User:Gnangarra/Wikimania 2019 - Perth

After submitting a bid for 2017, we are again submitting a proposal for WMAU & Perth to host Wikimania in 2018. This years process has changed from a formal bid process into a informal Q&A. The following questions were received via email and we have until 28th November to respond;

  • Personal safety of participants (e.g., welcoming environment/culture regardless of people's sexual orientation, race, age, gender, expression, disability, etc)
  • Availability of affordable accommodation
  • Accommodations within short distance to venue (or easy to provide transportation to/from)
  • Availability of reasonably priced, flexible meeting space per our specs (see previous wikimania programs)
  • Reasonably priced catering/service charges at event
  • Strength of organizing committee's core team**
    • Composition of the team (who they are, background, commitment, experience). The ideal committee has 6-8 members with one lead organizer. They must be willing to take on all tasks as assigned, and especially recruit and manage volunteers for onsite support (anywhere from 30-50 people depending on estimates for attendance); recommend people to serve on scholarship committee; put together a program committee; aquire sponsorships; handle promotion/outreach/media; work with hackathon organizers; web site content; connectivity/technical issues if venue requires this expertise
  • Strength of program e.g., theme, any new ideas; excellent program chair
  • Venue's Network Infrastructure & Connectivity
  • Transportation Cost to Venue (international round trip) (note: ellie will figure this out)
  • Close proximity of venue to international airport (ease of transportation)
  • Sponsorships (venue, etc.) - what can they bring?
  • Find support from local chapters, governments, universities, venues and NGOs.
  • how do you think locating Wikimania in Perth would promote the mission of the WMF and its global movement?


Personal safety of participants

Discrimination Western Australia is covered by both State and Federal Law, and Australia was one of the first signatories of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

  • WA acts
    • Western Australian Disability Services Act 1993
    • Western Australian Equal Opportunity Act 1984
  • Federal acts
    • Age Discrimination Act 2004
    • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
    • Disability Discrimination Act 1992
    • Racial Discrimination Act 1975
    • Sex Discrimination Act 1984.

More information on these acts are available from Australian Human Rights Commission [1]

Personal safety of attendees is more than legislation. Perth has a low crime rate and it is safe to walk the streets ([2]). All major religions have multiple places of worship be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Confucian, Sikh, Hindu, or the Church of Scientology. Perth has a strong LGBT community.There are no restrictions on dress and people can safely wear religious dress or insignia. In the past week here in Perth we had the yearly Pride parade, which has been held since 1989 [3].

Australia and Western Australia have politically stable democratic Governments. There has never been a military coup. Western Australia is due for a State election in March 2017, and we can get verbal agreements of support from all political parties likely to form Government. The time frame of just ten days for this submission means we didn't have time to arrange written support from politicians.

Availability of affordable accommodation

There are 30 backpacker accommodation places within the Central Business District (CBD) of Perth[4]. As an example the Perth City YHA has 233 beds [5]. According to Tripadvisor there 252 accommodation places within the Perth CBD area including backpackers, serviced apartments, and B&Bs [6]. During the July-August period it is winter and the low season in Perth which means that most accommodation place reduce the standard rate and all accommodation places have further discounts for groups [7][8].

Conference Venues

There are several potential conference venues depending on number of participants, and preference for type of venue.

  • Perth Convention Centre
  • Hyatt Hotel
  • Burswood Casino
  • Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle

University-based

University of Western Australia is the closest to the CBD (accommodation) on the Swan river in Nedlands about 4km or 10 minute drive. Curtin University in Bentley is 10km (15mins) from the CBD. Murdoch University is in Murdoch is 15km (15mins) from the CBD it has access to rail station that has multiple bus service to Murdoch and additional 5 minutes no additional costs. None of the Universities are near any major entertain areas

Fremantle Option

Would be a combination of Conference Venue and University where there is significant accommodation options including a back packers in the World Heritage listed Fremantle Prison and additional accommodation would have access to rail transport to Fremantle (19km ~ 30 mins).

Accommodations within short distance to venue

We have a choice of venues from conference venues to Universities where we could the event, choosing a conference venue is more expensive than a University would be but two of the conference venues are within the Perth CBD giving us access to free transport from all potential accommodation options. Should we choose a University option we would then incur a logistical component from the accommodation to the venue as the on site accommodation at the Universities is unlikely to be available as we would hold the event during the short mid year break rather than end of year break. All accommodation options are required to be accessible by people with disabilities, and are smoke free.

Transport

All of the potential CBD venues are within a 10-15 minutes walk of accommodation, close to free CAT bus transport services [9] and within the Free transit zone [10] that operate in Perth.

Reasonably priced catering/service charges at event

Quotes provided for the 2017 bid show that the cost of catering would be significantly lower than comparable Wikimanias. The time frame of the request for information and the instruction that WMF would like to seek out its own quotes means we havent approached venues for more detailed costings. Perth is a multicultural city and food would be of a sufficient variety to ensure all attendees needs are catered for including any medical, religious or personal choices.

Strength of organizing committee's core team**

Core committee all resident in Perth WA;

  • Gideon Digby - 10+ plus years of contributions to the projects, President Wikimedia Australia and part of the foundation of the Australian chapter in 2008. 25 years of experience in Tourism Transport industry work on coordination of logistics for multiple events. Co-ordinated the WA leg of the conference and lead WMAU during its most successful year which included the WikiData Tour Downunder. Initiated the first meetup in Perth in 2007, since then started and lead many outreach projects including 2 WikiTowns, WLE in Australia, multiple workshops and WikiTakes events. I have also done media interviews about the Wikimedia projects and activities along with news requests when issues involving the use of Wikipedia content occurs.
  • Ingrid Cumming - Noongarpedia, Curtin Uni, TEDx speaker, and UN speaker on Women and Indigenous issues
  • Jennie Buchanan - Noongarpedia, UWA
  • Dave Palmer - Murdoch Uni
  • Tom Hogarth - current WMAU secretary
  • Andrew Owens(?) - former WMAu secretary, Treasurer, & committee member
  • Sam Wilson(?) - computer programmer, technical guru

Additional support to the committee not in WA;

  • Steve Crossin - Former WMAU President, Committee member, tech guru, former WMF contractor.

Venue's Network Infrastructure & Connectivity

All proposed venues have wifi services and are connected to the NBN fibreoptic service given sufficient capacity, we also have access to the technical resources of 3 Universities to support the event and ensure every major accommodation location has good wifi services and capacity. All accommodation facilities provide good wifi service. Additionally the Perth CBD area has a free wifi service available through out provided by The City of Perth.

Close proximity of venue to international airport

Distances from the Airport to the CBD. Some passengers may arrive via either Sydney or Melbourne where they'll pass through customs before completing their journey.

  • Perth Airport T1 (International) - 19km (20 mins)
  • Perth Airport T3 (Domestic, including International passengers arriving via Sydney/Melb) - 15km (20mins)

Fremantle option will add up to 15 minutes or 10kms from the airport regardless of the terminal where arrives at.

We have a support for an airport meet and greet service with a bus to provide transport to all hotels for attendees.

Sponsorships

We have the support of the Perth Convention Bureau with a commitment for event support and funding should we choose one of the four commercial venues. All conference venues offer reductions for charities and WMAU as host chapter is a registered Australian Charity. Sponsorship to provide an airport to hotel bus service 24/7

Find support from local chapters, governments, universities, venues and NGOs

WMAu has already expressed support for hosting Wikimania in Perth, we also support

how do you think locating Wikimania in Perth would promote the mission of the WMF and its global movement?

Australia is home to the longest continual culture, in Perth and South Western Australia have an active community who are contributing in english and in the Noongar language. The Southwest of Western Australia is also located in one the most significant biodiversity hot spots on the planet. Locating Wikimania in Perth Western Australia offers many opportunities to experience the benefits of the projects. From Indigenous engagement resulting in the sharing of cultural and language knowledge on the projects, to reusing the content the community creates and sharing it via WikiTown projects. This would be the first time that attendees at a Wikimania could experience the result of outreach projects themselves with Toodyay and Fremantle hosting WikiTown projects.

Oceania has never had a Wikimania yet its been the 3rd highest contributing region for donations, these contributions could be increased through the very publicity such an event would attract. Perth is home to many of the largest mining companies in the all of whom are generous supporters of charities and education programs, the fundraising team being here along with the many faces of the project would open opportunities to secure new sources of donations.

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