[Linux-aus] linux.conf.au 2014 Financials

[Russell Stuart]

On Sun, 2014-06-01 at 11:36 +1000, Silvia Pfeiffer wrote:
> Just one small note of warning: more administrative overhead on the
> teams that organise LCA is not going to make it a more financially
> successful conference but instead will put off more people from
> offering a bid.
> Make sure that whatever financial oversight you put in place are done
> by people outside the core team.

Speaking treasurer of the first conference being subjected to the new
policy (Pycon), for me there has been no overhead.

The requirements boil down to having a budget, getting it authorised by
LA before doing anything, then running an accurate and timely set of
accounts so LA can verify you are following it.  In other words it all
falls on the treasurer, but it merely asks the treasurer to do his job
competently.

The new policy can not do the impossible.  Budgets are an attempt to
predict the future.   Occasionally every such attempt will make the
person doing it look foolish.  So even with the policy in place and
conference proposal with a healthy looking budget, LA can't be positive
the conference will run at a profit.  Floods, GFC's, unpredictable
expenses such as those that effected LCA 2012 are going to happen from
time to time.

But if enforced, the policy should ensure everyone knows a loss is
looming before the money is spent.  Ie back when it might be possible to
do something about it.