Hi all, Something we may want to consider being involved in (although probably not for a while... since this is very early stages).
I suggested a name change (as there is already a crowd called Australian Digital Alliance) but otherwise I think the formation of a body to represent tech users is an excellent idea, and well overdue. cheers Brianna ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Donna Benjamin <[email protected]> Date: 2009/8/17 Subject: Forming a digital tech users peak body To: Luv Main <[email protected]> Cc: Keith Younger <[email protected]>, President AUSOM <[email protected]> Hi all! Melbourne PC User Group (MelbPC) and AUSOM Inc (Apple Users Society of Melbourne) have developed a proposal to form a national peak organisation (tentatively called Australian Digital) which would represent the views of digital technology users to government. A minimum of five individual member organisations are required to form the peak body. Once formed, it will apply to be incorporated. Linux Users of Victoria has been invited to be a founding member of Australian Digital. A motion to agree to participate will be tabled at the AGM for members to vote on. I invite discussion on list or comments off list from LUV members in the lead up to the AGM. The need for such a group was identified when MelbPC's submission to the Australian Government was knocked back because 'the Government only deals with peak organisations, not individual user groups'. For the digital technology user community, the only way to have a voice on important developments affecting users is by forming a peak organisation. The idea is that an incorporated organisation should be formed of individual user groups across the digital technology spectrum The main aspects of the proposal are: * It would be a national body; * Its primary purpose would be to lobby government (Australian and State); * A subsidiary purpose would be as a media spokesperson for all digital technology users; * It would have the legal corporate structure of an incorporated association; * It would need a 'home'; MelbPC has suitable premises at Chadstone, Victoria; * The issues that a peak body would have on its agenda at present are the national broadband network and internet filtering; * There is no concept of amalgamating organisations. Individual member organisations would completely retain their independence and autonomy. -- Donna Benjamin Linux Users of Victoria http://www.luv.asn.au -- They've just been waiting in a mountain for the right moment: http://modernthings.org/ _______________________________________________ Wikimediaau-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaau-l
