Frequently asked questions

Wikimedia Australia Inc. (also known as WMAU) is the Australian chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation. The Wikimedia Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which provides several online collaborative wiki projects, most notably Wikipedia, an internet-based encyclopaedia which is the largest and most popular reference website and one of the top ten most-visited websites worldwide.

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What is the mission of the Chapter ?

The purpose of the organisation is to:

  • Organise, support and participate in educational and social events that promote development of Free Cultural Works and related open source software systems, in particular wikis.
  • Increase public awareness, support and participation in the projects hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF).
  • Develop resources to assist Australians in the creation and maintenance of Free Cultural Works.

Wikimedia Australia is recognised by the Wikimedia Foundation as a official chapter and as such will offer members an official voice in the global Wikimedia community, whose aim is to create unencumbered resources for use throughout the world.

Local chapters of the Wikimedia Foundation are self-dependent organisations that share the goals of the foundation and support them within a specified geographical region. They support the Wikimedia Foundation, the Wikimedia community and the Wikimedia projects in different ways - by collecting donations, organising local events and projects and spreading the word of Wikimedia and Free Culture. They also provide the volunteer community and potential partners and supporters with a point of contact capable of fulfilling specific local needs.

Are you a charity?

Wikimedia Australia is a non-profit association incorporated under the laws of Victoria, Australia.

Which projects do you support?

Wikimedia Australia supports all projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation and most of our members are actively contributing to one or more of these projects.

The following projects fall under the Wikimedia Foundation umbrella:

How is the chapter run?

The Wikimedia Australia chapter is now based by an Interim Committee, charged with the task of establishing the organisation and holding the initial Annual General Meeting which is to be held in early January 2009.

This site also includes a complete list of committee meetings and resolutions.

Most of the interaction between committee members, members and the community happens online through wikis, mailing lists and electronic chat (IRC). Face-to-face meetings, known as WikiMeetups, occasionally occur around Australia. These meetups are generally organised locally by members in their local capital city and both project participants and new people are always welcome to attend.

The chapter also has a Statement of Purpose and Rules.

How can I contact the Chapter?

Please see the Contact page for information on contacting Wikimedia Australia.

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