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It looks like there has been some very positive changes on this...<br>
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<a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/07/10/secret_senate_software_stoush_greens_intervene">http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/07/10/secret_senate_software_stoush_greens_intervene</a>/<br>
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Regards,<br>
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Euan deKock<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 9 July 2014 8:03:42 PM AWST, Chris Neugebauer <chrisjrn@gmail.com> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<pre class="k9mail">Hello all,<br /><br />Council adopted the following motion during its last meeting,<br />contributing to Michael's fund:<br /><br />MOTION: To consider the GRANT REQUEST proposed by CHRISTOPHER<br />NEUGEBAUER to support the efforts of MICHAEL CORDOVER to have the<br />Senate voting software ‘Easycount’ released under FOI request, funded<br />through crowdsourcing platform, Pozible, to a cost of $AUD 150.<br /><br />Council noted the strong community support for this campaign, and<br />noted that this is an excellent opportunity for Linux Australia to<br />seek the release of source code from government. Noted that this<br />action is generally in line with our values. Council did discuss the<br />distinction between open government and open source, and noted that<br />the chances of the code being released under an open source license<br />are remote. Council noted the relationship between this work and trade<br />secrets.<br /><br />MOTION proposed by
JOSHUA HESKETH on behalf of CHRISTOPHER NEUGEBAUER<br />(abstaining as GRANT REQUESTOR)<br />MOTION SECONDED by KATHY REID<br />MOTION CARRIED unanimously with one abstention<br /><br />ACTION: CHRISTOPHER NEUGEBAUER to work with FRANCOIS MARIER to arrange payment<br /><br /><br />On 23 June 2014 11:56, Chris Neugebauer <chrisjrn@gmail.com> wrote:<br /><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 1ex 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid #729fcf; padding-left: 1ex;"> Hey all,<br /><br /> One of our members, Michael Cordover, has been going through the<br /> Freedom of Information process to gain access to the source code used<br /> by the Australian Electoral Commision to tally Senate votes in<br /> Australian federal elections.<br /><br /> Michael's process, including all correspondence with the AEC, has been<br /> thoroughly documented here at [0].<br /><br /> The AEC declined the FOI request, and Michael is currently seeking<br /> appeal through the administrative appeals
tribunal, as the free review<br /> process was performed by the OAIC, a body being disbanded through the<br /> 2014-15 federal budget process.<br /><br /> The appeal requires a lodgement fee of some $850. Michael is in the<br /> process of crowd funding this request [1].<br /><br /> Whilst I'm not a lawyer, I've been following the process quite closely<br /> since it started, and have been deeply bemused by the AEC's arguments,<br /> which I personally feel are either technically flawed or absurd.<br /><br /> I believe that the goal of the FOI request, and associated review, is<br /> well in line with Linux Australia's values [2], in particular, that of<br /> "Freedom", which explicitly states:<br /><br /> "We value free access to, sharing of and repurposing of information,<br /> in particular that information held by the public sector."<br /><br /> I'd like to request that, as a showing of support, Linux Australia<br /> make a small contribution, not exceeding $150 to the
crowdfunding<br /> campaign.<br /><br /><br /> --Chris<br /><br /> [0] <a href="http://easycount.mjec.net">http://easycount.mjec.net</a>/<br /> [1] <a href="http://www.pozible.com/project/183015">http://www.pozible.com/project/183015</a><br /> [2] <a href="http://linux.org.au/values">http://linux.org.au/values</a><br /><br /> --<br /> --Christopher Neugebauer<br /><br /> Jabber: chrisjrn@gmail.com -- IRC: chrisjrn on <a href="http://irc.freenode.net">irc.freenode.net</a> --<br /> WWW: <a href="http://chris.neugebauer.id.au">http://chris.neugebauer.id.au</a> -- Twitter: @chrisjrn<br /></blockquote><br /><br /></pre></blockquote></div></body></html>