Category: Party News

General news relating to Pirate Party Australia

Policy and Preselection Meeting 2013 Results

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The results of Pirate Party Australia’s recent Policy and Preselection Meeting are in!

Pirate Party Australia held a meeting on April 6–7 in Sydney for the purposes of amending and adopting policies, and deciding preselection nominees for the 2013 Federal Election. The results of the now concluded week-long voting period can now be announced.

The results of the motions relating to policy are as follows:

  • Motion 1: Copyright policy — passed with 100% in favour
  • Motion 2: Patents policy — passed with 98.81% in favour
  • Motion 3: Digital liberties policy — passed with 99.61% in favour.
  • Motion 4: Energy policy — passed with 88.02% in favour.
  • Motion 5: Coal seam gas policy — passed with 88.65% in favour.
  • Motion 6: Taxation policy — passed with 90% in favour.
  • Motion 7: Transfer payments (welfare) policy — passed with 89.61% in favour.
  • Motion 8: Drug policy — passed with 92.08% in favour.
  • Motion 9: Marriage policy — passed with 92.18% in favour.
  • Motion 10: Bill of rights policy — passed with 93.52% in favour.
  • Motion 11: Improving electoral participation — passed with 97.54% in favour.

All preselection nominees passed the approval vote by the members in their state, and will appear on the ballot in the order listed.

New South Wales

  1. Brendan Molloy
  2. David W. Campbell

Queensland

  1. Melanie Thomas
  2. Liam Pomfret

A third nominee, George Shannon, achieved majority support from the Queensland members but was unfortunately the least preferred candidate and so will not appear on the ballot.

Tasmania

  1. Thomas Randle

As Thomas was the only nominee from Tasmania, a running mate is needed for him to ensure that Pirate Party Australia has its own grouping on the ballot. Please consider nominating yourself if you can support him as a “warm body” candidate.

Victoria

  1. Joseph Miles
  2. Geoffrey Hammett

Additional nominees as well as further policy amendments will be discussed at the Party’s National Congress, details of which will be announced four weeks before the event.

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April Fools joke reveals absurdity of copyright laws, says Pirate Party

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With many people believing Pirate Party Australia’s April Fools gag was genuine, the issue highlights the fact that it is becoming increasingly impossible to distinguish real instances of overzealous copyright holders’ claims from parodies of their behaviour.

The Party released a statement claiming that it had received a takedown request in regard to a poster that parodied YouTube’s notice that a video had been removed due to a copyright claim[1]. Although this was an obvious joke to those who created it, the Party was surprised when people mistook the fictitious claim as genuine.

“The resulting enquiries regarding whether or not this actually happened amazed us because we thought the idea was too far fetched to be believable,” said Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer, Deputy Secretary of Pirate Party Australia. “Rather than poking fun by parodying copyright maximalists, it appears we came frighteningly close to the truth.”

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Pirate Party takedown parody poster receives takedown request, is taken down

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This is an April Fool’s joke. 🙂

Pirate Party Australia has been handed a takedown request after the Party began issuing a poster design that parodies YouTube’s “this video is no longer available due to a copyright claim” notification. The Party has promptly ceased distribution and production of the poster, and begun to recall any that might still be at large.

This poster is no longer available due to a copyright claim. [PARODY]

“We were under the impression that parody and satire would be respected, but rather than fight this we decided to comply,” said Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer, Deputy Secretary of Pirate Party Australia. “This request is symptomatic of the absurdity of modern copyright maximalism. Time and time again copyright holders treat the public — which has generously allowed them to have these rights — with contempt. We must never forget that copyright is granted by law in the interests of society. When laws are abused or become inadequate, they need to be changed. Copyright should be no exception.”

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Pirate Party Australia Webcast – Episode 11

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This week it’s another pre-recorded show as Sam covers some local and international news in Pirate politics. Subscribe to the feed, or view past episodes.

Topics:
PPAU’s National Security Inquiry petition tabled in parliament
Cost to nominate will double for federal elections
Swedish Pirate Party forced to disconnect service to The Pirate Bay
IFPI Releases annual report praising “adapted” industry while calling for heavier copyright protection

Feel free to contact Sam about the show on:
Twitter: @SamKearns
E-Mail: [email protected]

Podcast (webcast): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:28 — 9.6MB)

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Pirate Party Australia Webcast – Episode 10

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This week Sam recorded the show at the Sydney Meetup at the Paragon Hotel on the day of the forming of the NSW State Branch of the Pirate Party. This means there will be no live stream tonight! Subscribe to the feed, or view past episodes.

Topics
Formation of the NSW State Party – Interview with Simon Frew
Preselection nomination form
Fairfax Journalists Forced To Reveal Sources – SMH Story
Update on Trans-Pacific Partnership FOI – Petition
YouTube videos of Russian Meteor blocked in Russia due to background music – Techdirt Story
Call for “elevator Pitches” on legalisation of non-commercial copyright infringement

Feel free to contact Sam about the show on:
Twitter: @SamKearns
E-Mail: [email protected]

Podcast (webcast): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:56 — 14.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS