Minutes/National Council/2016-03-30

Agenda

 * Previous meeting's minutes
 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2016-03-16
 * Pozible campaign
 * Election strategy
 * Member Mailout
 * Snowden Talk
 * PO Box reimbursment
 * General Business

Start: 20:34 AEST

End: 22:39  AEST

National Council

 * Simon Frew
 * Michael Keating
 * Peter Fulton
 * Daniel Judge
 * Thomas Randle
 * Mark Gibbons
 * Fletcher Boyd

Previous meeting's minutes

 * https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Minutes/National_Council/2016-03-16
 * See Motions

Pozible campaign

 * There is a mailout pretty much ready for members and another kinda ready for other orgs
 * https://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/memberdbmails
 * Getting this funded is going to determine what we will be able to do for the election
 * the deadline was set to ensure the money was in our hands by the time we'd need to be coughing up for candidates etc
 * Pozible campaign is here
 * http://www.pozible.com/memberdb
 * It has been tweaked over the long weekend
 * the fund raising is not going too well so far, but we haven't done our reachout
 * the emails are taking way longer to get together than they reasonably should
 * a press release would be of use too
 * we can edit the text on the pozible page, so if anyone wants to suggest rewrites etc, please do. as you can see it's going slow, but it's only had some general social media promotion (though often that's been enough for past campaigns...)
 * Greens asked about it on Saturday when we discussed the upcoming election with their preference negotiators
 * They want to hear more and suggested they could help get funds for it, but we'll see... probably a bit election focused to expect too much
 * MarkG will send a message to the other minor parties
 * just got to think about what to say - though most the sales pitch has already been given
 * Could some funding come from membership renewals once it goes live for us?
 * yes, but it won't happen straight away
 * that will be the payback, the bill and possible election coinciding was much less than ideal

Election strategy

 * Prior to meeting email had been circulated from the AfP that detailed their joint ticket plan.
 * useful to us was our recent strategy meeting
 * although there are too many moving parts out of our control for it to have decided too much concrete


 * Generally decided that the AfP ticket may not suit us and there is a bit of an expectation from our members that we go it alone.
 * Alas our funds are bleak, so the amount of states we can run in, especially solo, may be extremely limited this election.


 * With changes to Federal Senate elections, and our 'federal heavy' organisation, we suffer for not having localised networks of supporters.
 * After election we will need to start focus on more grassroots support and local and state elections so as to build up local support networks, and aim for el;ectoral success at these levels which can feed into further success and support at federal level.
 * ie We need a party strategy so we're not treading water. We need to make a choice about whether we focus our limited resources on state or federal elections.
 * If we do federal elections that will mean dedicating all our remaining resources on this double-D we're about to have.
 * It's a one shot deal- this DD is probably the only chance for any minor party to win in any foreseeable timeframe.


 * If we want to maximise chances for electoral success in Federal at this stage, then a federal strategy almost certainly involves a joint ticket
 * Joint ticket may include some degree of compromise on principles.
 * Going it alone is mostly a symbolic run with no chance of actual success.
 * But noted from others that it is good publicity, and means to get message across and there is always a slim chance as well as to ensure we are not perceived as giving up
 * Essential to run since our members expect it, and to ensure our voice is in the game.


 * Determined that we must run where we can federally for this election and run best campaign we can afford
 * For the price of running candidates, it really is one of the cheapest forms of advertising and our issues are Federal first, our platform is Federal first.
 * Also use it as a means to draw in members and get our brand out
 * Focus on state and local as a post election strategy


 * Ideal could be to set up our own 'other' ticket option with select and more closely aligned parties.
 * But wishful thinking, it may benefit us, but any potential partners stand better chance with AfP ticket
 * Not worth persuing negotiations to set up our own 'other' ticket arrangement


 * A focus on states elections, where the quota is far lower and a win gets us full time staff, resources, publicity, and influence- the tools which might allow a Federal win in some further off time.
 * Our focus would be on boosting our recruitment and trying to win state registration. That could involve combining with other parties to boost numbers and volunteers.
 * There is a lot we could campaign on in NSW, anti-protest laws, lockout laws, corruption... if the party wants to step outside our traditional areas, CSG, education


 * Frew wrote something around when Brendan proposed the name change explaining why he felt the need to change the name which gets into what we need to think about long term
 * https://discuss.pirateparty.org.au/t/senate-reforms-shifting-goalposts-and-the-future-of-the-party/686


 * Election timeline (roughly/proposed, not yet definite):
 * Call for nominations: April 4
 * Deadline: April 25
 * Preselection meeting: April 30 or May 7
 * Voting period: Until May 2 or May 9 (approx. 7 days)
 * One of the slight benefits is July 2 means we have all month for the Congress as well. :)
 * We have added a call out for candidates going into the member mail


 * As much as we'd like to win, this campaign by necessity is mostly about boosting our name and drawing in members - that should shape what angle we take with our HTVs and interviews and whatnot


 * Should also take another closer look at the icelandic pirates again
 * cause a financial collapse to completely discredit the establishment parties ;-)


 * The trouble we have had over the last while is very little activity from members, its getting better, but its hard to make much noise when we are so few
 * our policy base is good, its more than single issue parties
 * Need to ensure activity etc, such as makingsure simple mailouts get done in a reasonable timeframe


 * May 7 it is! for preselection meeting.

Member Mailout

 * https://pad.pirateparty.org.au/p/memberdbmails
 * covering preselection and pozible
 * to use the 'mail all' members option
 * please look at pad and tweak, edit and refine. What is there needs to be cut down somewhat.
 * sending out Asap

Snowden Talk

 * Snowden talk May 28 in Sydney and other such dates elsewhere
 * email asking re support and offering ticket discount
 * We will support
 * Should ask about options to set up a merch/info booth table or some such.
 * Crafti suggested as person to reach out

PO Box reimbursment

 * Auspost is weird re paying online/bpay etc
 * DanielJ paid it with his credit card
 * receipt emailed to NC
 * See Motions

General Business

 * DanielJ will be out of country from 10 April to 26 April


 * Possible room for Congress at http://philipsmithcentre.com.au/?page_id=151
 * 3 blocks from pretty much everything in hobart


 * https://payments.pirateparty.org.au/ has been down
 * ITWG & Brendan notified to look at and revive

Motions

 * MOTION: Accept the minutes for 2016-03-16 as presented
 * Put by: Frew
 * Ayes: 5 (Frew, Rundll, MarkG, DanielJ, CAPT-Irrelevant); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 1 (Keating_)
 * Result: Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Approve $121 reimbursement to DanielJ for Australia Post PO Box renewal
 * Put by: Frew
 * Ayes: 5 (Frew, Rundll, MarkG, DanielJ, CAPT-Irrelevant); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Result: Motion carries.


 * MOTION: Close meeting now
 * Put by: Frew
 * Ayes: 6 (Frew, Rundll, MarkG, DanielJ, CAPT-Irrelevant, Keating_); Nays: 0 ; Abstains: 0
 * Result: Motion carries.

Action Items

 * MarkG to start reimbursement for PO Box
 * dcrafti or Frew to make contact regarding Snowden talk details
 * Member wide emails to be tweaked and mailed out (Frew, DanielJ, All).
 * MarkG will contact other minor parties re memberdb