exhibits at major science centres with the aim of increasing the scope of the Questacon science centre in Canberra, and went to Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK and the USA.
In his Fellowship report submitted on his return to Australia, Professor Gore said “the knowledge which was gathered… in leading science museums around the world will be of immense value to the future development of the Questacon and indeed to science centres and museums throughout Australia. The work that was carried out during this Fellowship has indeed followed on the Churchillian maxim that, “with opportunity comes responsibility”. A specialist committee of the Commonwealth government was appointed to investigate his findings, Parliament approved the proposal, and 1988 Questacon opened to the public on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.
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Neighbourhood Watch
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH – Christopher Coster (VIC, 1987)
Former Victoria Police Chief Inspector Chris Coster was among the first people involved in setting up Neighbourhood Watch in Victoria back in 1982. Christopher went on his Churchill Fellowship in 1987 to Canada and the USA to bring back findings to Australia to strengthen and broaden the program nationally.
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Crime Stoppers
CRIME STOPPERS – Geoffrey Wilkinson (VIC, 1985)
Crime Stoppers Victoria commenced operation in 1987. It followed a Churchill Fellowship report by Geoff Wilkinson, then director of media for Victoria Police, who had investigated programs in America and Britain for enlisting the community in ‘crime solution’. Geoff recommended that Victoria Police implement a program involving the police, media and the public. The police subsequently employed the Crime Stoppers concept.
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Supermarket unit pricing
SUPERMARKET UNIT PRICING – Ian Jarratt (QLD, 2006)
Every supermarket ticket in Australia with the unit price number on it can hail back to the Churchill Fellowship undertaken by Ian Jarratt. Ian went on his Churchill Fellowship to Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, USA and UK, and he found that unit pricing would be very beneficial for Australian consumers and the economy by significantly increasing informed consumer choice. Ian recommended that Australian grocery retailers be required to provide unit pricing for pre-packaged grocery products. Ian publicised the results widely and led a campaign to achieve this. Supermarket unit pricing was recommended in 2008 by a national inquiry into grocery prices and national legislation was implemented in 2009.
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ABC's Gardening Australia
ABC GARDENING AUSTRALIA – Peter Cundall (dec) (TAS, 1974) Peter travelled on his Churchill Fellowship overseas to study, and bring back to Australia information on the following: gardening presentation for television programs, organic growing techniques, modern landscaping practices and children’s playground design. The study tour took Peter through the United States, Britain and South Africa.
Peter’s Churchill Fellowship enabled him to gain friendly, willing access to many significant institutions: US, UK and South African TV and radio stations and universities, top-rating BBC gardening program makers and presenters in addition to botanic gardens, community food gardens, many leading horticulturalists and numerous individual journalists and media presenters.
On Peter’s return he was able to put the new knowledge gained into immediate practice, especially during the production of gardening programs for ABC-TV and Radio. This led to Peter being appointed main presenter on the ABC’s national ‘Gardening Australia’ program for many years.
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