[Computerbank] Re: [cai-vic] What happened at the AGM?

Tue Dec 3 11:00:21 UTC 2002

Sorry if

a) this reply seems rather belated
b) I have misunderstood
c) what I say has been duplicated
d) it seems targetted at an individual (it's not - I just don't know enough about the organisation to take any other starting point than this letter)

but, I don't see that apathy in taking part in an AGM corresponds with a total apathy towards constitutional processes.

I for one did not attend because I am not a financial member. I am not a financial member because I have not been involved in the organisation for long enough to have chosen to become one, and could not have done so after the anouncement of the AGM had I desired to do so.

That said, I have become quite concerned at what seems to have completely taken over these mailing lists. Reading them in reverse chronological order, I believed for a long time that people were washing dirty laundry in public, so to speak, airing their personal gripes. I nearly flushed the entire glut of messages that built up over the last few days that I have not checked my email.

I am glad I didn't - and quite alarmed that I nearly missed this.

Whether what happened technically IS unconstutional, it should be addressed in a formal manner, because the constitution needs some improvement so it won't happen again. Questions need to be asked why this could occur and NOT break some parameter of the AGM or the constiution.

Romana - on the one hand you are saying you are the contact-point for these types of grievences and therefore would know if there were objections to the process you employed in determining the new executive.

On the other hand you admit to being a party to these live back-room dealings carried on at election-time.

Excuse me, but WTF?!?!?!!!

Gee, I had been wondering whether computerbank was really a such a welcoming and organised place as my first impression .. whether the Victorian branch might move out to 'the sticks' .. whether there really is room for new people to come onboard in a productive way...

You really need to understand that when volunteers are all you can rely on for getting things done, you can't afford to be too bound up in yourself. You have to make even greater effort to court potential volunteers and supporters than a corporation, not less!

When you rely on the benevolence of corporate donors and government funding, you better make damn sure that you do not give those people a bad image by association, or they will drop you like nothing else.

As someone hoping to find employment with probably these same people, I am not about to become involved with computerbank if it is not beyond reproach. If you want to have a diverse range of volunteers, you better think about this. If all you want is minions of peons who do not think for themselves, fine go on acting like your members and potential members are naiive.

Good luck. But if you do, then the only people who will work with you will be the naiive, and those who see you as naiive and exploit you.

Simeon

----- Original Message -----
From: Romana Challans <romana at timelady.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:06:23 +1030 
To: computerbank at lists.linux.org.au, Daniel Stone <dstone at trinity.unimelb.edu.au>, cai-vic at lists.linux.org.au
Subject: Re: [Computerbank] Re: [cai-vic] What happened at the AGM?

> On Tue, 26 Nov 2002 03:05 pm, Daniel Stone shared:
> > On Tue, Nov 26, 2002 at 02:34:35PM +1100, Price, Tim scrawled:
> > > After so much build-up, proxy-reminding, excitement and anticipation, I'm
> > > extremely disappointed to see there is *still* no announcement on any of
> > > the lists (or the website) on what's happened with the CB presidency.
> > >
> > > I hope this does not reflect upon the competency of the (new?) president.
> >
> > The conclusion was that Grant was the new president, however most of the
> > stuff at the meeting was seriously unconstitutional, and I wouldn't be
> > surpised to see it all happen again due to protests. It was a complete
> > stuff-up.
> 
> whether or not it was unconstitutional is actually yet to be determined. i 
> have neither seen nor heard of any serious protest - and i certainly SHOULD 
> have, as a committee member.
> 
> i find the discussions refreshing, in that it is seriously obvious we need to 
> be examining cai's constition further. however, it is also obvious that there 
> is a divisive issue about the presidency that is puzzling. its not a 
> popularity contest folks. and people should surely, at this stage, be looking 
> to put cai first? 
> 
> regardless of the silly behaviour in what became a very stressful and rather 
> heated agm (yes, hands up, i behaved as a silly type, made apologies, moved 
> on), i am unsure as to the exact nature of the arguments consitutionally - it 
> seems many people voiced that opinion, yet noone is specific. and the people 
> involved most in the vote, grant and kylie, certainly made no protest at the 
> time - at least, none were noted until the results were known!
> 
> and if anyone who wasn't there has an issue with the way the agm was conducted 
> - unless you put in your proxy, your lack of attendance/lack of proxy 
> indicates an apathy that seems to render your protests rather potentless 
> imho.
> 
> i would like to see the results announced, and to see cai move forward. SHOULD 
> there be the requirment for another vote, lets approach it then. certainly, 
> let us look at appointing a working group to examine the constitution. until 
> then, lets stop pointless party politics, personal issues, and the ilk, and 
> be what we are - a talented, devoted group of individuals working for a 
> common goal. cai.
> 
> optimistically, release the doves of peace, romana:)
> ps this opnion is personal, and is not intended to reflect the views of cai-sa 
> as a whole. im opinionated enough;)
> ??????????????????????????????????????????????????
> Romana Challans
> GPG Key fingerprint =
> F09E F80E 5DCA 9476 7753  9423 2CC7 81E8 4F07 1AD2
> 
> State Coordinator
> Computerbank Australia Incorporated, SA Branch
> http://sa.computerbank.org.au/
> 
> "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the 
> continent, a part of the main."
> (Meditation 17, John Donne)
> ??????????????????????????????????????????????????
> _______________________________________________
> The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual, and do not 
> express the opinions of Computerbank Australia Incorporated (CAI) in any way.
> _______________________________________________
> 
> computerbank mailing list
> computerbank at lists.linux.org.au
> http://lists.linux.org.au/listinfo/computerbank
> Web page: http://www.computerbank.org.au
> 

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