Rose joined the Longreach branch of ICPA in 1986 and at Branch level she held the positions of President and Treasurer. She was a member of three ICPA State Conference Convening Committees.
Rose was elected to State Council at the Longreach Conference in 1998 at which she was the Conference Convenor. She was elected to the position of Secretary in Chinchilla in 2000, and in Cunnamulla in 2003 she became State President. Rose continued as President until 2006 and then in the role of Immediate Past President until 2008.
Peter Powne fondly referred to Rose as the “people’s President” in his farewell to her in 2006. “…she is ever conscious of the fact that the membership is the strength of this great organisation and her effort in ensuring they were properly represented is her strength. Her understanding of the issues were first hand, and while her sympathies lay with the lonely home tutor, she had the ability and the heart to ensure all issues were addressed.”
A notable achievement was the instigation and overseeing of the change at Council level from paper-based administration, reporting and communications, to a computer based system. Rose’s leadership and personal management skills ensured the transition ran smoothly despite a huge variation in Councillors and member computer skills.
It was during Rose’s Presidency that the change from radio to telephone lessons at Distance Education Centres occurred. This was a challenging time for many of the families involved, but Rose’s support for members throughout this period was deeply appreciated. She was also involved in robust discussions with the Department of Education over the introduction of the Prep year into Queensland schools and the implications that had for rural and remote families.
Rose was presented with Life Membership from the Longreach Branch in November, 2009, and a Certificate of Appreciation from Qld State Council in Winton in 2009. She was presented with Qld Life Membership in Townsville in 2014 and continues to remain actively supportive of the organisation as the Archivist for State Council.
