[Announce] AGM, Election, Name Change & Rusty Wrench Award

[Peter Lieverdink]

In this email:

* Linux Australia AGM
* 2013 Council Election
* Linux Australia Name Change Vote
* 2013 Rusty Wrench Award


All of these are important, so please read this email carefully.



== Linux Australia AGM ==

This is the official notification that the Linux Australia Annual General Meeting will be held in the week of January 28 - February 1 2013 at linux.conf.au 2013 in Canberra.

We are yet to confirm the actual date, time and room and you will receive a more detailed notification once we have.



== 2013 Council Election ==

Nominations for the council election are open at https://www.linux.org.au/membership/index.php?page=view-election&id=19 - all current members are able to nominate and be nominated.

The election timeline is as follows:

Nominations: 13/12/2012 00:00 - 16/01/2013 00:00
Voting:	     16/01/2013 00:00 - 30/01/2013 00:00

The results will be announced at the Linux Australia AGM.



== Linux Australia Name Change Vote ==

Because you’ve all proposed a very large amount of possible new names for Linux Australia, we need a way to shorten that list somewhat.

Before we can put the suggested new name(s) to a final vote, we need to verify through the NSW Department of Fair Trading that the name is available and that we’re allowed to register it. Additionally, we need to be able to get the associated domain name(s). Since we’re only legally allowed to request three names to be reserved, the long list needs to first be whittled down to three.

We will do this in an online vote using our website.

The vote will allow you to rank all suggested names in your order of preference. You do not need to rank proposed names that you don’t want to support and you are able to vote for “Leave Linux Australia's name unchanged”, which is the final option in the list.

All current members are able to participate in this vote.

Once this first vote is done, if the winner is not “Leave Linux Australia's name unchanged”, the council will attempt to reserve the top three names with the NSW Department of Fair Trading. We will then hold a second run-off vote between these top three names. This second vote will once again be optional preferential, meaning you can rank none, some or all of the suggested names in your order of preference. “Leave Linux Australia's name unchanged” will once again be an option.

If the result of the second vote is to change our name, the council will contact the NSW Department of Fair Trading and register the winning name as a Registered Business Name. We will then call a Special General Meeting to officially change the name of Linux Australia.

It is a legal requirement that a minimum of 75% of voters need to vote in favour of a name change at the SGM in order for the motion to pass.

Vote 1 of 3 is open now at https://www.linux.org.au/membership/index.php?page=view-election&id=18

This first vote will remain open for two weeks until midnight (AEST) on December 27, 2012.



== Rusty Wrench Award ==

Nominations for the Rusty Wrench Award (to be awarded at LCA2013) are now open. 

If you know of someone who deserves to be recognised for their efforts in helping our free and open source software community, please nominate them at http://linux.org.au/vote/rusty-wrench-nomination-form

Submissions close on December 27.