Meeting:Committee (2024-01-15)
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, Elliott, Peter, Jeremy, Tom, Belinda
- Apologies: Kelly
- Absent:
Meeting opened:
Previous meeting
- Monday 11 December 2023 Meeting:Committee_(2023-12-11)
Executive Officer Report
Partner Projects
All four partner projects for 2024 are now signed and underway. An announcement was made on our website News on 2 January. A blog post from Olivia, our resident at the Victorian EPA is also up on our website. Evaluation process needs to be set up for previous partner projects. Will also do a review of the application process for 2024/25 with the aim of simplifying through a 2 stage process.
ESEAP Preparatory Council
Met in mid December and again early January, however some members were absent making progress difficult. Focus areas include the election process for the ESEAP council at the ESEAP conference in Kota Kinabalu, in May 2024, as well as refining the Theory of Change draft document.
First Nation Focus Groups
Professor Bronwyn Carlson's First Nation Focus Groups draft report to be provided in the next few weeks. Comments and feedback to be provided by early February. The Final report to be presented at February Board Meeting.
AIATSIS Core Cultural Learning online foundation course
Belinda has received documentation from AIATSIS Core Cultural foundation course for 11 users (8 Board members, 3 WMAU staff) for annual licence subscription, with total fee $990.00 +GST.
U4C Charter vote
Communication on Wikimedia-L mailing list has alerted the Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee (or U4C) Charter development process will open for a community ratification vote from 16 January 2024.
DGR status
Amanda, Jeremy and Belinda met with a barrister who is undertaking pro bono advice on our DGR status. He is preparing an application.
Upcoming events
- Introducing Wikipedia - February 2024 — Wednesday 7 February 2024
- Drop in and Wiki - February 2024 — Wednesday 7 February 2024
- Know My Name - Mornington Peninsula — Saturday 10 February 2024
- Online Community Meeting - February 2024 — Wednesday 14 February 2024
- Introducing Wikipedia - March 2024 — Wednesday 6 March 2024
- Drop in and Wiki - March 2024 — Wednesday 6 March 2024
- Online Community Meeting - March 2024 — Wednesday 13 March 2024
- Introducing Wikipedia - April 2024 — Wednesday 3 April 2024
- Drop in and Wiki - April 2024 — Wednesday 3 April 2024
- ESEAP - May 2024 TBC
- Wikimedia Hackathon 2024 — Friday 3 May 2024, Tallinn, Estonia, 3rd to 5th May 2024
- Wikimania 2024 — Wednesday 7– Saturday 10 August 2024 in Katowice, Poland.
Social Media Report
December Statistics
- Total followers as of 31 December, 2023
- Twitter: 3482 (up by 46)
- Facebook: 1880 (up by 3)
- Instagram: 484 (up by 10)
- Linkedin: 222 (up by 4)
- Mastodon: 144 (up by 9)
- YouTube: 95 (up by 5)
- Eventbrite: 53
- Announce monthly newsletter: 477 (up by 1)
Secretary's Report
Membership report
- December
- 1 new membership application/s approved
- 1 lapsed member removed
Treasurer's Report
Profit & Loss Statement for December 2023:
- Profit and Loss Statement December 2023
- Balance sheet December 2023
Belinda was undertaking some admin and routine checking to prepare for our ACNC reporting in early 2024, and contacted Key Admin regarding a query on the Balance Sheet. After discussions with Key Admin, Peter, Amanda and Pru Mitchell (past Treasurer) the Equity section has been corrected to be two entries as follows:
- Current Year Earnings - the net profit or loss for the current financial year.
- Retained Earnings - the total net profit or loss for all previous years of operation
Advice received from Key Admin states “Accumulated Equity from Previous Financial Year” was a balance that was brought into Xero in 2011 when Wikimedia moved from a previous accounting system. It is therefore the net profit from all years of operation prior to 2011. This has now been moved by Key Admin into the Retained Earnings account, to give a more accurate reflection of WMAU long term Finance.
Interest bearing account - term deposit or savings account.
Now that we have the names sorted at the bank we can look at opening an interest bearing account for cash reserves. Westpac term deposits earn much more than savings accounts but funds would need to be invested for 6-12 months or longer. https://www.westpac.com.au/business-banking/savings-accounts/term-deposits/ https://www.westpac.com.au/business-banking/savings-accounts/
Matters for Decision
ESEAP Conference 2024: Affiliate nominations
Applications for scholarships close Monday 15 January. Affiliates can nominate two people. Individuals can also apply separately. Due to budget constraints the ESEAP Hub Preparatory Council will not be funded to attend the conference. Belinda will therefore be one of our two affiliate representatives. Based on previous Board procedures it is usual that the President or Vice President or other office bearers are nominated. There may also be additional costs that will need to be covered by WMAU as part of the travel.
Wikimania 2024 Poland - WMAU scholarship budget allocation
https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2024
Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2024 closed 18 December 2023
Conference: August 7-10, 2024
Approved applications will be forwarded to WMAU within the next month or two. We need to decide on the budget allocation. In 2023 we provided $2000 per scholarship for Singapore. Decision to be made based on number of scholarship applications if same amount wil be awarded, as contribution of costs, or if more funds should be awarded due to more expensive travel costs. As dates were not made available at the time scholarship applications were due, WMAU may also provide scholarships outside of the WMAU process.
WMAU & NGA Partnership Agreement
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) has provided a Draft Partnership Agreement for Know My Name / International Women’s Day editathons, during 2024 and 2025 (with some funding from NGA). We can select which of the KMN regional tours to support. Plans are in place for Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery on 10 February 2024. We can also do Tweed Regional Gallery Murwillumbah, with others to be decided.
Matters for Discussion
Online Safety Bill consultation - WMAU submission
- Confirming Amanda and Belinda will prepare a submission from WMAU. We will send a draft for comments. Need to develop three key arguments.
- Follow up meeting with WMF advocacy people on 24 Jan.
Event planning 2024
Discussion on setting up working group to plan the annual conference and other conference participation. Suggest to have staff, some committee members and community members on a subcommittee.