Minutes/National Council/2017-09-20

Meeting Minutes

This document is a record of a meeting. Do not edit this document without contacting the relevant group first.

Start: 20:52 AEST

End: 23:10 AEST

Attendance

None

Emily Sievers provides some remarks on members interaction and conduct between each other.
- Not directed at anyone, a general reminder on self presentation.
- We are an official party, to all intents and purposes we present like a business.
- It is expected that everyone behaves and interacts with each other with decorum and professionalism.
- Failing at that will only serve to make this party a joke or give us a bad reputation.
- Emily is now permanently on group chat to, though she should be able to trust this team to be professional behind closed doors, and even more so in public.
- Emily expects everyone to be good to each other, and be good to everyone else, whether you like them or not.
Simon Gnieslaw provides some remarks on his interactions.
- Acknowledges his behaviour and responses during certain discussions was not the best.
- Notes National Council members must always act to a higher level of responsibility and conduct.
- Notes he was trying to raise some personal concerns, but recognises now that he didn't take feedback from others sooner to defuse discussions.

Tom Randle notes the election results returned for positions of Deputy President and one Dispute Resolution Committee position.
- Deputy President: John Edward Philip Jeffery
- Dispute Resolution Committee position: Liam Pomfret
Meeting attendees provide general welcomes and congratulations to the election winners.

Tom Randle provides an update on AEC Audit.
- Alex Jago and Tom Randle wrote to the AEC requesting an extension, it was granted and the audit due date is now the 20th October.
- Tom Randle is working on changes required for the the audit code in piratedb.
- Tom Randle would dearly like to not be distracted by other things.
Mark Gibbons notes the importance of the audit and helping out.
Tom Randle provides an update on member area rollout.
- All members have been sent their account details now.
- Any that haven't are because we actually in some cases don't have email addresses for them.
- Only about ~450 have currently logged in.
- Donations/renewal fees are heading toward $4,000 now, almost up another $1,000 from last meeting.
Simon Frew suggests a recruitment drive.
Miles Whiticker suggests an advertising spend.
Tom Randle raises the Audit communications plan everyone can be working on.
Tom Randle raises an action item: everyone help with communications and campaigns for the audit.
Emily Sievers asks that before the next National Council meeting some advertising is looked into.

Tom Randle notes he thinks it's time to progress this.
- Doesn't want to leave it another two weeks.
- Suggests Sunday 5th November starting at 10am
Simon Gnieslaw asks whether other changes to the Constitution should be considered.
- Tom Randle states he thinks the meeting should only consider what didn't pass from this year's Annual National Congress.
  - Tom Randle considers it inappropriate to raise any business which isn't a clarification to resolve this year's issues.
Simon Gnieslaw suggests waiting until after AEC audit.
Some discussion about timing of the Emergency National Congress and membership lapse dates.
Motion is put and carries.
Announcement to be sent out before the end of Saturday 23rd September

Simon Gnieslaw outlines a brief he wrote regarding the PAX panel as he understands it.
Discussion to resolve outstanding issues raise by Simon Gnieslaw.
- Simon Frew notes he doesn't agree with what is in Simon Gnieslaw's brief and interprets it as Simon Gnieslaw refusing to take an obvious no for an answer.
Ben McGinnes notes he agrees with Simon Frew.
Emily Sievers notes Ben McGinnes has done the Party a favour arranging another panel this year at all. He has had to work through many headaches.
Discussion about the panel and format.
Simon Gnieslaw outlines a motion.
Motion is put and lapses.

Tom Randle remarks on how the Agenda for National Council meetings works:
- The Agenda is collated (and ordered) by the Secretary (Tom Randle) as he sees fit.
- It is up to the meeting chair, by default the President (Emily Sievers), to call the Agenda items as they see fit.
- If National Council members want to raise an item, they need to put it on the Agenda pad and place their name against it.
- Anything in the Items section of the Agenda pad should have a matching Agenda topic, otherwise keep it in your own to-do lists until you've got time to raise it with teams/wgs/committees before National Council meetings.
Tom Randle notes he thinks it is late enough to defer other business until the next meeting.

MOTION: Accept minutes from previous meeting
- Put by: Emily Sievers
  - Ayes: 8 (Simon Frew, Miles Whiticker, John August, Emily Sievers, Alex Jago, Tom Randle, Simon Gnieslaw, Mark Gibbons); Nays: 0 (); Abstains: 1 (John Jeffery)
  - Motion carries.

MOTION: Hold an online Emergency National Congress on 5th November starting at 10:00am AEDT to resolve Constitutional Amendment Proposals which lapsed at the July 2017 National Congress due to a low quorum during online voting.
- Put by: Tom Randle
  - Ayes: 9 (Simon Frew, Miles Whiticker, John August, Emily Sievers, Alex Jago, Tom Randle, Simon Gnieslaw, Mark Gibbons, John Jeffery); Nays: 0 (); Abstains: 0 ()
  - Motion carries.

MOTION: Should Ben ask his panelists for their views on the compromise as Simon [Gnieslaw] suggested?
- Put by: Simon Gnieslaw
  - Ayes: 1 (Simon Gnieslaw); Nays: 6 (Tom Randle, Simon Frew, John August, Mark Gibbons, Emily Sievers, Alex Jago); Abstains: 2 (Miles Whiticker, John Jeffery)
  - Motion lapses.

MOTION: close meeting
- Put by: Emily Sievers
  - Ayes: 8 (Tom Randle, Simon Frew, John August, Simon Gnieslaw, Alex Jago, Emily Sievers, Mark Gibbons, John Jeffery); Nays: 1 (Miles Whiticker); Abstains: 0 ()
  - Motion carries.