Minutes/National Council/2017-11-15

Start: 8:33 PM AEDT

End: 10:39 PM AEDT

Attendance

 * Emily Sievers
 * Tom Randle
 * Simon Gnieslaw
 * Mark Gibbons
 * Simon Frew
 * Alex Jago (left at 9:36 PM)
 * John August
 * Miles Whiticker

Absentees

 * John Jeffery

Other Attendees

 * Fletcher Boyd (ITT / IEWG)

Previous meeting minutes (Tom)

 * Last meeting
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2017-11-01
 * Correction of previous minutes
 * SimonG made a small mistake, accidentally referring to JohnA as "Andrew"
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2017-08-23

Audit social media expenses reimbursement (Tom)

 * Tom has checked his credit card for previously approved expenditure as part of AEC audit related social media efforts.
 * Twitter didn't take the full $50 allocated to that platform for some reason.
 * Motion to approved reimbursement (below).

Bennelong By-election (SimonG)

 * SimonG provides his thoughts:
 * Considers the Party could potentially take on/win Conservative electorates, but not on this timeframe and not with the level of planning/strategy/penetration we are currently at.
 * Supports JohnA's expression of interest to be the candidate.
 * Contesting has secondary benefits to the Party.
 * Questions whether the Party has previously campaigned to a conservative base well.
 * Frew points out we ran the Bennelong electorate at the last federal election.
 * SimonG continues with a proposal:
 * 1. Decide if we want to pursue the idea of running in Bennelong by testing for interest from Party members.
 * 2. If we do get the go ahead, it is completely optional for members to contribute, including National Council members
 * SimonG volunteers to take on duties/responsibilities.
 * Miles questions: "you're in melbourne, so how can you run a bennelong campaign?"
 * SimonG: Will do anything that can be done over the Internet.
 * MarkG:
 * "It was the electorates with high migrant populations that voted no in the plebiscite. Bennelong is one of them. It has more to do with cultural factors than "conservatism" in the Howardy-blue-tie sense."
 * "We can afford the AEC fees easily enough."
 * "But someone will need to run the show (seek member input, coordinate volunteers, printing etc), and it's not necessarily the job of the candidate. If there's no volunteer for THAT job, there's no point"
 * SimonG suggests any campaign should include demographic targeting.
 * MilesW concurs
 * Frew thinks effort needs to be on the ground
 * MarkG concurs and suggests testing volunteer strength
 * MilesW "I think it would be possible if the person was doing it is experienced and confident with what needs to be done"
 * Frew: needs to be someone in/near the electorate.
 * JohnA "maybe we could mobilise some Pirates from western sydney. If people from interstate could come on their own steam that would be good. But, yes, I'd rather not be coordinating it myself. But ... well if there were lots of volunteers I could direct people on the understanding I did not do any letterboxing or handing stuff out at railway stations myself."
 * SimonG "I don't think that letterbox drops are going to be a big component. With the time it takes to design, print, and distribute there isn't really enough time for that. I'd be more interested in targeting community groups/friendship circles/media attention."
 * General agreement to test for volunteers.

General Business

 * MilesW: Decided to back away from directly participating in the QLD state election.
 * Also some contact with local civil liberties groups to doing some privacy stuff with the candidates.
 * "building up a local crew is slow, but we are making waves and people are taking notice. i have several contacts in the local activist community now and im networking with local progressive hubs etc"
 * Also had some radio coverage last few months.
 * MarkG had contact from the Progressive party recently.
 * Some discussion about merch and stores.
 * Tom reports Emergency National Congress CAP-0 has reached quorum, will know the actual results next National Council meeting.
 * Tom reminders people of:
 * Treasury hand over progress.
 * Bio's and website photos.
 * Continuing work on a new Party Privacy Policy.

Motions

 * MOTION: Accept the minutes from previous National Council meeting on 1 November 2017
 * Put by: Emily Sievers
 * Ayes: 6 (Emily Sievers, Miles Whiticker, Tom Randle, Simon Gnieslaw, Simon Frew, Mark Gibbons); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (John August)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Accept revision to minutes from NC meeting on 23 August 2017
 * Put by: Emily Sievers
 * Ayes: 7 (Tom Randle, Miles Whiticker, Simon Frew, Mark Gibbons, Simon Gnieslaw, Emily Sievers, John August); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Approve reimbursement of $237.50 to Tom Randle for AEC Audit social media campaign expenditure.
 * Put by: Emily Sievers
 * Ayes: 7 (Emily Sievers, Miles Whiticker, Alex Jago, Mark Gibbons, Simon Frew, Simon Gnieslaw, John August); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (Tom Randle)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: stop meeting
 * Put by: Emily Sievers
 * Ayes: 6 (Miles Whiticker, Tom Randle, Simon Frew, Emily Sievers, Simon Gnieslaw, Mark Gibbons); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.

CFV motions

 * MOTION: Appoint Fletcher Boyd the returning officer for the Emergency National Congress ballot.
 * Put by: Tom Randle
 * Ayes: 7 (Tom Randle, Alex Jago, Simon Frew, Emily Sievers, Miles Whiticker, Simon Gnieslaw, John Jeffery); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.