Minutes/National Council/2014-04-24

Agenda

 * Previous meetings' minutes (Chair)
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-04-10
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-03-27
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-03-13
 * Congress 2014
 * WA campaign (Brendan)
 * Charter of Responsibilities (Mozart) — http://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/code-of-conduct
 * Banking status and corporate credit cards (MarkG)
 * Social Media ToR (Rebecca) — http://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/socmedtor
 * Reporting requirements for committees, WGs, etc (Brendan)
 * Research by Dr Arif Yildrim (Mozart)

Start: 20:30 24/4/14

End: 22:05 24/04/14

National Council

 * Simon Frew (Chair)
 * Glen Takkenberg
 * Brendan Molloy
 * Mark Gibbons
 * Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer
 * Melanie Thomas
 * Daniel Judge
 * Ben McGinnes

State/Territory Coordinators

 * Fletcher Boyd
 * Michael Keating

Previous meetings minutes

 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-04-10
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-03-27
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-03-13
 * See motions

Congress 2014

 * Keating has done a 4G test etc
 * Should be adequate if we need to fall back to 4G since venue ADSL may not be up to the task
 * Needs be within 12months of last congress: https://pirateparty.org.au/constitution/#6.1(2)
 * July 5/6th most likely date at this stage
 * Irish Club costs: around $245 per day
 * possible unconfirmed entry fee may be around $25ish per person
 * Note for PWG... add our own event ticketing system one day since Eventbrite has 15% fee overhead
 * See motions
 * Note: We'll also need to hire equipment, but that can get sorted closer to the date.
 * [Note: information obtained after the meeting meant that July 5–6 was not feasible. Given this, the National Council voted via email to move the date to July 19–20 instead. Details will be included in the next National Council meeting minutes. --- Mozart]

WA campaign

 * the pozible ends tomorrow
 * then Brendan gets to send out infinite receipts to contributors
 * and then we have the logistics of 90 odd shirts
 * $11,385 was captured -- that's amazing
 * and it only took 10 days to reach goal
 * Vic shirts to go to Joe for distribution, others to Fletcher
 * Once the funds come in, MarkG needs to be reimbursed the $4k for rego fees.
 * See motions


 * Also of note from Fletcher:
 * we requested scrutiinering access to the voting system (easycount) and were denied access
 * believe the greens had a similar request denied
 * Fletcher: can you direct Luke John to write a supplementary submission for us to the election inquiry

Charter of Responsibilities

 * http://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/code-of-conduct
 * some discussion on who it would apply to, consensus that applying to all working groups by default at this stage could prove too onerous
 * See motions

Banking status and corporate credit cards

 * need to reimburse Sam for the Newcastle banners
 * see motions
 * need to reimburse Mark G for the amounts necessary for opening new bank accounts
 * see motions


 * New Bank account is up and all signatories will be getting tokens posted out.
 * MarkG has been in follow-up chats with the bank about the corporate credit card
 * The best option for useability and simplicity is to have the corporate credit card hooked up to its own account, as having one account with both a card and signatory process is cumbersome.
 * By limiting the funds in this second account we can ensure the card is used only as it should be.
 * One approach Brendan has suggested is that we have multiple special-purpose cards and accounts
 * If the NC wishes to do this, we should map out in detail what accounts we want and who cardholders will be and MarkG will contact the bank to advise.
 * Brendan proposes we have an account for IT
 * if we have a debit card per relevant group, it limits our attack surface (you only put $X in the relevant account so worst case scenario someone steals $X)
 * we need one for IT to pay for VPSes and other services in a convenient way (PayPal etc isn't sufficient in many cases)
 * MarkG must check whether cardholders can be non-signatories (even if they can't it doesn't matter so much, you just put it in the treasurer's name - assuming that is legal)
 * otherwise the topupable prepaid credit card idea will work - it's just way more cumbersome and a worse papertrail
 * alternately a "company" card in the party's name
 * transactions account = petty cash
 * payments still have to be authorised, but with the oversight mechanism of monthly reports
 * re old Bendigo account: transfer all the money as soon as MarkG gives the signal but leave them open for 6 months until we guarantee we didn't forget anything


 * See motions

Social Media ToR

 * http://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/socmedtor
 * Proposed replacement for the existing Social Media ToR
 * referencing guidelines here: https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Social_Media_Guidelines
 * See Motions

Reporting requirements for committees, WGs, etc

 * Brendan suggests a reporting survey fortnightly for officers, so as to be better able to keep track of happenings and ensure things arent overlooked
 * basically just three questions:
 * "What did you do in the last two weeks?"
 * "Did anything impede your ability to do anything in the last two weeks?"
 * "What can we do to help?"
 * http://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/committee-reporting
 * see motions

Research by Dr Arif Yildrim

 * buzzwords here http://piratetimes.net/pirates-discovering-the-planet-a-collective-project/
 * we want more info before looking into this further

PPI

 * PPI Congress this year was pretty fail
 * two motions to fix the statutes failed
 * one would replace the board with a board of representatives with an appointee from each country
 * another one to add a proper jury to their court, also failed.
 * Gregory Engels remains on the board but wasn't elected chair again
 * Minutes contents are sparse
 * a motion to add fees in the worst english ever "passed" 55%  but it needs to pass 66% to be enforced
 * Proposal to 1) leave PPI or 2) drop back to observer membership
 * because right now they are asking us to give money to an organisation that doesn't technically exist
 * PPI and PPI HQ are different organisations with a different board
 * and the motion to give them money was not valid in itself because it didn't pass with the necessary majority
 * challenging this in the COA is pointless to say the least.
 * also the GA itself wasn't announced properly (it was announced 2 weeks before it happened, not 5 as the statutes require; it also was not published on the website as the statutes require)
 * Straw poll shows NC split between either leaving completely or dropping to observer status
 * some concern voiced that association with the current PPI could prove to be a liability in the future
 * note that the National Council does not have the power to disaffiliate due to a constitutional amendment proposed last year.
 * proposed motion for congress: https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/User:Brendan#Withdraw_from_PPI
 * See motions

Meeting closed

 * 22:05
 * see motions

Motions

 * MOTION: Accept the minutes of 2014-03-13.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 5 (Brendan, Frew, MarkG, Mozart, DanielJ); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 3 (GlenTakkenberg, Ben, mel)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Accept minutes of 2014-03-27
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 7 (Brendan, Mozart, Frew, Ben, mel, MarkG, GlenTakkenberg); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (DanielJ)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Accept minutes of 2014-04-10
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 7 (DanielJ, MarkG, Brendan, Frew, mel, GlenTakkenberg, Mozart); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (Ben)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Host the National Congress at the Irish Club in Brisbane on July 5/6, 2014 with a budget of $750.
 * NOTE: This motion was invalidated due to the Irish Club not being available on July 5/6. The National Council voted via email to move the date to July 19/20. Details of that motion will be included, in accordance with the Party Constitution, in the next National Council meeting minutes. These minutes should not be construed as a formal announcement of the meeting, which will be sent to members and published on the website as soon as the venue and dates are confirmed.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 8 (Brendan, MarkG, Mozart, DanielJ, mel, GlenTakkenberg, Frew, Ben); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Reimburse Mark Gibbons $4000 for candidate fees.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 7 (Brendan, Frew, mel, Mozart, GlenTakkenberg, DanielJ, Ben); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (MarkG)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Reimburse Newcastle members for costs of procurement of banners for amount listed on relevent receipts.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 7 (Brendan, DanielJ, MarkG, Mozart, GlenTakkenberg, mel, Frew); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Also reimburse Mark Gibbons $5500 for opening the bank accounts.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 6 (DanielJ, GlenTakkenberg, Ben, Mozart, Brendan, mel); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (MarkG)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Ratify the Charter of Responsibilities as written.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 8 (MarkG, DanielJ, Mozart, Brendan, mel, GlenTakkenberg, Ben, Frew); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: If feasible, open a transaction account linked with a corporate debit card for the ITWG. Alternatively, provide a prepaid credit card.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 8 (Brendan, Ben, GlenTakkenberg, mel, Frew, DanielJ, Mozart, MarkG); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Accept the amended Social Media ToR as written.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 6 (Brendan, Frew, DanielJ, Mozart, mel, Ben); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Trial committee and working group reporting using the questions as currently worded. The submission mechanism shall be email.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 7 (MarkG, Brendan, Mozart, Frew, mel, DanielJ, Ben); Nays: 1 (GlenTakkenberg); Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: The National Council will put forward a motion to the National Congress regarding PPI. The options will be a) withdrawal, b) drop to observer membership and c) status quo.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 8 (Brendan, Frew, GlenTakkenberg, Mozart, mel, Ben, DanielJ, MarkG); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: END IT PLS.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 8 (Brendan, GlenTakkenberg, MarkG, Mozart, mel, DanielJ, Frew, Ben); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.

Action items

 * Mel to make bookings for congress dates with Irish Club
 * Mel to forward details to NC once books and then DanielJ to formally announce.
 * MarkG sends NC bank account numbers and other relevant bank details
 * DanielJ to email officers@ to inform of trial reporting
 * Brendan to prepare the PPI motion for the NC to look at