Policy Development Committee/Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference
Name of Group: Policy Development Committee

Summary of Purpose
The Policy Development Committee (PDC) is established in order to research and develop policies that, after a vote is held at a National Congress, may be adopted as federal Party policy. The PDC should be recommended as the first step a member takes when developing a policy proposal, and members should be encouraged to work with the PDC where possible.

A secondary responsibility of the PDC is to prepare submissions to relevant government and parliamentary inquiries and reviews that advocate adoption of the Party's policies. Where a policy is not comprehensive, the PDC must promote a position based on the spirit and intention of existing policies.

Coordination
The Committee will be coordinated by the Policy Development Officer (PDO), who will be elected by preferential vote of the membership at the National Congress. The National Council will appoint an Inquiries Officer (IO) to coordinate inquiry and review submissions.

Project Management
The PDO will be responsible for managing and overseeing any policy-related projects undertaken by the Committee. Coordination of inquiry and review submissions (and related working groups) will be the responsibility of the Inquiries Officer (IO), who will report to the PDO.

Committee Members
There should be no less than 5 members (including the PDO but excluding the IO) in the PDC. Applications for membership will be made to the National Council and will be accepted upon majority vote of the National Council.

Committee members are required to devote time and effort to writing complete policy amendments for proposal at the National Congress, where they may be further amended and finally voted upon. Committee members will be expected to organise themselves internally to chair and manage meetings, form working groups for development of specific policies, and set deadlines for the completion of tasks.

The minimum requirements a member of the Committee should have are:


 * 1) The ability to work professionally within a committee,
 * 2) A high level of reading comprehension, succinctness when writing, and ability to explain complex issues in layperson's terms,
 * 3) The inclination to read the policy statements of other parties, both Pirate and otherwise,
 * 4) A good understanding of the existing Pirate Party Australia Platform and policies,
 * 5) A willingness to consult with outside organisations in order to develop policy recommendations,
 * 6) A working knowledge of laws and practices relevant to the Party platform and policies, even if limited to one particular area, and
 * 7) Basic wiki editing skills, or willingness to learn.

Powers & Responsibility
The Committee:


 * 1) May accept or reject any proposals put forward by a member of the Party.
 * 2) Will research a proposed policy to determine its viability. If a policy is considered unviable, the Committee may reject the proposal.
 * 3) May consult with outside organisations in order to develop policy recommendations.
 * 4) Will, in consultation with whoever proposed the policy, draft a platform amendment or policy document for presentation at the next National Congress.
 * 5) May independently initiate a review of the Platform or other policy documents and present a revised version at a National Congress.
 * 6) Will not have the power to change policy but may amend spelling and grammatical errors, citations and variable provisions.
 * 7) Cannot prevent members from developing and proposing policies independently.
 * 8) Must have regular meetings.
 * 9) May invoke National Council Resolution 2011-06.
 * 10) Will be responsible for updating and maintaining policy FAQ documents.
 * 11) Must publish documents explaining all committee processes.

Reporting
The PDO must inform the National Council each time the Committee:


 * 1) Accepts or rejects a proposal without further consideration.
 * 2) Accepts or rejects a proposal after examining its viability.
 * 3) Finalises a policy proposal.
 * 4) Independently commences a review of existing policy.
 * 5) Completes a review of existing policy.

The PDO must also inform a member if the Committee:


 * 1) Accepts or rejects their proposal without further consideration.
 * 2) Accepts or rejects their proposal after examining its viability.
 * 3) Begins working on developing their policy.

The IO must inform the PDO each time a working group:


 * 1) Accepts or rejects a submission without further consideration.
 * 2) Accepts or rejects a submission after examining its viability.
 * 3) Submits a paper on behalf of Pirate Party Australia.

The IO must also inform a member if the Committee:


 * 1) Accepts or rejects their submission without further consideration.
 * 2) Accepts or rejects their submission after examining its viability.
 * 3) Begins working on developing their submission.

Meetings and miscellaneous responsibilities
The PDO (or a nominated stand in):


 * 1) Must chair regular meetings of the Committee.
 * 2) Must inform members of policies and submissions under development at regular national meetings.
 * 3) Must maintain a wiki page that lists policies and submissions under development, with a brief description of each.
 * 4) Must actively inform the member base of the existence of working groups.

Timeline
The Committee is not required to take on any new proposals if the time to a National Congress is four weeks or less. This does not extend to projects under the supervision of the IO. All policy amendments should be finalised before the next National Congress.

Budgetary Requirements
It is not envisaged that the Committee will require any funding, however if expenses are incurred, the Committee may request funds from the Treasurer.

Tools and Procedures for Communication
The PDC may determine its own tools and procedures for communication, but there should be accessible means of communication for all members of the Party. Tools and procedures must follow any applicable By-laws.

Decision Making Procedure
Decision making should be democratic, and decisions made through consensus. However, given that policies will not always be met with universal support, a two-thirds majority of all PDC members must be met for a decision to be valid. The PDO and IO will not be able to make decisions solely, except where these terms of reference allow.

Expected Duration
Indefinite.