[Linux-aus] [Announce] Notice of Linux Australia 2024 Council Elections and AGM

Wed Jan 3 22:01:11 AEDT 2024

Thanks Joel for the announcement.

I'd love to hear from potential Council Members around some of the 
challenges I see for Linux Australia itself, and the community more 
broadly, for example some of the actions or programs that might be 
undertaken in 2024 to address them.

## Pipeline challenges

Across the board with open* in Australia, we are observing pipeline 
challenges - that is, we seem to be lacking "the next generation" of 
open source advocates - those willing to donate their time, talent and 
treasure (ref: Tiffany Ferris) to advance the organisation's goals. This 
is evident in the number of people nominating for Council, the broader 
group of people willing to "pitch in" and provide help with all the 
things the organisation does [0], the pipelines for organising flagship 
events such as Everything Open and PyConAU etc.

How do nominees intend to address the pipeline challenges, with specific 
reference to goals, activities or programs of work?

## Hired help

For a long time (certainly since I was on Council in the mid-2010s) 
there has been debate around whether Linux Australia should hire help 
such as an Executive Officer role to "do more of the doing", while 
Council plays a (volunteer) governance role. Other organisations, such 
as Digital Rights Watch, and previously, Electronic Frontiers Australia, 
have adopted this model.

Can Linux Australia afford to go down this path, and where do nominees' 
views sit on this question?

(To be clear, I don't think LA can afford to financially, and it sets up 
a schism of labour in terms of paid vs volunteer, but very interested in 
the thoughts of others).

## Strategic direction

Is Linux Australia on the right track? What strategic changes do you 
think are needed (if any)? How would you make these changes?

Kind regards,

Kathy Reid

[0] https://youtu.be/ektSl_d0F6Q?si=4VuCLRl--ymy-ogk&t=311

On 2023-12-24 22:15, Joel Addison wrote:
> Dear Linux Australia Community,
> 
> Pursuant to clause (15) of the Linux Australia constitution [1] we
> hereby declare an election open and call for nominations to the Linux
> Australia Council for the term January 2024 to January 2025.
> 
> All office bearer and ordinary committee member positions are open for
> Election.
> 
> ## Key Information
> 
>    * Nominations will open from 26 December 2023 and run until 11:59pm
> 6 January 2024 (AEDT).
>    * Voting will open at 01:01 AM 7 January 2024 (AEDT) and run until
> 11:59pm 14 January 2024 (AEDT).
>    * Results will be ratified during the AGM held at 2:30pm Saturday
> 20 January 2024 (AEDT).
> 
> To view and participate in the election please visit
> https://www.linux.org.au/
>    * Click on “Login” located on the top right hand side of the
> page and log in.
>    * Click on “Elections”.
>    * Under “Linux Australia Council Election 2024”, click on
> “View & Submit Nominations”.
> 
> ## What do I need to do?
> 
> First of all, make sure your details are correct at Linux
> Australia’s
> website [2]. If you need assistance accessing the membership portal
> please contact secretary at linux.org.au. Note that in line with common
> election conventions, new membership requests are not processed during
> the election period.
> 
> If you wish to nominate yourself, identify the positions you wish to
> nominate for and get an understanding of what each position involves.
> Think about what you might bring to the role and prepare a short
> pitch.
> Then, accept the nomination you've been given by clicking the 'Accept
> nomination' link.
> 
> Please note that all people elected to a position on the Council
> must provide their current residential address, as per requirements
> for NSW incorporated associations. They must also hold a Director
> identification number (director ID) as per requirements of
> organisations
> with an Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN) [3].
> 
> *You must accept your nomination to move to the next stage of the
> election process*
> 
> If you wish to nominate another person for a position, you may wish to
> contact them first and have a chat to make sure they're happy being
> nominated. Then follow the 'Nominate' link to nominate them.
> 
> Once voting is open, you will be able to vote for candidates. Results
> will be announced at the Linux Australia AGM to be held on 20 January
> 2024.
> 
> ## Why should I nominate?
> 
> Being a member of Linux Australia Council is a fun way to meet new
> people, work on exciting projects and expand your skill base. It gives
> you excellent transferable skills to help build your career, and
> allows
> you to grow your professional network. It looks great on a CV, and is
> also a chance to give back to the vibrant Linux and open source
> ecosystem in Australia and globally. If you're passionate about open
> technologies and the communities that surround them, it's a great
> opportunity to help drive and steer Australia's contribution in this
> field.
> 
> ## What is the commitment required?
> 
> If you are contemplating nominating for a role on Council, in addition
> to referring to the Position Descriptions provided [4], you are
> strongly
> encouraged to approach current and former council members for their
> perspective.  You will find them, to a person, willing to discuss the
> roles and responsibilities in a more informal manner.
> 
> The roles do require a time commitment.
> * Ordinary Council Member: a minimum of 2-3 hours per week.
> * Office bearers: 8-12 hours per week.
> Please allow for this when considering your nomination.
> 
> ## Why should I run?
> 
> If you’ve been nominated, or are thinking of nominating yourself,
> you
> should give the opportunity serious consideration. Being on the
> council
> is both hard and often thankless work, but it is also incredibly
> rewarding. Linux Australia can only achieve what it does by its
> members
> and helping out with the council responsibilities is a great way to
> ensure Linux Australia continues to be successful. It is also an
> opportunity to help the organisation grow, reach into new areas and to
> succeed on important topics of national relevance.
> 
> As always, your feedback and questions are warmly welcomed. If you'd
> like to have a chat with anyone on Council around what it involves,
> please reach out.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Joel Addison
> President
> Linux Australia
> 
> [1] http://www.linux.org.au/constitution
> [2] http://www.linux.org.au/membership
> [3] https://www.abrs.gov.au/director-identification-number
> [4] https://github.com/linuxaustralia/position-descriptions
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