[Linux-aus] Linux Australia has voted in favour of removing Mr Stuart Benjamin as the Chair of auDA

[Paul W Parker]

I support position taken on this Subject.

The ability to review previous decisions, decision making discussions,
is important to understand the source of current arrangements, whether
positive or negative. 


Paul W Parker. 


On Thu, 2017-07-27 at 14:49 +1000, Linux Australia President wrote:
> Hi everyone, 
> In line with our organisational values of openness, respect and
> transparency, I'd like to communicate to you a decision that Council
> has today taken regarding the Special General Meeting (SGM) of auDA -
> the Australian Domain name regulator. Linux Australia is a member of
> auDA in the Demand Class (ie we consume domain name services, we do
> not provide them). 
> There has been recent controversy over how auDA, which underwent a
> leadership change in 2016, is currently operating with regard to
> transparency of decisions, and availability of previously-available
> decision making instruments such as minutes. A group of members of
> auDA (of which Linux Australia was not a part) has requested an SGM,
> and one of the motions at that SGM is to remove the current Chair, Mr
> Stuart Benjamin, effecting change in leadership in the organisation. 
> After consultation with other Council members, this afternoon I
> signed a proxy vote form, requesting that Mr Ned O'Meara act as our
> proxy at this meeting, and vote to remove Mr Benjamin. 
> The specific text of the instruction is below, and I am happy to make
> the proxy vote form available on request. 
> As always, your feedback, comments, and concerns - are always
> welcomed to this list, or privately to any of Council. 
> With kind regards, 
> Kathy
> 
> 
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> Subject:	[LACTTE] Proxy Form for auDA SGM 31 July - Katherine
> Reid per Linux Australia Inc.
> Date:	Thu, 27 Jul 2017 14:33:40 +1000
> From:	Linux Australia President <president at linux.org.au>
> Reply-To:	president at linux.org.au
> Organization:	Linux Australia
> To:	ned at domainer.com.au, di.parker at auda.org.au
> CC:	council <council at linux.org.au>
> 
> Dear Ned and Di,
> 
> (CC: Linux Australia Council)
> 
> Please find attached a Proxy Form for Linux Australia, signed by
> myself
> as the current President of the organisation, which instructs Ned to
> vote in favour of the resolution at SGM 31 July 2017 to remove the
> current Chair, Mr Stuart Benjamin. We underscore that this action is
> not
> aimed personally at Mr Benjamin in any way, and note the regard with
> which he is held in the Australian domain name community. However we
> feel that the current behaviour of auDA is not in line with our own
> organisational values of openness and transparency [1].
> 
> We encourage auDA to reflect on current governance practices, and to
> identify and implement additional mechanisms to make the internal
> machinations of the organisation more transparent to its members.
> 
> With kind regards,
> 
> Katherine (Kathy) Reid
> 
> BA/BSc, MBA
> 
> President, Linux Australia Inc.
> 
> 
> [1] https://linux.org.au/values
>