<html><head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
</head>
<body>Thank you Sae Ra, the Council and all in our community for taking a sensible and measured approach here.<br><br>Stay safe and happy hacking,<br>Hugh<br><br>-- <br>Sent from my phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity and/or top posting.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 14 March 2020 8:59:55 am AEDT, "President, Linux Australia via linux-aus" <linux-aus@lists.linux.org.au> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" id="docs-internal-guid-db919857-7fff-b98d-512c-c98f59bc4d30"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear All,</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As many people are now aware, the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 disease it causes is increasing globally. This has the potential to affect the activities of Linux Australia over coming months.</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our first duty is to protect the safety and wellbeing of event organisers, volunteers and delegates. Linux Australia is continually monitoring developments and how these may affect its future major events. When making decisions about these events, Linux Australia and local organising teams will work together. We will be guided by the best advice available at the time from medical authorities and relevant government representatives and act according to it. Event organising teams will be asked to respect the advice of authorities, even if this leads to event cancellation. The COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly, and Linux Australia must balance responsiveness with appropriate risk assessment and action. The timing of decisions will be in accordance with recommendations from public health authorities.</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to major events, many smaller gatherings are routinely held by Linux Australia members. Organisers of these events should become familiar with the COVID-19 risk level in their area and make informed decisions about proceeding with their events based on the best advice available at the time and the nature of their event. If authorities issue advice about small gatherings, organisers should respect that advice and respond appropriately. Linux Australia will work with organisers and support decisions made by them for these local events.</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Above all, Linux Australia encourages all its members to stay up to date with COVID-19 developments, act accordingly and stay safe. We recommend members taking personal circumstances and risk factors into account before choosing to attend an event auspiced by Linux Australia.</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Linux Australia Council is available to discuss any thoughts, suggestions, queries or concerns members may have in relation to COVID-19 and its effect on member activities.
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those who may already be personally affected, we wish you and your loved ones a speedy and complete recovery.</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kind Regards,</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><tt><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></tt></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"><tt>Sae Ra</tt>
</span></p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Sae Ra Germaine
President
Linux Australia
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:president@linux.org.au">president@linux.org.au</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://linux.org.au">http://linux.org.au</a>
Linux Australia Inc
GPO Box 4788
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia
ABN 56 987 117 479</pre>
</blockquote></div></body></html>