National Council
President
Simon Frew
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I am the current President and served in various positions on the National Council since before registration. I have helped guide the Party through both Federal elections we have contested. I regularly front the media and have spoken at numerous conferences and debates on behalf of the Party.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I have been an activist for 20 years and have been a member of the Pirate Party since its foundation. Due to my experience and dedication to the movement, I feel that I am the best candidate to continue to serve as leader of the Party.
If elected President I will work to increase participation by members, grow the Party and our profile. I will strive to sharpen our critique of the growing Police state and fight back against the bi-partisan assault on our civil liberties and human rights.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
I have contributed to countless press releases, spoken at a wide range of events, including the Sydney Film Festival, Whistleblowers Australia's AGM, Copyright is Theft debate at University of Technology Sydney and conducted numerous interviews on behalf of the Party. I have contributed to various legal reviews and internal policy debates which contribute to the intellectual substance of the Party.
I will continue to fight for civil liberties, governmental transparency and sensible Intellectual Property laws whether or not I am elected to the National Council. I am involved in politics for the long haul. I believe that if you aren't happy with the way things are, you must try to make it better. I can't imagine not being involved in the fight to make a better world and I believe the Pirate Party is the best organisation to do this because we are science based, principled, democratic and open to ideas and different views.
I am also a
musician and an occasional producer of
mashups. Being an artist helps lend weight to our arguments about intellectual property.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I support the Pirate Party platform and ideals and will do my best to uphold them into the future.
I have been an activist for the last 20 years, so have participated in a wide range of movements and campaigns. I joined the Pirate Party in its very early days because it aligned with my beliefs and goals and joining was the best way I could contribute to politics in Australia.
Additional Documentation:
Deputy President
Michael Keating
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I joined the National council in 2014 as Registered Officer and was elected Deputy President in 2015. Prior to this I served as QLD coordinator. I have represented the Pirate Party in the media, contributed to press releases and communication from the party, even when working overseas during 2015. Achievements this year include changing the members meeting to a monthly strategy meeting in IRC, evaluating and proceeding with the MemberDB project and evaluating an online merch store set up to sell PPAU merchandise. I work in Business IT support and have a strong technology background, relevant to areas the Pirate Party Australia have strong policies.
Having been through my first federal election campaign, I've taken a lot on board on where we can improve as a party and wish to take my current experience of being on the National Council and help continue our growth and relevance in the Australian Political spectrum. Knowing the operations of the National Council put me in a good position and I hope the members are happy for me to continue to contribute at this level.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I believe I can help in continuing the work the previous National Council have done in improving the core of the party and making it functional and scalable. Improvements don't happen overnight and the previous National Council have taken steps to make the party more viable in the longer term. I pledge to continue these improvements to the core running of the party to ensure we can continue the fight with less pressure of day to day operations interfering. I have over 12 years experience working in or for small business in Australia including management and wish to continue sharing this experience in the National Council.
I also pledge to continue to spread the word about our policies in order to increase our profile following the federal election. Standing up against the erosion of civil liberties, attacks against most vulnerable in society and the ever increasing reduction of transparency in politics are topics worth standing up and fighting for.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
Since joining the party in 2014 I have helped campaign in the 2014 Griffith by-election, where Pirate Party Australia received the 4th highest vote. I have also contributed to press releases and interviews as QLD Co-ordinator and registered officer. I assisted with the 2016 federal election and learned a lot from more experienced heads, and hope this experience can continue to be used at this level.
The Pirate Party Australia have great policies and great people contributing and improving these policies. As always the challenge is having these policies seen by people outside out immediate supporters, which is challenging however not impossible. I would like to improve participation to get our message out further, as well as improve diversity within the party at all levels to make sure we represent all voice in Australia. Finally we as a party need to be prepared for another election, as the current government will not last. The next 12 months should have a focus on improving our position with a mind to campaigning again not long after the next National Council term expires.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I agree completely with the Parties' platform and ideals and will do my utmost to uphold them. I have never been a member of another political party.
Additional Documentation:
Tom Randle
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
My professional and life experience covers theatre and event production, branding and marketing, project management, as well as being a full time programmer for the last 8 years.
This last year has been my first year on our Party's National Council, I'm seeking re-election to continue the work of our Party and the National Council.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
My vision for the coming year is pretty simple:
We need to grow and fast, because we're out of time. The Labor and Liberal parties are trashing digital freedoms and they need to be stopped, we have the time now to put in place all the systems and processes we need to be ready for the next election and reverse the course on mass surveillance regimes, internet censorship and all of the other flawed policies inflicted on everyone by the major parties.
We can be so much more than we are now, as I look around the world at Pirate movements appearing all over the place, I cannot help but conclude our movement is needed now more than ever. All we have to do is communicate the pirate world view and let people participate. But to be blunt, we've sucked at that so far. I want to fix that.
The internet has revolutionised the distribution of information, we're here to revolutionise the distribution of decision making. We need to live up to that expectation and I think I can help.
I'm looking forward to getting down to work with the next National Council.
My strategic focus covers a few themes that I hope to expand on over this coming year:
Communications - Community - Participation
My priorities:
- Improving our membership communication and improving participation between congresses
- Our members need access to the tools and community we have here to fully participate from the day they join.
- Preparing for and reaching a critical mass, it's time the mainstream really heard about the Pirate movement in Australia and our vision for the future
- I want to see people working for us and paid full time as soon as it is financially sustainable.
- Getting our members the resources and support they need from the National Council to get-things-done.
- There's too much I want to do to list it all here, I'm available for a chat just get in touch, but primarily I'll work with the National Council and all our members to get our shared goals completed as quickly as we can.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
Since becoming a member I've contributed across many areas of our organisation.
The things I'm most proud of:
- being a member of the National Council this last year. I'm always ready to provide direction and advice, encouraging our members to participate where ever they can. I'm a "no stupid questions" kind of person, I've got time for everyone and do everything I can to make people feel welcome when they join us.
- being the lead Senate candidate for Tasmania at the 2013 federal election
- as the Campaigns Officer for a while, as well as running the Campaigns Committee
- as a member of the Elections Committee
- as the first Tasmanian State Coordinator
- helping out on our campaigns and fundraisers
- continuing to contrubute to our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ over many years.
- producing things! Posters, flyers, designing and building our current website theme and much content, letter boxing flyers, contributing to press releases etc.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I agree with our platform, believe in our founding principles and I have not been involved in any other political parties.
Additional Documentation:
David Crafti
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I've been involved in the party since it's initial formation, serving as President in the first congress year of 2009/2010, followed by serving on the Dispute Resolution Committee for 2 years, as well as taking an active role in policy development. Over the last year, I've served as Registered Officer, dealing with the AEC regarding candidate nominations and the like. I'm a CTO at a successful startup by day, and I completed a Master of Laws degree in my spare time in order to understand legal and policy issues from the perspective of the sorts of people who end up writing our legislation.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I would like to continue contributing to the party, as I have over the last 7 years. Remaining as Registered Officer is my first preference, as if I'm lucky enough to remain on the National Council, there will be lots of paperwork to change across to someone else, so this role is probably most appropriate for me.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
In addition to the roles I've mentioned, I've spoken on behalf of the party at a few rallies opposing censorship and supporting Wikileaks, been interviewed on the radio a few times and been on TV once. I've been on the ground at polling booths during the last couple of elections, and handed out information at the Higgins by-election before we were even registered, and I've written quite a bit of a few of our policies, as part of the Policy Development Committee.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Absolutely. As I've said in previous years in response to this question, I've been opinionated for years, but it was only in discovering the Pirate Party that I found a group of civil libertarians as staunchly in support of so many of the same things as me. I've never been a member of any other political party.
Additional Documentation:
Secretary
Luke Housego
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
Long time supporter of Pirate Party and member since just after formally registered in Australia.
Internet and Digital rights activist for almost 20 years.
Experienced in Administration and operation of effective, growing social and political organisations.
Exceptionally experienced in online long term strategically focused activity.
Experienced fundraiser.
Professionally work in a leadership capacity for strategy, organisational design, business architecture and analytics.
Thinks Pirate Party Australia is a great name.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
The Pirate Party needs significant improvement in how it is organised and operated to be effective in pursuing our policy objectives. I am (probably) the best choice in the party to achieve this.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
Stood for senate preselection position for Victoria for 2016. After winning preselection had to stand down position due to unexpected circumstances.
My goal is to transform the operational and management structure of PPAU to be a modern political party that is capable of achieving a 5% primary vote in a federal election.
Initial focus will be completely deconstructing and rebuilding the experience of being a Pirate Party Member, our identity, how we explore, understand and communicate our culture and experiences. The party will become fun, insightful, a hint irreverent and have a voice that is loud and relevant.
Our operational processes will be more transparent and require less reading of volumes of text before you can do anything. New members will feel like they are important and can contribute straight away in ways that are meaningful. Old members will have platforms and support for considerate nuanced debate and discussion. Fear of failure and fear to take risks will not be our culture. We are going to do a lot things, make a lot of mistakes, but learn a lot more and our intent and choices will always be anchored on our core principles of rights, liberty and transparency.
Once the organisation is in the process of becoming functional for a serious political party, I will then create a new fundraising function that is bigger than just scraping small amounts of cash from a small pool of supporters. We have a vision and value that is of strong interest to a lot of motivated individuals and also to many companies. We will be raising serious money once we take ourselves seriously as an organisation.
Once this work is on the right track, I will not need to retain this position. This is not my career and a transition to next generation leadership to help them grow the party to become even better again is important and a sign of maturity. Planning for this form the start as an important part of a key role like this.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Yes.
Big fan of Rick Falkvinge's view of the world.
Have been espousing and putting into action swarm and decentralised "social" activism in both online and "real world" actions for decades.
Former member of Australian Labor Party (left faction member)
Former member of Liberal Party of Australia (know thy enemy)
Additional Documentation:
Fletcher Boyd
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
For the past two years I have served as a media contact and Deputy Secretary of Pirate Party Australia. In those positions I have been responsible for member/public/media enquiries, the day to day bureaucratic operation of the party, and parts of our communication platform. My work in digital and disability advocacy alongside my IT background gives me both the experience needed to ensure the smooth operation of the party and a much needed viewpoint on the council.
I am a strong advocate for the Pirate Party's core principles of transparency, privacy, and digital rights. For the past two years I have campaigned as a board member of Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA). I have previously worked as a software engineer & system administrator and this background in IT has given me the familiarity needed to navigate the technological issues faced by the party on a day to day basis. Currently I am a full-time law student. On completion of my degree I hope to focus on intellectual property law as it's an area I am both passionate about and experienced with.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I've worked with Daniel Judge and Brendan Molloy for over two years learning the intricacies of the bureaucracy required to keep a political party running. It's time I took on the responsibility in full. I also believe that in order to be successful the council needs a variety of backgrounds. While my IT knowledge is not unique among the nominations my personal experience with disability and my history of tailoring inclusive content would be a valuable asset to the party.
In the coming year, I would like to focus on several new and ongoing projects:
- Continue migrating our membership system so that we can more efficiently utilise our members.
- Complete the migration to a communication platform that better serves the needs of both technically competent and inexperienced members alike.
- Transform the way in which we convey our policies to Australians without easy access to technology and those with a sensory disability.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
Since joining the party mid-2013 I have assisted the party in several roles:
- Senate candidate in the 2014 WA senate re-election
- State Coordinator for Western Australia: 2014-2015
- Party Deputy Secretary: 2014-current
- Press Team 2014-current
- PirateIRC administrator 2015-current
I have also represented the Pirate Party at local community events and in meetings with organisations such as Blind Citizens Australia and DFAT.
See above for my goals to advance the party in the coming year.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I have not been a member of another political party and I agree wholeheartedly with the party ideals and platform.
Additional Documentation:
Deputy Secretary
Dan Shea
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I have determination and energy. I feel that these attributes are something needed by the party and wish to make myself useful. I, unlike most Pirate members, do not come from an IT background. I left school after year 10 to take a bricklaying apprenticeship. After completing that that I ran my own company before moving into the Fire Protection industry. I now work in both a technical role, and a sales/client relationship role. I feel this gives me a wider perspective into how different demographics of Australians percieve things and respond to them than most party members have.
I am comfortable in front of cameras, and I am appearing in a documentary due to be released later in the year.
I also think Pirate Party is a great name
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I want to help get things moving. We need energetic and effective leadership in order to grow the party and gain relevance, but we also need people not afraid to do whatever needs to be done. For this reason I am putting myself forward for several roles, Councillor, Deputy Secretary and Registered Officer.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
None, other than activity on the forums, IRC and chat with members. I currently serve in no position and have no responsibilities, an issue I intend to remedy.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I have not been a member of any other political party. In elections previously I have almost always voted against whatever the current trend in my electorate was simply to reduce the 'safeness' of the seat and hopefully help move the government to more centre-orientated policies. My form of a protest vote I suppose.
I have never felt a particular affiliation to a political party or movement before as I have always had fundamental disagreements with their platforms. This changed when I was introduced to the Pirate Party. When I read through the policy information I found nothing I disagreed with and many things I felt strongly in favour of. This led to me joining soon afterwards.
Additional Documentation:
As a summary, I feel the most important things I offer are energy and a broader view than is traditional within the party.
Tom Randle
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
See nomination details listed under Deputy President.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
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What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
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Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
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Additional Documentation:
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David Crafti
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I've been involved in the party since it's initial formation, serving as President in the first congress year of 2009/2010, followed by serving on the Dispute Resolution Committee for 2 years, as well as taking an active role in policy development. Over the last year, I've served as Registered Officer, dealing with the AEC regarding candidate nominations and the like. I'm a CTO at a successful startup by day, and I completed a Master of Laws degree in my spare time in order to understand legal and policy issues from the perspective of the sorts of people who end up writing our legislation.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I would like to continue contributing to the party, as I have over the last 7 years. Remaining as Registered Officer is my first preference, as if I'm lucky enough to remain on the National Council, there will be lots of paperwork to change across to someone else, so this role is probably most appropriate for me.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
In addition to the roles I've mentioned, I've spoken on behalf of the party at a few rallies opposing censorship and supporting Wikileaks, been interviewed on the radio a few times and been on TV once. I've been on the ground at polling booths during the last couple of elections, and handed out information at the Higgins by-election before we were even registered, and I've written quite a bit of a few of our policies, as part of the Policy Development Committee.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Absolutely. As I've said in previous years in response to this question, I've been opinionated for years, but it was only in discovering the Pirate Party that I found a group of civil libertarians as staunchly in support of so many of the same things as me. I've never been a member of any other political party.
Additional Documentation:
Treasurer
Mark Gibbons
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I've been the Treasurer for the past 12 months, and the Deputy Treasurer before that. Over that time we've improved PPAU's financial operations and built proper payment systems. We've set up a better banking system and a simpler and more robust payment process. I have a fair bit of time and experience in Treasury-specific stuff, in addition to years spent in jobs which deal with economics and finance.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
The next Treasury team will have important work to do. We will need to sort out and process our post-election financial returns with the AEC, we will need to get our merchandise store ticking over, and we will need to diversify our finances so we depend less on continual fundraising drives. I think this work is where I can be the most use. I'm a safe pair of hands when it comes to this kind of thing.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
I've helped run the party over the past few years. I prefer to work behind the scenes, but I've done a bit of media, been a candidate in the ACT, and advocated for PPAU and its policies in meetings and forums with other parties. I've handed out and worked for the party at elections. Before I was on the NC I was Policy Development Officer and had responsibility for leading the team which developed the 2013 election platform. I also oversaw preference negotiations for that election, and the follow-up in WA. I've also written the odd article, speech, and PR.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I agree with our unique platform and fully support its core precepts including freedom of speech, privacy and liberty, scientific progress, and defence of the commons.
Before PPAU I was politically homeless except for a brief and misguided stint as an ALP-aligned student politician in the 1990s.
Additional Documentation:
Deputy Treasurer
Peter Fulton
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
In my tenure as a Councillor since the end of 2015, I have observed the tasks that Treasury coordinate, and have considered this to be adequate for me to help fulfil and keep things running, especially with regards to movement of funds associated with campaigns and those raised by crowdsourcing.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
In reflection of my time as a Councillor, I have felt over time that I can be capable of doing more. If I am given a role that has specific duties, I can help enhance productivity by focusing time and effort on those specific responsibilities.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
- I served in the role of Councillor since December 2015, volunteering in an NC-role capacity to conduct administrative duties as requested by other concurrent serving NC personnel when requirements were raised at fortnightly NC meetings.
- I have contributed to all fund raising campaigns to date, as well as actively promote our crowdsourcing campaigns, including MemberDB and Propaganda Production for this year's Federal Election.
- I helped handing out party fliers to the public in Sydney CBD leading up to the 2013 Federal Election.
- I help radiate our existence across Social Media platforms as a member of the Social Media team.
- I rationalise our name and position to the public when our legitimacy is questioned (it's simply an education issue and their willingness to listen).
- I am a member of the International Relations Committee.
- I own the domain name savetheinter.net which I have donated its use to serve the interest of the party and the net neutrality cause overall.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Yes. I enjoy the uniqueness of our party as one that does not rely on celebrity frontrunners to exist, whether they were existing celebrities or reluctant new ones as a result of publicity by media coverage.
Additional Documentation:
Registered Officer
Dan Shea
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I have determination and energy. I feel that these attributes are something needed by the party and wish to make myself useful. I, unlike most Pirate members, do not come from an IT background. I left school after year 10 to take a bricklaying apprenticeship. After completing that that I ran my own company before moving into the Fire Protection industry. I now work in both a technical role, and a sales/client relationship role. I feel this gives me a wider perspective into how different demographics of Australians percieve things and respond to them than most party members have.
I am comfortable in front of cameras, and I am appearing in a documentary due to be released later in the year.
I also think Pirate Party is a great name
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I want to help get things moving. We need energetic and effective leadership in order to grow the party and gain relevance, but we also need people not afraid to do whatever needs to be done. For this reason I am putting myself forward for several roles, Councillor, Deputy Secretary and Registered Officer.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
None, other than activity on the forums, IRC and chat with members. I currently serve in no position and have no responsibilities, an issue I intend to remedy.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I have not been a member of any other political party. In elections previously I have almost always voted against whatever the current trend in my electorate was simply to reduce the 'safeness' of the seat and hopefully help move the government to more centre-orientated policies. My form of a protest vote I suppose.
I have never felt a particular affiliation to a political party or movement before as I have always had fundamental disagreements with their platforms. This changed when I was introduced to the Pirate Party. When I read through the policy information I found nothing I disagreed with and many things I felt strongly in favour of. This led to me joining soon afterwards.
Additional Documentation:
As a summary, I feel the most important things I offer are energy and a broader view than is traditional within the party.
David Crafti
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I've been involved in the party since it's initial formation, serving as President in the first congress year of 2009/2010, followed by serving on the Dispute Resolution Committee for 2 years, as well as taking an active role in policy development. Over the last year, I've served as Registered Officer, dealing with the AEC regarding candidate nominations and the like. I'm a CTO at a successful startup by day, and I completed a Master of Laws degree in my spare time in order to understand legal and policy issues from the perspective of the sorts of people who end up writing our legislation.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I would like to continue contributing to the party, as I have over the last 7 years. Remaining as Registered Officer is my first preference, as if I'm lucky enough to remain on the National Council, there will be lots of paperwork to change across to someone else, so this role is probably most appropriate for me.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
In addition to the roles I've mentioned, I've spoken on behalf of the party at a few rallies opposing censorship and supporting Wikileaks, been interviewed on the radio a few times and been on TV once. I've been on the ground at polling booths during the last couple of elections, and handed out information at the Higgins by-election before we were even registered, and I've written quite a bit of a few of our policies, as part of the Policy Development Committee.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Absolutely. As I've said in previous years in response to this question, I've been opinionated for years, but it was only in discovering the Pirate Party that I found a group of civil libertarians as staunchly in support of so many of the same things as me. I've never been a member of any other political party.
Additional Documentation:
Councillor (2 positions)
Andrew Downing
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
One of the pillars of Pirate Party Australia, is that we favour open, transparent, participatory democracy. At one of my first PPAU congresses in Melbourne, not long after joining PPAU, I presented my vision of an online democracy system for decision making and policy creation. You can read that here: Polly.
At the time I was not convinced that I really knew enough about how decision making and policy development in particular really worked. However, I'm in this for the long haul, so I threw myself into policy development. I've spent four years in policy development now; the last two as Policy Development Officer. One way or another, I have either created or influenced a great many of the policies in our current platform.
Now, I want to get back to working on participatory democracy in PPAU.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I want to work on participatory democracy as a National Councillor, because some of the possibilities moving forward include not just a bit of installation or development, but collaboration with existing solution creators, with online communities, and possibly with one or another of the participatory democracy centric parties in Australia, or some hybrid of all this. It also involves a lot of consultation.
These sort of choices will have a huge impact on the future operation of PPAU. It needs to happen with engagement into the NC.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
Contributions so far include:
- 2 Years as member Policy Development Committee
- 2 years as Policy Development Officer
- Contributed to majority of policies in our platform.
- Wrote: Polly
- Handed out HTVs at polling booths in the last two federal elections.
- Attended the last five National Congress meetings in person.
In future:
- I expect that I will continue to contribute to policy development, regardless of whether I am elected to this position or not.
- I'd really like to contribute by working on the future of participatory democracy within PPAU.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I wholeheartedly agree with our platform. I contributed to much of it.
I have never been a part of any other political movement. None of them were worthy.
Additional Documentation:
Tom Randle
See nomination details listed under Deputy President.
Alex Jago
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
Since 2014 I've been a reasonably active ordinary member. Now, I'm putting my hand up to be more involved still, and to take on some formal responsibilities -- if only to help spread the load!
Outside of my life as a Pirate, I'm finishing up my electrical/computer engineering degree, and for several years now I've been a fundraising officer for my choir. So I've got some skills in helping run an organisation.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I'm running specifically for Councillor, as an 'entry-level', generic position where I can help out others as needed.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
I've been a part of both election campaigns in my area since I joined (Griffith by-election and 2016 general election). In particular, this year I have contributed: my time on the day, money, memes, volunteer coordination, and evangelism in my other communities (when it's been relevant).
As an active user of both our IRC and Discourse platforms, I believe I have a solid understanding of the current state of our internal culture. Our pressing task over the next year is to grow not just in total members but active, engaged members.
I don't pretend to have a magic solution, but as a Councillor, I'll support things that seem like they'll help, with both my time and my influence. In particular, there are three such things which already exist or are in progress: in-person events, a more user-friendly online chat system, and development of our nascent liquid democracy platform -- I hope to get stuck into the latter regardless of whether I'm elected or not.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Yes.
I've also helped out various Greens campaigns as an HTV-person and map-drawer.
Additional Documentation:
I'm particularly proud to be topping (at time of writing) the all-time 'Likes Given' list on our Discourse instance.
Emily Sievers
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I joined the Pirate Party last year and while I am relatively new I have been interested in Party policies for some time. I am nominating myself for this position as I felt that my potential to actively participate in the party was limited as just a regular member. I have suggestions for policies and strategies for reaching out to more Australians that I would like to share and being part of Congress would get my voice heard.
Outside of the pirating life I have worked in higher education, research, museums, IT, engineering, robotics, and administration. I have superhuman writing and people skills. I am particularly interested in the ethical and practical implications of emerging and developing technology; I am very fond of robots. There are rumours I am a cyborg but that’s just my llama spreading lies about me.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I am interested in a number of areas within the Party, but as I am relatively new I am applying for the Councillor position as a way of providing assistance generally to people who have been around for longer and know what they’re doing.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
I supported one of the Party’s Queensland Senate candidates in the lead up to the recent election. I took photos for campaign material (photography is one of my many spare-time pursuits) and assisted in Twitter updates. I was also involved in setting up Party signs on election day as well as handing out how-to-vote cards. Election Day was an insightful experience where I had the opportunity to talk to both voters and campaigners from other parties.
I would very much like to be involved in drafting policies (putting those great editorial skills to use) and brainstorming ideas for future endeavours. If I am given the opportunity I will make every effort to involve local communities with the Party in meaningful ways that benefit everyone.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
The Pirate Party’s mission statement and policies closely align with my own ideals. I believe the Party needs to gain more public interest to make more of an impact but the policies are sound. I have not previously been a member of any political party but I should disclaim that I casually assisted friends who were involved in student union politics at the University of Queensland back in our carefree student days. By “assisted” I mean I wore a t-shirt bearing the Reform Party logo and handed out how-to-vote cards that had been printed on a dirt-poor student budget.
Additional Documentation:
Dan Shea
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I have determination and energy. I feel that these attributes are something needed by the party and wish to make myself useful. I, unlike most Pirate members, do not come from an IT background. I left school after year 10 to take a bricklaying apprenticeship. After completing that that I ran my own company before moving into the Fire Protection industry. I now work in both a technical role, and a sales/client relationship role. I feel this gives me a wider perspective into how different demographics of Australians percieve things and respond to them than most party members have.
I am comfortable in front of cameras, and I am appearing in a documentary due to be released later in the year.
I also think Pirate Party is a great name
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I want to help get things moving. We need energetic and effective leadership in order to grow the party and gain relevance, but we also need people not afraid to do whatever needs to be done. For this reason I am putting myself forward for several roles, Councillor, Deputy Secretary and Registered Officer.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
None, other than activity on the forums, IRC and chat with members. I currently serve in no position and have no responsibilities, an issue I intend to remedy.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I have not been a member of any other political party. In elections previously I have almost always voted against whatever the current trend in my electorate was simply to reduce the 'safeness' of the seat and hopefully help move the government to more centre-orientated policies. My form of a protest vote I suppose.
I have never felt a particular affiliation to a political party or movement before as I have always had fundamental disagreements with their platforms. This changed when I was introduced to the Pirate Party. When I read through the policy information I found nothing I disagreed with and many things I felt strongly in favour of. This led to me joining soon afterwards.
Additional Documentation:
As a summary, I feel the most important things I offer are energy and a broader view than is traditional within the party.
David Crafti
See nomination details listed under Registered Officer.
Tim Serong
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I tend to be reasonably diplomatic and get along with most people. I communicate effectively both in person and online. Having been a software developer for many years I'm irritatingly good at keeping an eye on details.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I believe we can do better at communicating and engaging with the membership at large than we have in the past. I'm throwing my hat in the ring for a councillor position because I want to help on that front.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
- Member since mid-2012
- Handed out HTVs at the 2013 federal election
- Contributed to many press releases
- Reasonably active on IRC and the discussion forums
- Tasmanian State Coordinator for the past couple of years (largely a ceremonial position requiring me to drag a few people to the pub once a month)
- If elected I shall work to improve channels of communication across the party membership
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
To the first question: yes. I firmly believe in privacy for individuals and transparency for organisations; that everything is a remix and you can't stop culture; that stupid laws which make normal human behaviour illegal do nothing other than undermine the rule of law, and make society worse off as a whole. I loathe the antagonistic major party duopoly in Australia, and consider the Pirate Party our last best hope for a truly collaborative, inclusive, participatory form of democracy.
I have not previously been a member of any other political party.
Additional Documentation:
- My Blog (largely technical, some politics, some philosophy, some farming)
Officers
Policy Development Officer
Martin Sheridan
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I am proficient with documentation writing and policy analysis. I established a manufacturing and wholesaling business in 1993 and wrote an effective and workable Business Plan (sold 1995) and again in 2014 as an IT Business owner. For 20 years I worked in the Disability field where one of my tasks was to review and interpret government legislation and its implementation within the organisation.
Not only am I a team player but I have experience in leading diverse groups: I was Chair of the Toowoomba Access Consultative Committee 96-97 and founded a local Linux group, the Toowoomba Linux Community in 2008.
Although I am not necessarily a natural leader, I will step up when necessary and respect the position by having an open mind, listening to all parties and being inclusive.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
Effective and strong Policy development will be a cornerstone in our campaign to become more relevant to the wider public. I believe my background knowledge and experience will continue the trend of quality policy outcomes, which is a mandate for the Party and the position for which I am applying for.
To ensure that quality policy outcomes continues I will endeavour to communicate with the previous Office Holder to request a handover and some mentoring. That way I can start in the role running without disruptions to the current Committee agendum.
Apart from developing a new small business startup, I am now a student and have more time for the PPAU and the role of Policy Development Officer.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
I have been a member of the Pirate Party Australia since 2013. I have been an active member in debates this year and have started creating the framework draft for a NDIS Assistive Technology Policy discussion.
Another contribution I am making is establishing a local chapter of the PPAU. My social media efforts have resulted in positive coverage with over 600 post hits in the first week. I intend to document this effort in the hopes that it will provide a template for further regional chapters and expansion.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
Since I left the Australian Democrats I have been looking for a Political entity that aligns with my ideals. I found the Pirate Party in 2012 and found that it's tenants, policies and activism aligns with my ideals. The expansion of it's policy base has reinforced this belief.
I was a paid voting member (supposedly) of the Australian Democrats 2000 - 2003. I was disallusioned and quit due to leadership issues and subsequent ignoring the vote of members.
For those who like classifications: my political ideals are left-wing but I am a strong believer in small business (the Socialist Businesss Model). I have strongly advocated for disadvantaged people with Disabilities, much to the detriment of employment opportunities in that field.
The Pirate Party Australia is becoming more relevant in the development of a future tech driven Australia, and is its voice needs to be heard. Our Tenants, our Policies and our Activism is what the Australian political landscape needs right now.
Additional Documentation:
Dispute Resolution Committee Member (2 positions)
Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I have an understanding and diplomatic temperament, and a keenness to help resolve disputes. I have a degree in law, which included a subject devoted entirely to dispute resolution. I have also completed the coursework for a degree in legal practice, which emphasised dispute resolution skills.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
I have made sustained contributions to the Pirate Party over the years, but as I've finished university and will be working full time for at least the next two years, I will likely have to reduce my contributions significantly. It is a running joke within the Pirate Party that we'll mark the calendar the day that the Dispute Resolution Committee is asked to resolve a conflict. Nevertheless, it is an important role and as we hopefully continue to expand our membership numbers and see an increase in active members, disputes will be inevitable. It is important that we do not repeat the last year and have an incomplete Dispute Resolution Committee, just in case it's needed. Given my qualifications, the Dispute Resolution Committee would gain a valuable member, and give me an opportunity to continue contributing where possible.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
- Press Officer (2011–)
- Deputy Secretary (2012–2014)
- Member of the Court of Arbitration of Pirate Parties International (2012)
- Policy Development Officer (2013–2014)
- Member of the Policy Development Committee (2013–)
- Inquiries Officer (2014–)
If elected I would competently work to assist the resolution of disputes if and when they occur within the Party.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I agree wholeheartedly with the Pirate Party's platform and ideals, having written and contributed to many of the Pirate Party's policies, and advocated those policies in submissions to various governmental, parliamentary and independent inquiries on behalf of the Pirate Party. I have previously been involved with Pirate Parties International and PirateTimes, the Pirate Movement's news outlet. I am also a member of Pirate Party UK.
Additional Documentation:
- Blog
- I am contactable by:
Hayden Dwyer
This candidate has won their nomination
Why do you feel that you are qualified for the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
As a founding member of PPAU, I have attended the foundation meetings and was heavily involved in the drafting of the first constitution of the Party. As such, I have an intimate knowledge of the spirit of the rules and regulations binding members of the Party. I have been a member of the Dispute Resolution Committee since its inception, and have previously held the role of Deputy Treasurer.
Why are you seeking the position for which you have declared your candidacy?
As a member of the DRC, I hope that I can, if the need arises, help to mitigate any infighting between our members. While I don't see myself sitting on the national council again, I still view PPAU as a crucial party in Australian politics, and I'd like to do whatever I can to ensure our members feel comfortable, and want them to know that they have an avenue to pursue any disputes they may have with other party members.
What experience/contribution have you made so far to the Pirate movement, and what will you do to advance or better the Party and movement?
As stated above, I have been a member of PPAU since its infancy in 2009, and was involved in the drafting of the constitution, much of which is still used now. I have previously been a member of the National Council as Deputy Treasurer, and attended the National Congress as a physical representative in that role. I was also at one stage involved with the IT Working Group (when it was the IT Committee), though left due to the large number of members involved. I have attended several rallies/protests hosted/co-hosted/attended by PPAU, though I haven't done so lately due to living overseas. Again, as stated above, I hope to further the pirate movement by keeping disputes within the party to a minimum, which I believe will ensure that we can continue to attract members to a friendly, open environment.
Do you agree with the Pirate Party platform and its ideals? What other political movements or parties have you been a part of?
I heavily agree with the core principles of the Party, though I don't hesitate to say when I believe a policy may step outside of the principles of free culture, civil liberty or intellectual rights (and may therefore alienate members/voters). I have never been a member of another party or political movement.
Additional Documentation:
