[Linux-aus] Final nominations for LA election

[Pia Waugh]

Hi all,

The nomination period for the LA election closed at midnight last night, so
I thought I'd post the final nominations. Please note that not everyone who
was nominated accepted nominations, so this list is all the valid accepted
nominations that are standing for the vote. Voting will start on the 25th
and close before the AGM. For more details just log in to the election
system here:

  http://linux.org.au/membership

Candidates
==========
President
---------
    * Stewart Smith (stewart at linux.org.au)

      Hi, I'm Stewart Smith and I want to be the president of Linux
      Australia in 2008.

      I have previously served on the Linux Australia committee both as Vice
      President and as an Ordinary Committee Member.

      This year, I'm running on the following platform:
      - Keep the organisation solvent (if we loose money, we go broke and don't
        have an organisation any more... which likely means no LCA, which would
        be a disaster).
      - Ensure an awesome LCA is organised for 2009
      - Improve processes, especially in finances and book keeping
      - Use LA's resources for more things directly benefiting members (including
        investigating member services, talking to government to ensure Australian
        law is friendly to the needs of our members, supporting LUGs)
      - Be inclusive and in touch with members, and what's holding back other
        people becoming members.

      In addition to being on the LA committee previously, I've also been on
      the LUV committee, am currently helping with LCA08 things and was
      rather active back in the (not too distant) past at my university.
      I've co-authored two books related to free software (Practical MythTV
      and the MySQL 5.1 Cluster Certification Study Guide), currently work
      for MySQL as a Senior Software Engineer on MySQL Cluster and live in
      Melbourne.

      I'm also the author of this membership and voting software, MemberDB -
      and no, it's not rigged but yes, it is free software.

Note: Stewart Smith is running alone for this position.

Vice-President
--------------
    * James Turnbull (james at lovedthanlost.net)
      As per my committee nomination.
    * Stephen Walsh (steve at nerdvana.org.au)
      After a solid year of getting my head around Linux Australia's history
      and plans whilst an OCM, I feel I can bring a level of continuity to
      the position of VP that will allow me to further the aims and intent
      of Linux Australia during 2008.

Note: Stewart Smith removed from list as he will will the President role
uncontested.

Secretary
---------
    * Terry Dawson (terry at linux.org.au)
      Thanks for the nomination!

      I'm keen to continue to be involved in Linux Australia.

      I'd like the opportunity to take a lead role in identifying problems
      with and improving our communication with our membership and the
      community.

Note: Terry is running for this role uncontested.

Treasurer
---------

    * Anthony Towns (aj at azure.humbug.org.au)
      My goals for the year:

      1. Make sure we can have understandable and timely financial reports
      that we can use to make good decisions.

      2. Make the procedures to do that easy and simple for LCA and other LA
      projects.

      3. Help LA spend the money it generates on useful things.

      4. (wishful thinking) Have 1. and 2. be easily repeatable by other
      organisations, entirely with free software.

Note: AJ is running for this role uncontested.

Ordinary Committee Members
--------------------------
    * Marco Ostini (m.ostini at uq.edu.au)
      Hi, My names Marco, I'm from Queensland and I'm here to help. ;)

      With a change of Australian Federal government, and 'the year of the
      Linux desktop' looming, I'd like to offer skills and abilities to
      bring FOSS more fully into wide spread use, in homes, business and
      government, while representing the philosophical values it embodies.

      My first taste of linux was in 1993, and I've been actively been
      promoting FOSS ever since.

      At the same time, I work in a professional environment with
      heterogeneous networks where I am made most familiar with contemporary
      computing expectations and misunderstandings.

      I'd like to use my skills and abilities to assist Linux Australia.

    * James Turnbull (james at lovedthanlost.net)
      Hi - I'm James Turnbull.

      I live in Melbourne and have been an avid Linux (and open source
      software) user since the mid-1990s. I am standing as a Committee
      Member for Linux Australia because I would like the opportunity to
      give back to the open source community.

      I've worked in the IT industry for 15 years and currently specialise
      in IT security. I have experience managing large projects and teams,
      have strong communications skills, understand budgets and know enough
      about accounting to be dangerous.

      In the last five years I have written three books on open source
      technologies and this year I am involved in organising linux.conf.au
      2008. As some of you are aware I took on the role of mini-conf
      coordinator and more recently took over the role of treasurer.

      In the coming year I see a lot of opportunities for Linux Australia to
      spread the open source message. With a change of government there are
      new ministers to lobby and demonstrate the value that open source
      software could add to new and existing government programmes across a
      variety of areas - particularly education, community services and
      health. A lot of this advocacy can (and should be!) done in
      conjunction with OSIA. The community and the industry working more
      closely together will allow both groups to wield more influence and
      leverage larger opportunities.

      This year the Linux Australia grants programme has also been very
      quiet. I hope to help promote the programme and encourage individuals
      and groups to come up with innovative and effective ideas that will
      benefit their communities and raise Linux Australia�s profile in the
      broader community.

      Linux Australia also needs to ensure we continue to support the Linux
      User Groups and events like linux.conf.au, install fests, and Software
      Freedom Day. We should also seek new events and opportunities to
      spread the word about Linux Australia and open source software.

      Overall, I believe I can add a lot of value to Linux Australia and
      would welcome the chance to contribute my time and skills.

    * Stephen Walsh (steve at nerdvana.org.au)
      After a solid year of getting my head around Linux Australia's history
      and plans whilst an OCM, I want to bring more to the table for our
      various sub-committees to help them improve on what they have. I also
      would like to revamp the grant scheme within the new framework the
      committee developed in 2007, making them more useful to our
      membership, whilst trying to remove the perception of "red tape"
      needed to successfully submit a grant request

      I also intend to continue my work with the extremely Hard Working
      Sysadmin team, who are often the first to be blamed and the last to be
      thanked when things go wrong.

    * Paul Schulz (paul at mawsonlakes.org)
      Greetings - I am Paul Schulz

      Some of you may know me from previous Linux.Conf.Au conferences, where
      I was on the organising committee for Adelaide in 2004 and ran the
      Embedded Mini-conference in Dunedin in 2006.

      I live and work in Adelaide as a System Administrator, making great
      use of this fantastic software, contributing back to the community
      where I can.

      I have been a Ubuntu member since June 2005. I have represented Linux
      Australia and organised booths at the 2006 and 2007 Connecting-Up
      conferences held in Adelaide, which is an ICT conference for the
      Not-For-Profit / Non-Government organisation sector in Australia, as
      well as organising Software Freedom Day events in 2006/7.

      2008 is going to be an incredible year for the Linux and F/LOSS
      community, There are fantastic and amazing things that can only be
      done with F/LOSS. Should I be elected, I am looking forward to working
      on the Linux Australia committee and bringing more of the 'good stuff'
      to the wider Australian community.

    * Melissa Draper (melissa at meldraweb.com) Greetings all,

      We all know that Linux Australia is an integral part of the Australian
      Open Source Community through its support of F/LOSS User and Interest
      Groups, and related events (both established and prospective). If
      elected to the Committee, I would encourage improved responsiveness to
      requests for assistance (in the form of the Grants programme) and seek
      to further interaction and cooperation between Linux Australia and
      other groups. I believe that the recent change of government could
      provide a lot of potential, and better cooperation will be imperitive
      in succeeding with opportunities that arise.

      Furthermore, I would support a change to a more inclusive name or the
      migration of administrivia to a new umbrella org, and wholeheartedly
      back the previously discussed Australian F/LOSS Awards idea. These
      concepts would increase the perceived scope of the organisation and
      make the surrounding community more inviting. The awards have the
      added benefit of creating a more supportive atmosphere by inspiring,
      encouraging and rewarding the efforts of the many people who (often
      voluntarily in their spare time) make the community as strong as it
      is.

      I am no stranger to the F/LOSS community. I have developed a good
      understanding of the dynamic of F/LOSS communities through my time as
      Contact of the Australian Ubuntu Team (which involved collaboration
      and mentoring of international Local Teams), and my efforts promoting
      community diversity and equality through my LinuxChix involvement.

      I would be honored to have the opportunity to help guide Linux
      Australia through the next year, whatever this involves.

Note: Stewart Smith removed from list as he will will the President role
uncontested.

That's it folks, putting on your voting boots :)

Cheers,
Pia

-- 
Linux Australia                                         http://linux.org.au/
 
    "If you have any trouble sounding condescending, find a Unix user to
                   show you how it's done." - Scott Adams