Minutes/National Council/2014-11-27

Agenda

 * Previous meeting's minutes
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-10-30
 * Banking SNAFU
 * Turnaround times
 * Xero
 * State stuff
 * Tshirts (DanielJ)
 * General Business

Start: 20:53 AEDT End: 21:51 AEDT

Attendance

 * Brendan Molloy
 * Daniel Judge
 * Simon Frew
 * Mark Gibbons
 * MIchael Keating
 * Fletcher Boyd
 * David Campbell

Previous Meeting Minutes

 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2014-10-30
 * See Motions

Banking SNAFU

 * Situation normal; all fucked up.
 * Turnaround Times too long
 * Brendan needs to know the status of the outstanding invoice for the translation
 * Where is Ben?
 * Not getting time to maintain our finances?
 * MarkG notes that there is a translation pending to move funds into the transaction account
 * Without that first then we would have gone into overdraft on the translation transaction
 * Brendan notes that advice in regard to this over email would have been appreciated
 * Also if you are going to have trouble being in touch let the NC know. (Charter of Responsibilities)
 * We need a treasury that is actually on top of things, Otherwise we're not going to be able to scale to a party that can handle having multiple branches.
 * Treasury isn't needed most of the time, but when it is, we need FAST turnarounds.
 * and we need GOOD communication
 * we're not getting either at the moment.


 * We should be aiming for 24 hours turnaround on invoices and expense claims.
 * 48 hours if there's a good excuse.
 * (this translation quote, for example, is time sensitive)


 * MarkG to follow up with Frew immediately to process this payment
 * Brendan needs a receipt or screenshot of the payment being processed so he can forward it on


 * Signatories need be sorted, ASAP. Has been in 'almost done' for some time
 * Brendan still using his Credit card for things, and still not on the accounts.
 * and leaves the country in 45 days


 * Need proposals on how to handles Ben's continued absences
 * Last contact on email 16th Oct, request for info from David on 11th Oct still outstanding
 * He has completed the AEC required things. but that's only a very small part of the defined responsibilities of the treasury and, as an NC memver, he is expected to attend every NC meeting (no apologies received)
 * Last NC meeting attendance 18th Sept. Missed the two before it and the 4 since.
 * Censure motion
 * See motions


 * Xero
 * Brendan asks: "are we properly using this for managing our throughput"
 * MarkG advises that no. We need the card first and he will catch it up once we're paid up on it

State stuff

 * people are getting antsy about our lack of presence at state elections.
 * it's definitely a good thing people are mad that we're not there. (better than not caring)
 * Brendan will respond to the Victorian thread on Discourse today
 * Best to wait until we have proper state platforms and do it right than to contest it half-cocked & too soon.
 * Otherwise it would just be populism (and we are not PUP)
 * Brendan has suggested to Brandon that he starts to formulate a skeleton platform for the state branches
 * Generic state issues that we will add meat to
 * The platform for states will largely be the same, the policies will differ
 * There is scope to apply our philosophies to state issues (and local too)


 * Note that the membership database implementation fell through
 * So Brendan is working on coding it again
 * there will be a recruitment form, whether or not it's integrated in the rewrite at first is not yet known
 * Doing the "last rewrite ever" proper spec and modularisation. so once we write the bits we need, others can finish the bits we want. without breaking what's there.

Constitutional Review Committee

 * David Crafti should get started on hosting the meeting for this
 * Originally planned for second half of congress year
 * So far members are David, Brendan & Nick Casmirri
 * Davids wife has also expressed an interest
 * will need to ensure no perceived problems with possible conflict of interest issues

T-Shirts

 * DanielJ just confirming going with same supplier etc
 * MarkG also has a series of quotes for a merchandising plan (& money making plan)
 * Will email plan around NC after meeting
 * Work out details via email

General business

 * Brendan moving home in prep for heading overseas next month
 * Also need handover NSW Coordinator position (To DanielJ)
 * Suggest Frew and DanielJ share any media duties
 * See Motions
 * Brendan & Daniel gave a talk/presentation to a group of interested people at an Art space in Marrickville
 * About Snowden revelations/NSA surveillance followed by a how to on encrypting calls/texts etc
 * Frew spoke to Whistleblowers Australia

Motions

 * MOTION: Accept the minutes of 2014-10-30.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 5 (MarkG, Brendan, DanielJ, Frew_, Keating); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (David)
 * Motion carries.


 * CENSURE MOTION: Ben McGinnes is recognised by the National Council as failing to meet the requirements of the Treasurer (as per the Charter of Responsibilities and Party Constitution) due to sporadic attendance at National Council meetings, failure to respond to payment requests in a timely manner, poor communication in changing signatories for the bank accounts, and general inactivity. The National Council requests that it is provided with reasoning for the problems outlined and a declaration that attendance and responsiveness will return to the levels required by the Charter of Responsibilities.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 6 (Brendan, Fletcher, Frew_, DanielJ, David, Keating); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (MarkG)
 * Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Handover NSW Coordinator to Daniel Judge after the Sydney meeting on Saturday.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 5 (Brendan, Fletcher, DanielJ, Frew_, David); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion not quorate
 * Formalise at next meeting.


 * MOTION: Death to the meeting.
 * Put by: Brendan
 * Ayes: 3 (Brendan, DanielJ, Frew_); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Motion carries.

Action Items

 * MarkG and Frew to finalise bank transaction & forward details to Brendan
 * DanelJ to notify Ben of censure motion
 * DanielJ to get t-shirt quotes
 * MarkG to forward merchandise/income plan to NC via email
 * Treasury to ensure signatory issues with Bank are sorted