Pirate Congress 2017/Minutes

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

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017_day2_part1.mp4 2017-07-29, 11:46:57 recording started

22m:40s = 12:09:37

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

Day 1 - Saturday, 29 July 2017

Opening [11:59]

Standing orders [11:59]

• MOTION: Adopt the standing orders as presented
  • Motion carried on the floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
  • Motion CARRIED [12:09]

NSW Associations Incorporation Act 2009

This meeting (the Annual National Congress) serves the purposes of Pirate Party Australia's Annual General Meeting under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act 2009.

Outgoing NC reports [12:10]

Simon Frew, President

• The last year has been generally quiet for the Party.
• A lot of active volunteers have had to slow down their efforts to focus on life outside our Party.
• As of this weekend we have our new membership database functional. It has taken a bit over a year but it is there now.
  • Members at Congress will be the first to renew in the new system.
• One of our successes has been helping kick off the #CensusFail campaign.
  • Helped by writing press releases and pushing the issue on social media.
• Helping to try to get members more engaged.
  • Getting the Pirate Bureau setup. https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Pirate_Bureau
  • Updating approval processes.
  • Tasks for pirates page. https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Tasks_for_Pirates
• Won't be re-contesting for President.
  • Everyone needs to pace their involvement, prevent stress and burnout.
  • Will try to take a lesser role.
  • Important everyone looks after themselves.

Fletcher Boyd, Secretary [12:14]

• "We've had a rough year"
• "We've had a few setback that we're only just recovering from."
• "The biggest issue for the party is always going to be getting more members, without new blood we're dead in the water."
• "With an election and AEC audit the next year is gong to be intense for the secretariat."

David Crafti, Registered Officer [12:14]

• Main duty is submitting financial returns to the AEC.

Mark Gibbons, Treasurer [12:15]

• Was a quiet year for the Treasury this year.
• 2015-2016 took in move than $30,000 and spent ~$40,000.
• This year (2016-2017) ~$900, and spent ~$2,500.
• We are a very lean political operation.
• We did expand member to a record level.
• Progressed key projects without having to spend much money.
• Total revenue was $848.64
  • It wasn't an election year so we didn't run any.
  • Previous year (2015-2016) we ran about 3 fundraisers which risked a bit of donor fatigue.
• Bulk of funding was from member donations.
  • Bulk was from a few members, they know who they are. We thank them.
  • 12cents of interest credit from ANZ, thanks!
• Should try to step up merchandise selling this next year.
• Spent a total of $2,535.66
  • Mostly on IT and servers.
  • Not a lot of printing this year.
• We're not wealthy, but no particular concerns.
• We've never failed to run a fundraising drive.
• Over the longer term we should see increasing revenue from merchandise sales and member platform.
• Concur with the Secretary that the challenge the Party faces is not with finances, but with recruitment.
  • We need the Party to register at state levels.
  • Logical place to focus is on states.
• Improving how the Party sells merchandise should be relatively easy.
• Recommendation of Treasury to the incoming NC is that it would consider specific responsibilities for:
  • recruitment
  • fundraising
• Useful to have a clear line of responsibility for these functions.
• Growth is where our focus needs to be.

• Comment from Alex Jago: "expectation is for an Aug/Sep 2018 election"

• Question from IRC: "can we expand on when memberDB will be operational?"
  • Tom Randle:
    • The membership platform is now launched for new members.
    • The existing members will be imported slowly over the next few months.
    • Any members at Congress can ask me and I can activate their account individually.

Floor motion: Waive financial audit [12:22]

• Mark Gibbons:
  • Reason is that we can't afford it.
  • If anyone wants to donate the funds to have a financial audit please do.

• MOTION: Waive the constitutional requirement for a annual financial audit for 2016-2017 financial year.
  • Motion carried on the floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online
    • Ayes: 8
    • Abstains: 2
  • Motion CARRIED [12:24]

Constitutional amendment proposals [12:24]

CAP-0: Repeal section 4.2.2: Associate Membership [12:25]

Pirate_Congress_2017/Constitutional_Amendments#CAP-0:_Repeal_section_4.2.2:_Associate_Membership

• MOTION: CAP-0: Repeal section 4.2.2: Associate Membership.
  • Motion carried on floor
    • Abstains: 1
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

CAP-1: Removal of Registered Officer [12:31]

Pirate_Congress_2017/Constitutional_Amendments#CAP-1:_Removal_of_Registered_Officer

• MOTION: CAP-1: Removal of Registered Officer
  • Motion carried on floor
    • Abstains: 1
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

CAP-2: Defining roles on the National Council [12:32]

Pirate_Congress_2017/Constitutional_Amendments#CAP-2:_Defining_roles_on_the_National_Council

• MOTION: Amend CAP-2 to read "The Secretary fulfills the requirements and obligations of the position of Party Secretary as defined in the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918."
  • Motion carried on floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

Procedural motion: Table CAP-2

• MOTION: Table CAP-2
  • Motion withdrawn.

CAP-2 as amended [12:44]

• MOTION: CAP-2 as amended
  • Motion carried on floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

CAP-3: Modification of Constitutional Amendment Proposals [12:47]

Pirate_Congress_2017/Constitutional_Amendments#CAP-3:_Modification_of_Constitutional_Amendment_Proposals

• MOTION: CAP-3: Modification of Constitutional Amendment Proposals
  • Motion carried on floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

CAP-4: Rename Party Secretary and Deputy Party Secretary [12:50]

Pirate_Congress_2017/Constitutional_Amendments#CAP-4:_Rename_Party_Secretary_and_Deputy_Party_Secretary

• MOTION: CAP-4: Rename Party Secretary and Deputy Party Secretary
  • Motion carried on floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

CAP-5: NSW Association Requirements [12:55]

Pirate_Congress_2017/Constitutional_Amendments#CAP-5:_NSW_Association_Requirements

• MOTION: CAP-5: NSW Association Requirements
  • Motion carried on floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online (no dissent)
• Motion CARRIED.

Procedural motion: Adjourn for lunch [12:58]

• MOTION: Adjourn for lunch
  • Motion carried on floor (no dissent)
  • Motion carried online
    • Abstains: 1
• Motion CARRIED.