Meeting:Committee (2023-03-20)
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, Alex, Jeremy, Kelly, Peter, Pru, Tom (and Belinda)
- Apologies: Bunty
Meeting opened: 4pm AWDT / 6.30pm CDT / 7pm AEDT
Previous meeting
Matters arising
Record of motions passed by email
- 25 Feb 2023 Content production for website and social media - budget line item for $2000
- 2 Feb 2023 WMAU & Know My Name at NGA proposal - up to $2000 for staff travel and accommodation (NGA contribute $1000)
Moved: Pru; seconded: Bunty; outcome: approved
- 24 March 2023 Selection Panel for EOI Project Partners
Other items for decision
Adopt Finance Policy
In line with our goal of professionalising our operations, and documenting our practice, WMAU requires policies and associated procedures. The proposed Finance Policy is an important governance statement. Note that procedures will flow from this policy.
Approve funding for staff to attend Wikimania 2023
As part of continuing our engagement within ESEAP and the wider WM movement, and representing WMAU at key global events it is proposed that both staff members, Belinda and James attend Wikimania 2023. They will submit a program submission for a presentation or panel before the deadline of March 28. Additionally, Belinda will attend the ESEAP Interim Hub meetings on 15 and 16 August.
Approve funding of four Partner Projects
Committee to review the five submissions for WMAU Expressions of Interest Partner Projects. James has prepared an overview of each project.
- UTS ‘Wikipedia documentary or soundscape’ - Offer to fund as part of a 2023-24 grant partnership
- University of Divinity ‘Wikimedian In Residence’ - $10,000 grant
- Paroo Shire Council Queensland ‘Adding Indigenous local knowledge to Wikipedia’ - $5,000 grant for Pilot project
- ACMI ‘Wikimedian In Residence and incorporating ACMI website with Wikidata/Wikipedia’ - $10,000 grant
- QUT ‘Mass-upload and digitisation of regional photos with metadata’ - $10,000
Total: $35,000
Budget and planning for Year 2
Exec has begun planning the Year 2 budget based on the Strategic Plan. Previously met with Jacqueline Chen to discuss an increase in funding based on CPI increasing and ideas for projects. The Year 2 budget needs to be submitted in Fluxx by Thursday 23 March. Decisions to be made:
- The extent of annual increment of wage increase for staff, and the means of calculating this - Wage growth 2022 ranged from 2.4% to 4.2% - will be deferred to the Finance and Budget subcommittee (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/wage-price-index-australia/latest-release#industry-wage-growth). Current calculations based on 3.5%. Over the twelve months to the December 2022 quarter, the CPI rose 7.8%.
Executive Officer's Report (for noting)
Strategic planning day report
In progress
ESEAP Hub Interim Steering Committee
ESEAP Hub Interim Committee held on Wednesday 15 March. Summary of discussion: Still discussing membership with New Zealand, but William Chan from Hong Kong and Dody Ismoyo from Malaysia are now confirmed. Japan unable to participate.
Gnangarra drafted Roles and Responsibilities document, now under discussion but will be released for Community consultation in April/May. Budget will develop from this. Other tasks identified and allocated to various members.
Butch drafted a Declaration Statement on creating ESEAP Hub including draft high level mission, vision, core values and strategic direction. Committee still in discussion.
Next meeting: Sunday 2 April (tbc with poll)
MATTER FOR DISCUSSION: Belinda asked by ESEAP Interim Committee to raise with WMAU Committee the possibility of WMAU being a Fiscal Sponsor for ESEAP Hub or is this potentially too difficult with Australian financial laws? Involves holding money in our bank until Hub is incorporated and then transferring to the country where the Hub will be based (not yet discussed or decided). Other countries checking if they could be Fiscal Sponsor include Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan. Taiwan has undertaken this before.
Not-For-Profit Law organisation through Law Connect has this general Guide to Auspicing but doesn’t cover international implications.
Wikidata Fellowships
Four submissions were received, but only three were eligible and all from New Zealand. After discussions with WMF, the New Zealand User Group will take on administering the funding, while reporting back to us. Details of the successful projects:
- Mike Dickison will develop datasets of NZ authors coming out of copyright (before NZ copyright legislation changes) and a report for Public Domain Day
- Alistair Kwan will map Chinese NZ migrant history in Nelson and Tasman (geospatial, heritage sites, NZ graves, etc)
- Brodie Hoare will create a list of Notable NZ women from records in Tāmaki Paenga Hira (Auckland War Memorial Museum) and build a bot in python for batch-uploading to Wikidata.
Mentors include Alex, Toby and Tamsin.
Belinda and James are planning to increase promotion of Wikidata during 2023 so that it is better known and understood.
Events planning 2023
WMAU staff contributing to or coordinating these events:
- Mike Dickison presenting a 2 hour session at SLNSW on 6 April to GLAM staff NEW
- WOMEESA - 12 April, 28 April, 26 May, 30 June - all online sessions
- WMAU Editing Basics - 21 March, 30 March, 1 April - all online sessions
- Australian Citizen Science (ACSA) - 5 April editathon - online
- Aus Music Centre (AMC) - 4 May tbc
- ACMI - 12 May in person editathon
Communications
Franklin Women videos
Launched during International Women’s Day week. Easy to use resource recommended to anyone wanting to know more and start editing. Coverage on socials and a good response generally. James is creating and adding additional YouTube videos to expand on FAQs from the Franklin Women videos.
Wikimedian in Residence
As part of The Record project we have interviewed and selected our inaugural First Nations Wikipedian-in-Residence. Waiting on the Agreement to come back from SLQ. Brief bio on Bianca who is scheduled to start on 11 May 2023.
Partnerships
- Know My Name - successful meetings and public editathon with 12 new editors at National Gallery Australia. Event received coverage on ABC Canberra radio. James has submitted overview to This Month in GLAM. Later this year the travelling exhibition will begin touring regional Australia and offer us the opportunity to extend our reach with regional editathons.
- ACMI - Goddess exhibition opening in April and public editathon Friday 12 May with tours of behind the scenes. Focus on editing existing articles from the list supplied of women in the exhibition.
News from reciprocal memberships
- Australian Digital Alliance - none
- Open Access Australasia - undertaking elections for Executive Committee member
- Creative Commons Australia - no local news, but announcement of Creative Commons Global Summit in Mexico, 3-6 October 2023
Social media report
February figures: Total followers as of 28 Feb, 2023
- Twitter: 2786 (up by 79)
- Facebook: 1816 (up by 5)
- Instagram: 250 (up by 41)
- Linkedin: 161 (up by 6)
- YouTube: 30 (up by 5)
On Twitter we made 50 tweets and were mentioned in 100. Our most popular tweet was about looking for a First Nations Wikipedian In Residence. It had over 2,000 impressions.
We posted 11 times on Facebook, 9 times on Instagram, 4 on Linkedin, and added 1 video on YouTube.
On our WMAU website we published 3 news stories:
- EOI for Wikimedia Australia Partner Projects 2023 - Funding your next project
- First Nations Wikipedian in Residence - Improve First Nations music coverage on Wikipedia
- How culturally diverse communities are using Wikipedia - Communities in Australia and beyond share how they preserve and share histories
We also began adding our monthly Announce newsletter as posts so it is more visible.
President's Report
- Wikimedia Indonesia requested video response to support their conference
- WMAU Copyright advocacy response being provided to WMF for their copyright mapping project
- Two Australian projects shortlisted for WMF research grants.
Treasurer's Report
ESEAP Conference 2022
16 March 2023: Treasurer signed WMF agreement for reimbursement and invoiced for the catering and accommodation costs related to the additional Wikimania Core Organizing Team meeting - AUD $12,050
Membership report
2 new members, both experienced editors: 1 x NSW, 1 x Vic
Secretary's Report
- ACNC report submitted January 2023
Activities
Global activities
- Next ESEAP Interim Hub meeting Sunday 2 April
- Next ESEAP community meeting Sunday 16 April
- Wikimania dates: 16 - 19 August 2023 in Singapore
- ESEAP pre-Wikimania meeting proposed for 15 August 2023 in Singapore
- Wikidata conference Taiwan in October 2023
National activities
- Australian Media Literacy Summit in Sydney, Friday, 24 March, 2023 (Belinda attending online)
- Wikihistories Conference, UTS, two-day symposium being held online on the 8th and 9th of June. https://wikihistories.net/2023-conference/
- Wiki Research Roundtable satellite event at the ADM+S Media and Communications Symposium, Tuesday 11 July 2023, University of Sydney
Events / Local activities
- WikiClubWest 2023 - Perth meetup 26 March 2023
Next meetings
- Next Community meeting: Wednesday 12 April 2023
- Next Committee meeting: Monday 17 April March 2023