Ash Long is Chair of the 2020-21 Communications and Volunteer Action Team for Freemasons Victoria.

Merv Hallam phoned with good wishes for FV News. Merv suggested that as Editor of FVNews, Bro. Long publish his CV, so readers could be aware of his business and Masonic background. There have been similar requests on Facebook.

Ash describes himself as a ‘very rough Ashlar’. He was initiated into Freemasonry 42 years ago (1978), and is long-serving Secretary at Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge. His special interests are in Masonic charities, particularly education scholarships and bursaries, and local community projects. He admires the work of Freemasons Foundation Victoria, and its Chair, Myles King.

He is a Master Mason, and was conferred as Past Grand Tyler (MM) by Grand Master Hillel Benedykt in 2015. Ash says that he has not sought to rise through the ranks in his Lodge, as the effects of a heart attack some years ago made the learning of ritual difficult. He believes he can best serve Freemasonry as a Lodge Secretary, and now as a VAT Chair, where he can work from his Eltham home office, at his own pace.

During the Grand Masterships of Vaughan Werner, Bob Jones, Hillel Benedykt and Don Reynolds, Ash provided a free weekly page in the Melbourne Observer newspaper to promote Freemasonry across Victoria.
He is looking forward to the return of the popular promotional page under the 2020-21 leadership team led by Richard Elkington and Tony Bucca.

Ash is Managing Director of Local Media Pty Ltd, publishers of the Melbourne Observer, a major weekly statewide newspaper that was established in 1969. The company also publishes The Local Paper, a free weekly newspaper with editions in the Diamond Valley (Nillumbik and Banyule), Whittlesea, Mitchell, Murrindindi and the Yarra Valley. These publications are often more than 100 pages each week, making them some of the largest regional weekly newspapers in Victoria.

Ash’s business career includes:
• Managing Director, Local Media Pty Ltd (which has also published titles including Sydney News, Brisbane Sun, Travel Monthly and USA Travel News)
• Publisher of The Canberra Weekly, a 112,000-circulation community newspaper for Text Media.
• Producer of nightly TV programs for Optus and Network 31 including Mansfield’s Melbourne, The Sydney Report, The Brisbane Report, The Adelaide Report and Night Owl Theatre.
• Proprietor of the Diamond Valley Advertiser and sister newspapers at Whittlesea, Kinglake, Yea, Kilmore, Broadford, Seymour, Yarra Valley, and the Mornington Peninsula-Western Port.
• Owner of the century-old Yea Chronicle newspaper, and creating new editions in Seymour, Nagambie, Kilmore, Broadford, Kinglake, Yarra Glen and Whittlesea.
• Manager of Leader Newspapers, including Knox and Mountain District Free Press, Knox-Sherbrooke News, Bayswater News, Northcote Leader, City of Preston Post-Times, Whittlesea Post, Brunswick Sentinel, Coburg Courier, Diamond Valley News, The Heidelberger and Doncaster-Templestowe News.
• Founder of Media Flash Daily, one of Australia’s first online industry newsletters that had 6000 online subscribers, 1999-2006.

Ash was a member of the National Promotions Committee of the Australian Suburban Newspapers’ Association, and was its National Awards Judge for several years. He is a former Director of Allied Suburban Newspapers.

Ash had a long association with 3AW’s Nightline program featuring Bruce Mansfield and Philip Brady, and the Overnighters show hosted by Keith McGowan. He appeared weekly on Bert Newton’s Good Morning Australia TV program for several years.

A number of Freemasons would hear Ash on radio as they made their way home from Lodge nights. Ash has also had connections with many community radio stations across Melbourne and Geelong. He hopes these associations can be renewed to promote Freemasonry across the state.

Ash says his commercial career has included some great success stories and some spectacular failures. In 2002, he wrote a book, Long Shots, that is an honest account of both the wins and the losses.

He has also authored other books including:
• Good Guys and Godbotherers: The 3AK Story. 70 Years of Melbourne Radio. A 45,000-word history.
• Chronicle of A Century.
• Buckley’s Hope: History of Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge

Ash’s community involvements have included being President of the Bayswater Chamber of Commerce, the Preston and Reservoir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and being a key member of charities such as the fundraising committee for the Accident and Emergency Department of the Yea and District Memorial Hospital.

He was a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Yea, served as its President, and other roles during 10 years of membership. (He was also later a member of the Rotary Club of Rosanna for several years.) He served as District 9790 Public Relations Chairman, and was Editor of the District newspaper. He was awarded as a Paul Harris Fellowship for his international service.

Ash says his proudest career memory is publishing The Phoenix weekly newspaper to serve the people of the Black Saturday bushfire recovery and reconstruction region from 2009-2011.

The aim of The Phoenix was to promote free advertising for hundreds of affected local businesses, so local families could get back on their feet.

Because of his initiative, more than $1.3 million of free advertising was given to businesses. “It proved that you don’t have to be rich to be a philanthropist,” Ash says.

Ash was raised in Reservoir. He was born in 1956. He attended Reservoir East State School, and Ivanhoe Grammar School. He describes the districts as being two very different worlds. He was School Captain at Ivanhoe in 1974. He says it was natural that he would join Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge.

His Masonic pedigree includes paternal great-great grandfather James Long being Worshipful Master at Ballarat East (late 1800s), later at Portland; his late father-in-law Bill Tunzi at Lodge of Happiness; his maternal grandfather Bert Lawrence at St Crispin Lodge; and his uncle Jack Lawrence at Hickford Lodge, then lodges in the Eaglemont/Ivanhoe area.

Outside of Freemasonry, Ash’s interests are centred on his family. His wife of 42 years, Fleur, is a nurse at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. They have a daughter, Kristi, an outdoor education teacher (NSW), and a son, James, a Warrant Officer II (Qld) in the Australian Army.

Ash’s hobbies include watching live theatre, compiling family history and photography. He likes nothing better than his Saturdays when he will be seen taking press photos of local sports events throughout the North-East, anywhere from Eltham to Seymour, and Warburton to Mansfield. He is a keen supporter of the Yea Football-Netball Club.

Ash says he is looking forward to chairing the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team: “We have an enormous wealth of talent amongst our membership, with members keen to volunteer their talents to bettering Freemasons Victoria.”

“The new 2020-21 Team includes volunteer Freemasons experienced in professional fields including marketing, commercial law, internet, social media, search engine optimisation, content (words, images and graphics), data management, print, radio and television. There will no added costs to the organisation; all VAT members will work on an honorary basis.

“The Volunteer Action Team will work towards aims of the Freemasons Victoria 2017-2025 Strategic Plan set by the Board of General Purposes. The VAT will support parallel teams especially those working towards membership development and retention, masonic knowledge, and works. Transparency, honesty and accountability are key values of the Team.

“Initiatives include:
• positive exposure of no-charge media space and time across Victoria,
• an emphasis in promoting the work of individual lodges and individual members,
• assistance available to all Lodges with image, newsletters, websites and outreach,
• a new parallel website – www.FVNews.com.au – with daily news updates,
• increased reporting and transparency of Grand Lodge decisions and activities to members,
• a disciplined ‘one voice’ approach to Freemasons communications and marketing,
• expanded reach to multi-cultural communities.”