[Linux-aus] Grant request: Contribution to Senate voting source code FOI request review.

[Bret Busby]

On Mon, 23 Jun 2014, James Polley wrote:

> Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 13:14:24
> From: James Polley <jamezpolley at gmail.com>
> To: Chris Neugebauer <chrisjrn at gmail.com>
> Cc: council <council at linux.org.au>,
>     Linux Australia <linux-aus at lists.linux.org.au>
> Subject: Re: [Linux-aus] Grant request: Contribution to Senate voting source
>     code FOI request review.
> 
> I support this application, so much so that I've thrown some of my own money towards the cause as well.
>
>> On 23 Jun 2014, at 11:56, Chris Neugebauer <chrisjrn at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> One of our members, Michael Cordover, has been going through the
>> Freedom of Information process to gain access to the source code used
>> by the Australian Electoral Commision to tally Senate votes in
>> Australian federal elections.
>>
>> Michael's process, including all correspondence with the AEC, has been
>> thoroughly documented here at [0].
>>
>> The AEC declined the FOI request, and Michael is currently seeking
>> appeal through the administrative appeals tribunal, as the free review
>> process was performed by the OAIC, a body being disbanded through the
>> 2014-15 federal budget process.
>>
>> The appeal requires a lodgement fee of some $850. Michael is in the
>> process of crowd funding this request [1].
>>
>> Whilst I'm not a lawyer, I've been following the process quite closely
>> since it started, and have been deeply bemused by the AEC's arguments,
>> which I personally feel are either technically flawed or absurd.
>>
>> I believe that the goal of the FOI request, and associated review, is
>> well in line with Linux Australia's values [2], in particular, that of
>> "Freedom", which explicitly states:
>>
>> "We value free access to, sharing of and repurposing of information,
>> in particular that information held by the public sector."
>>
>> I'd like to request that, as a showing of support, Linux Australia
>> make a small contribution, not exceeding $150 to the crowdfunding
>> campaign.
>>
>>
>> --Chris
>>
>

What is the purpose of the application?

Is it to simply challenge the methodology of the AEC in counting senate 
votes?

If so, is that an appropriate action for the involvement of Linux 
Australia?

Is the purpose of the application, to lead to a challenge to the 
appropriateness of the method of selection of members of the senate, by 
such a bodgy system that prewvents democratic elevction of membvers of 
the parliament?

If so, is that an appropraite action for the involvement of Linux 
Australia?

I believe that, if not for the general apathy that prevails, all pof the 
Australian electorate should challenge the unrepresentative swill that 
is the senate, and, the lack of democratic election of that particular 
bunch of freeloaders that have no useful purpose.

If the purpose of the application, is to seek to obtain a copy of the 
source code, so that a version could be ported to a Linux platform, such 
a statement appears to be conspicuous by its absence, from the preceding 
messages in the thread, and, I believe that that particular statement of 
purpose, should be the only justification for the involvement of Linux 
Australia.

For individual people to rebel against , and, to start a campaign to 
rebel against, the bodgy system of parliament, and, the bodgy selection 
of members of the parliament, and, to seek to replace the bodgy system, 
with a democratic parliament that is democratically elected, is 
definitely needed (if the general apathy of the Australian public, could 
be overcome), but, that is surely not the purpose of Linux Australia, 
and, in the absence of a statement explicitly stating the purpose of the 
application to be solely for the purpose of seeking to create a port to 
a Linux platform, whilst the cause may be justified in its own right, 
surely, it is not an appropriate cause for the involvement of Linux 
Australia.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
  you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
   Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
   "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
   A Trilogy In Four Parts",
   written by Douglas Adams,
   published by Pan Books, 1992
....................................................