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

Thu Jan 4 04:59:58 AEDT 2024

To be honest, even if LA could afford to pay an entire suite of staff, 
if it lacked the open* movers and shakers, it wouldn't really be the 
Linux Australia that at least I knew or thought it was/is.

A staff could certainly help prevent burnout -- IMHO the AUUG lasted as 
long as it did because it had a paid staff member so the volunteer board 
didn't burn out /as fast/, but it did lose the grass roots members who, 
incidentally, all went to L.A. which had more life at the time, and 
obviously still does.

I would also comment that I don't think the lack of participation in 
L.A. is just open* specific; although I now have a U.S. context (I'm 
essentially an ex-pat Aussie in NYS, USA), all the organisations that 
need a pipeline of next generation advocates, be they pet advocacy 
groups, Churches, service groups (think Rotary/Lions, even Scouts), are 
having a hard time finding it and we're all growing older!

/That's not to say L.A. /should do nothing about it - I just say that 
because I don't think L.A.'s situation is because of a lack of desire, 
will, earnest, and well-deserved effort. I think there's something else 
going on :(

DSL

[1] Incidentally, a remnant of the AUUG still meets in South 
Australia...but I digress...

On 1/3/2024 6:01 AM, Kathy Reid via linux-aus wrote:
> 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
>> _______________________________________________
>> announce mailing list
>> announce at lists.linux.org.au
>> http://lists.linux.org.au/mailman/listinfo/announce
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