26 March 2011 meeting minutes

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This article details the proceedings of the Pirate Party of New Zealand Special General Meeting 26 March 2011.

Actionables

 * Tommy to change contacts page (to reflect his election to President)

Agenda

 * 1) Hold new presidential elections (1)
 * I'll also propose to create a position for a memberships officer on the executive council, separate from the secretary and treasurer (2)
 * 1) Elections to any new position. (3)
 * 2) Discuss changing the membership fee (4)
 * The electoral commission has clarified some of our questions on this.
 * 1) Decide whether to apply to become a Non-Profit-Organization (5)
 * 2) Clarify approval process for new chapters (6)
 * 3) Clarification regarding regional chapter Presidents and the executive council (7)
 * 4) About the Party registration process (8)
 * 5) Members used to register other parties (9)
 * 6) Possibly adopt the meeting process and/or Executive Council positions (they may need further editing) (10)
 * 7) Chief scrutineer's report on the official Botany by-election count (11)
 * 8) Update from Young Pirates NZ and regional chapters (12)

Present

 * Members:
 * Tommy, Noel, Bruce, Peter, Matt


 * Apologies:
 * Non-Members:
 * Late:

Minutes
The minutes for the meeting were recorded by by Noel and Tommy.

Tommy declares the meeting open at 11:37am

Previous minutes
Peter moves:
 *  to accept the minutes as true and complete records of 12 March meeting.


 * Tommy seconds
 * The minutes from 12 March meeting are thus accepted.

Nominations for Presidency
By Exec Council Special Resolution 5, Tommy is the interim president but an election is required. Nominations will now take place.

Noel, Peter nominate:
 * Tommy


 * Tommy accepts

Tommy nominates:
 * Peter


 * Peter declines nomination

Tommy is to come back to this item in an hour after more people show up.

Meeting revisits this item at 12:44pm:

There are no additional nominations.

Tommy moves:
 * to accept declaration as President


 * In favour: Peter, Noel
 * Tommy is declared party president.

Elections to New Positions
Tommy moves:
 * to create a memberships secretary.


 * Tommy: He’s written a description of the proposed position on the PPNZ wiki (http://pirateparty.org.nz/w/index.php?title=Talk:Positions&oldid=607). Bruce works in the capacity of a memberships secretary for the moment.
 * Peter suggests that we let members who are joining deposit the money themselves.
 * Bruce suggests that we make the position a joint responsibility of treasurer and secretary, and they can delegate if required.
 * Tommy disagrees, saying that this makes it unclear who people should talk to.
 * Noel suggests adding the role of maintaining database of possible online applicants to the position.
 * Peter would like to be able to change the arrangement without having to make a SGM for it. He would like to delegate this task to EC so it can be discussed between EC.
 * Tommy disagrees.
 * Bruce says this is the status quo.

Tommy moves:
 * to adjourn the SGM and hold a Council Meeting instead, so items such as this one can be discussed.

Peter moves:
 * to move the discussions of non-SGM items after the SGM.


 * Tommy asks whether we have an email alias for membership,
 * Bruce says membership@pirateparty.org.nz is our current.
 * Peter suggests that we set up an independent mail server.
 * Discussion arises.
 * Noel suggests that we move this to its own agenda item.
 * Peter agrees, and suggests we can discuss it on the list.
 * Noel agrees with Tommy.
 * Peter agrees with creating the position of memberships secretary.
 * Tommy says the problem is with postal addresses, and where we say application forms should be sent to.
 * Bruce says that he can forward anything arrived in his PO Box to the person responsible.
 * Tommy said that would work for the short term.
 * Bruce suggests that we can resolve this with no action required. He said Tommy and him already have an arrangement: there are two copies of membership records, and applicants can deliver their forms securely online and offline.

Bruce moves:
 * that we delegate responsibility for maintaining the membership to the president, with it assigned to other member(s) of the EC at president’s discretion.


 * No objections
 * Motion carries.


 * Peter suggests going back to previous agenda item.
 * Tommy declares this [previous agenda item] item dismissed, as being not applicable.

Changing Membership Fees

 * Bruce suggests that we make $10 official membership price, with a discretionary discount of up to $8 for those who find the price too much.
 * Tommy refines this and says we should restrict to students/unwages and hardship.
 * Tommy suggests that those who are not student and waged need to provide evidence of hardship.
 * Peter and Noel disagree.
 * Peter thinks we should have rules regarding who can receive discount.
 * Noel agrees.
 * Tommy suggests that we can have discretionary discount, along with guidelines for categories who qualify, students etc.
 * Peter suggests that we set the discounted membership fee at $2, and people can contribute more as donation if they wish to.
 * Tommy, Bruce agree.
 * Tommy informally takes vote on restrict discount to students and unwaged only.
 * Noel, Peter agree.

Bruce moves:
 * that we make the discount available to anyone who feel that $10 membership fee is too much and request a discount.

Peter moves:
 * that we make discount only available to students and the unwaged, not to be publicly advertised.


 * Bruce disagrees.

Peter moves:
 * that we make discount only available to students and the unwaged, not to be advertised by the party.


 * Bruce disagrees.
 * Bruce suggests that we offer $1 membership fees and additional donation, and make clear what we’re using the money for.

Tommy moves:
 * to adjourn the meeting for lunch,


 * Peter seconds.
 * Matt opposes, says would like to get through things.
 * Motion carries.

Meeting is adjourned at 1:50pm.


 * Bruce would like it be noted that he may not be back and that his vote on this matter will be for self-selected discount, nothing that requires ID or has criteria based on income.

Meeting reopened on 2:33pm.


 * Peter restated his suggestion. He compromises and says that he will accept making a public announcement about discounted membership.
 * Peter also suggested that we could offer discount price to anyone who signs a statement declaring the regular membership would put them in financial hardship.
 * Matt suggested that we can change the membership fee to be $2, with the rest $8 as suggested donation for the first 500 members.
 * Noel suggested to make membership fees in between election years free.
 * Peter expanded and said that we could make membership last three years.

Noel (based on Peter’s suggestion) moves:
 * that the application form be altered, and the option for a discount membership be added.


 * Bruce, based on his statement from before, agrees.

Tommy moves:
 * that an optional $2 discounted membership be available to students and non-waged.


 * Tommy: It will announced once, but the discount is not intended to be advertised as a cause to join. This does not preclude future offers to students.
 * Peter seconds; Noel thirds
 * Based on Bruce’s previous statement, he is against the motion.
 * Motion is passed.

Tommy moves:
 * to adjourn this meeting until 3pm on Sunday.


 * Peter seconds.
 * No objections
 * meeting is adjourned.

Meeting is reopened by Tommy, 4:08pm Sunday March 27.


 * The items 5 (decide on becoming a Non-Profit-Organisation) is deferred.

Procedures on Forming a Chapter

 * Peter suggests that chapters should be approved by EC, even though this is largely rubberstamp. [He] thinks they should submit a constitution to EC. Currently Auckland does not have a constitution, but [he] thinks one should be drafted as soon as possible.
 * Peter proposes a new procedure for forming a chapter: when people request the EC for forming a chapter, EC gives them a draft constitution which they can amend, and schedule an unofficial chapter AGM afterwards. During the AGM they can ratify the constitution and appoint for the positions. They can then contact the EC; EC reviews the amended chapter constitution and approves unless there are good reasons not to. A representative from the chapter will sit on EC.
 * Tommy suggests that if a chapter is “non-compliant” EC can de-affiliate.
 * Tommy also suggests that the representative may be voted in by the general PPNZ members; that the EC can create the position by a Resolution, and a SGM or AGM be held to elect the representative. The representative should be elected by the local chapter members.
 * Tommy suggests the representative from a chapter doesn’t have to have full EC privileges.
 * Tommy raises the point that the relationship between chapters and the larger party.
 * Peter adds that whether PPNZ should be representing the chapters or just the general members.
 * Noel suggests that the chapters do not need to have someone on the EC.
 * Peter argues that if the entire PPNZ had a say on who the representative is, then it wouldn’t be true representation of the local area.
 * After much discussion, the item is to be pushed to the mailing list.

Items 7, 8 are deferred.

Members which are in Other Parties

 * Peter points out most other parties do not allow it. He points out there are possible legal resrictions. The Electoral Act defines parties with overlap memberships as component parties of the other, and vice versa.
 * Tommy also points out concern about financial member numbers and registering.
 * Discussions were made about the legality surrounding this.

Meeting is adjourned at 6:05pm.