[Linux-aus] Conferences

[Bret Busby <bret@busby.net>]

On 6 Feb 2003, Tim Bowden wrote:

> Date: 06 Feb 2003 07:29:31 +0800
> From: Tim Bowden <bowden@iinet.net.au>
> To: la <linux-aus@lists.linux.org.au>
> Subject: Re: [Linux-aus] Thanks for the fish!
> 
> 	On Thu, 2003-02-06 at 05:14, David Lloyd wrote:
> > 
> > Would it be useful to have a formal place for suggestions about the next
> > conference(s)...maybe a read only mailing list or a forum style affair?
> > 
>  
> Most definitely.  When PLUG were organizing lca03 they had a mailing
> list especially for those who were helping/ interested in the conf
> planning.
> 
> Tim Bowden
> 
> 

Perhaps, given the objectives of Linux Australia, it could host an 
ongoing conference list; not limited to any particular conference, so 
that comments/suggestions/discussions/etc could occur on an ongoing 
basis, and thus the issues relating to the conferences could be 
discussed and reviewed on an ongoing basis, on a "perpetual", dedicated 
list.

In relation to the comments about hosting a conference in NZ, just out 
of interest, the legal references in Australia, to NZ as part of the 
"Commonwealth of Australia", are in the Australian Constitution Act, and 
the reference is to named colonies, including NZ, that "may want to 
become part of the Commonwealth", or something to that effect; something 
like "The Commonwealth of Australia shall consist of the colonies of New 
South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, (and other Australian colonies that 
are part of the federation), and New Zealand, or as many of those 
colonies as secide to become part of the Commonwealth". The wording is 
not word for word, but it is an approximation.

As NZ is not part of the Australian federation, but is regarded, in 
terms of being part of a same entity as parts (as in states and 
territories) of Australia, only (I believe) in its being part of 
Australasia, to have what have thus far, been Australian Linux 
conferences, also held in NZ, would, I believe, require the conferences 
to become Australasian conferences, or, perhaps, ANZ (as in 
Australian and New Zealand, as opposed to the bank) conferences, and, if 
the umbrella or parent organisation is to remain what is now Linux 
Australia, or similarly as an incorporated organisation, apart from 
requiring mendments to the constitution (if it is to be what is now 
known as Linux Australia), including a name change, and, the 
organisation would, I believe, ned to be incorporated in both countries, 
and, would be subject to the laws of both countries, including, as a 
primary example, to the tax laws of both countries, and thence, the 
different GST requirements of both countries. Also, as a member of the 
Western Australian Genealogical Society, and the New Zealand Society of 
Genealogists, I know that the privacy requirements of this state and NZ, 
differ, and that apparently  also applies to the Australian federal 
privacy requirements.

In short, whilst the idea may appear, at first consideration, a good 
idea, I believe that it opens up a can of nasty worms (like hydatids, 
not nice earth worms). I think that it would also require a fair bit of 
legal practioner involvement, including legal practitioner knowledge of 
the laws of both countries, apart from accounting knowledge of the 
accounting and tax requirements of both countries.

That is not to say that I believe that it should not happen; I just 
suggest that it would be very difficult to implement.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
 you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
  Chapter 28 of 
  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
  written by Douglas Adams, 
  published by Pan Books, 1992 
....................................................