Meeting:Committee (2023-09-04)
This meeting has two pages: one restricted-access page (only for members of the current Board) and one public-access page (which may have sensitive information redacted).
- Present: Amanda, Peter, Kelly, Bunty, Tom, Jeremy, Elliott and Belinda
- Apologies:
- Absent: Emily
Meeting opened: Monday 4 September 2023 5pm AWST / 6.30pm ACST / 7pm AEST
Previous meeting
- Monday 17 July 2023 Meeting:Committee_(2023-07-17)
NOTE: AGM held on 6 August 2023
Moved: Tom Hogarth; seconded: Bunty Avieson; outcome: approved
Matters arising
None
Matters for decision
Banking and financial approvals
Post AGM 2023 we need to update banking and financial requirements for our new Treasurer and Secretary, and remove previous Treasurer and Secretary.The following information is reported for Board approval:
NOTICE OF AMENDMENT
Bank Signatories
That Wikimedia Australia confirms the following administrators of the Association’s bank accounts: PETER NEISH, Treasurer KELLY TALL, Secretary AMANDA LAWRENCE, President CAROLE-ANNE BROOK, Accountant BELINDA SPRY, Executive Officer Change of Bank Signatories on Wikimedia Australia Inc. Bank Account - Wikimedia Australia Inc, BSB: 033-341 with Account Numbers: 594901 and 620321 - There is to be at least three signatories listed on the account President, Secretary & Treasurer, in addition to Wikimedia Executive Officer and Accountant - There must be two signatories to sign off on any transaction. - New signatories: Peter Neish (Treasurer) and Kelly Tall (Secretary) - Signatories/Administrators to be removed: Pru Mitchell (previous Treasurer) and Alex Lum (previous Secretary), Robert Myers (past Treasurer) and Thomas Hogarth. - Signatories to have online banking access are:
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- President
- Belinda Spry (Executive Officer)
- Carole-Anne Brook (Accountant, KeyAdmin)
Moved: Tom Hogarth; seconded: Bunty Avieson; outcome: passed
Matters for discussion
Strategic planning meeting and Community Engagement activity 2023
Weekend 18-19 November booked in with Board. Brisbane is the preferred city, potentially to work with SLQ.
Belinda received:
- Quote from SLQ Venue Hire for $1407.50 on Saturday 18 Nov (includes venue hire, AV package, venue officer for 10 hours and 30% discount not for profit rate).
- Revised Quote for $920.50 (event move to Friday 17 Nov, as previous for reduced SLQ staff time/fee)
- Brisbane Square Library venue hire doc lists various, but best option Fri 17 November for 6 hours = $341.20
- NOTE - no quotes include catering. (Brisbane may include kitchenette/tea/coffee)
Reports
Executive Officer report [FOR NOTING]
Wikimania 2023 in Singapore
A big success and huge thanks to the COT for organising such a fantastic event. Very proud to be from the ESEAP region and showcase what we’re achieving in this part of the world. Wonderful to meet in person and establish connections with key people. Belinda will send a reminder to Scholarship recipients to submit their reports on meta.
Staff - farewell James and welcome Ali!
On 25 August we said farewell to James Gaunt who worked tirelessly for WMAU and assisted in getting many of the processes, systems and platforms established in setting up the WMAU office. He will be missed, but he’s indicated he is happy to potentially be a Facilitator or work on a project with us from time to time.
Ali Smith is settling in and had a good handover period with James. Ali is working on a schedule for social media so that we have three weeks planned and scheduled in advance, but with opportunities to add in important announcements as needed. Ali is also getting up to speed on all the projects. Alice will commence on 11 September.
ESEAP Hub Interim Committee
The ESEAP Hub Interim Committee has concluded with its mandate being reached during Wikimania. After community consultation at the ESEAP Summit (held at Wikimania) there is a new ESEAP Hub Preparatory Council in the process of being elected. Belinda has renominated to represent WMAU Affiliate. The Preparatory Council will focus on completing the work undertaken by the Interim Committee with the aim of having it complete and ready for a formal election of an ongoing body by the next ESEAP Conference in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. More information available on meta here: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/ESEAP_Preparatory_Council/Process
First Nation Wikipedian in Residence at SLQ
Bianca has concluded the portion of her Residency at SLQ funded through The Record project, and we have now funded an extension for her to continue until October. Bianca attended the FNAWN National Summit (First Nations Australia Writing Network) 2023 in Alice Springs (Mparntwe) during 18-20 August, and discussed her Residency. Additionally Bianca recently wrote a blog for the SLQ website describing her experiences so far and highlighting some of the resources she has used in improving Wikipedia.
Project Partners
Nearly all partner projects are wrapping up. James has written a blog post about each one:
- Queensland University of Technology - digitisation project for Wiki Commons
- ACMI (formerly Australian Centre for the Moving Image) - Wikidata and ACMI catalogue
- University of Divinity - Australian Women in Religion on Wikipedia and Wikidata
- Shire of Paroo (regional Council in Queensland) - regional and rural knowledge on Wikipedia and Wiki Commons. Shire of Paroo are planning to run a Wiki Commons training session for their team on 18 September.
First Nations Focus Groups
Prof Bronwyn Carlson has created some resources that we will use to invite First Nations editors to be part of the Focus Groups. Project is awaiting approval from Macquarie University Ethics Committee. Project is otherwise ready to commence.
Events planning 2023
Upcoming events
- Introducing: Wikipedia - A free online workshop - September 2023 — Thursday 7 September 2023
- Drop in and Wiki - September 2023 — Thursday 7 September 2023
- ESEAP Hub 34th Meeting - East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific — Sunday 10 September 2023
- Open Community Meeting — Wednesday 13 September 2023
- Superstars of STEM editathon - USYD and online, Saturday 7 October (Melbourne venue to be confirmed)
See all events on our website.
- Social media report
- July statistics
- Total followers as of 31 June, 2023
- Twitter: 3057 (up by 68)
- Facebook: 1847 (up by 8)
- Instagram: 346 (up by 11)
- Linkedin: 198 (up by 32)
- Mastodon: 94 (up by 30)
- YouTube: 45 (up by 6)
- Eventbrite: 37
- Announce monthly newsletter: 455 (up by 5)
- August statistics
- Total followers as of 31 August, 2023
- Twitter: 3224 (up by 97)
- Facebook: 1859 (up by 9)
- Instagram: 382 (up by 36)
- Linkedin: 198 (up by 32) - needs to be checked
- Mastodon: 115 (up by 21)
- YouTube: 60 (up by 15)
- Eventbrite: 39
- Announce monthly newsletter: 461 (up by 6)
On our WMAU website we published 6 news stories: Adding Australian Women in Religion to more Wikimedia projects [Franklin Award 2023] [to see at Wikimania 2023] Digitising Queensland’s historic photographs at Queensland University of Technology [of The Record] Linking ACMI to Wikidata
President's Report
Welcome to the new and returning members of the Wikimedia Australia Board! Voted on behalf of WMAU for Affiliate representative for ESEAP Preparatory Council following the end of the Interim Committee. This group is charged with organising voting for the Steering Group. Belinda has agreed to be the Australian representative and continue her good work for ESEAP.
Treasurer's Report
Grant report of action against Strategic plan implementation 2022-2023 and Annual Report [[1]]
- [Learning Report covering 2022/23] is complete and submitted in Flux, including all supporting documentation.
The Joint Final Year Conversation Call with WMF staff between program partners and grantee partners will be on 7 September. This conversation will have representatives from Wikimedia Indonesia, Wikimedia Aeotearoa New Zealand, and Wikimedia Australia. Further information to be provided.
- Profit & Loss Statement for July 2023:
Profit and Loss Statement July 2023 Balance sheet July 2023
That the Treasurer’s Report be accepted
Moved: Peter Neish; seconded: Amanda Lawrence; outcome: Approved
Secretary's report
Membership report
July
- 3 applications presented for admission during July. The board approved 2 of these at the mid-July Board Meeting, and the other application received late July by motion passed via email.
At the time of the AGM there were 48 financial members, and 2 annual membership renewals outstanding (those 2 people did not vote nor participate in the AGM).
Activities
Global activities
Open Access Week (International) from October 23 - 29, 2023, in Australasia 24-27 October 2023. [conference] Taiwan from 28-29 October 2023 [Wiki] in Uruguay from 16-18 November 2023
National activities
See events section mentioned previously, and [events on our website].
Meeting close: 8 pm
- Next Community meeting: Wednesday 13 September 2023
- Next Board meeting: Monday 18 September 2023