auDA’s “Response” To The 6 Questions

Yesterday’s article posed 6 important questions for auDA. These questions were also conveyed by email to the CEO and the “Director Communications, Marketing & Engagement” (that’s a gobful!).

So I got an emailed response from the “DCME”. I’ve replicated it below:

Hi Ned,

I do not believe I’ve personally referred to you as media/journalist. It might have been a view of previous management, it is not my view.

However, as a member, I’m happy to respond to your enquiries where I think it appropriate or I’m able to – although I would like to point out that we do send monthly newsletters now (not quarterly as previously). The newsletter includes thorough updates on issues and most of your list of questions will be answered within that – due out tomorrow or Monday.

It’s also a shame you didn’t make it to the member meet-up – which you made clear to me last year in a memorable phone call you would welcome. In the meet-up we addressed some of your questions here and had a very productive exchange about plans and feedback, which we encourage you to engage with as a member. Attendance will help negate doubling up on workload and offer greater transparency, as well as clarity if there is any unintended confusion in the written communications.

With regard question 1 – the administration team received the list of new confirmed members at the end of last week and they will be processed as normal practice, within the week. We ask you to be considerate of reasonable timeframes for this process. Administrative staff are allowed a week to collate payments, once approvals from the board come through and updates to databases are made for registering new members etc, then a confirmation email sent. We had a decent number of new member applications, out of interest do you know them – is that how you heard feedback or was it just a couple? Feel free to forward on the timing to those you know if you like, but they will hear from us soon, anyway.

With regard questions 2, 3, 4 – they will be answered, to all members equally, in the newsletter we’ve drafted this week. 

Question 5 – this report is with the Board, but outcomes will be communicated once adopted and then shared with members and stakeholders.

With regard question 6, staffing is an operational matter and as such deemed relevant only to management (ie. The CEO). The list of names of staff and email addresses were taken off the website as a result of expert security advice. We take seriously the security, health and safety of staff in the work place, this extends to how they are treated online.

Hope to see you at the next member meet-up Ned. It’s likely to be Sydney, but QLD will hopefully be the third stop.

Kind Regards,

Helen Hollins | Director Communications, Marketing & Engagement

To my mind, this response was filled with thinly veiled disdain – “thanks for the questions, we won’t answer some; and as for the others, we’ll answer when we’re good and ready – and we’ll do it via our “new improved newsletter”! (The one that doesn’t allow you to ask questions; and answer back).

And this is why auDA just doesn’t get it. Many members are sick and tired of being treated so dismissively. For goodness sake, we are a membership organisation! We want better communication and transparency. We need engagement, and straight answers to questions in a timely manner.

That’s one of the reasons members had no choice but to call a S249D General Meeting.

Think about it auDA – it’s not rocket science.

Ned O’Meara – 30th June 2017


Disclaimer

 

9 thoughts on “auDA’s “Response” To The 6 Questions

  • June 30, 2017 at 11:05 am
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    Love the meme Ned. ????

    It’s funny that the comms manager didn’t even know that the new member emails had already gone out.

    Jeff

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  • June 30, 2017 at 12:04 pm
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    I”M WAITING but I’m getting BOARD MAN
     
    “I can assure members we will make further announcements as soon as we can to the auDA members list, our announcements list subscribers and all stakeholders we represent, before the next member newsletter.” Cameron Boardman. April newsletter
     
    NOTHING…absolutely NOTHING!
     
    Where are these promised announcements?
    https://www.auda.org.au/news/
      
    Is there any ACTUAL NEWS that auDA would like to share with its members or should we simply wait until the next newsletter…
    Oh, let me guess, more news on this will be provided SOOON?
     
    CODE OF CONDUCT
     
    In the newsletter Cameron Boardman responded to member questions, why the minutes were removed. He interpreted his decision and published it in his newsletter under **Governance Reform Update** in that statement he said;
    “This included guidance and benchmarking against accepted best practice by organisations including the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission(ACNC)” 
    and yet, the minutes appear on their websites
     
    RBA [Reserve Bank of Australia]
    https://www.rba.gov.au/monetary-policy/rba-board-minutes/
     
    The ACNC is a Government Body
    ACNC: Governance Standard 2: Accountability to Members
    ANC publish board meetings
    Meeting summaries
    After each Advisory Board meeting a summary of key matters raised is published here to provide insight into the operation of the Advisory Board.
    ·         ACNC Advisory Board meeting summary – 11-12 May 2017
     
     
    http://www.acnc.gov.au/ACNC/About_ACNC/Corporate_info/ACNC_advisory/ACNC/Edu/Advis_Board.aspx?hkey=1a5a0183-6c22-446a-ba09-144534467e0e

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  • June 30, 2017 at 1:20 pm
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    Attendance will help negate doubling up on workload and offer greater transparency, as well as clarity if there is any unintended confusion in the written communications.”

     

    They’ll start marking an attendance book next. Pretty cheeky to expect members to attend at own expense from interstate to lighten their workload. And the workload of communicating with 200 members well that’s a hard slog. I mean clicking the send button 200 times for the email newsletter is just a drag.

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    • June 30, 2017 at 2:11 pm
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      And the workload of communicating with 200 members well that’s a hard slog. I mean clicking the send button 200 times for the email newsletter is just a drag.

      David, this might explain it!

      Emailer

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  • June 30, 2017 at 1:44 pm
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    Back in the day when you got given the arse from a job, the boss gave you a DCM. Don’t come Monday!

    That email she wrote is so patronising. Bring back the DCM 😀

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  • June 30, 2017 at 7:29 pm
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    Given AUDA had 3 people attend the Melbourne meeting is it worth having them in other states?

    Do people want to hear an hour of evasive answers? Seems not. Ned’s 249 meeting is the only one that counts now anyway. That will get a better level of interest!

    “To my mind, this response was filled with thinly veiled disdain”

    I’m truly shocked Ned!

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    • June 30, 2017 at 8:58 pm
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      You crack me up sometimes Snoopy. 🙂

      Just by the way, it’s not “my S249D meeting”. Many members have contributed time, effort and encouragement – and four people signed the letter of request to auDA. I’m happy to call myself the “facilitator”.

      I never would have been involved in any of this had I not been purposely been “misled” by Benjamin and Boardman at the AGM (about communication and transparency). One spark created a bushfire.

      Another issue – where is the video of the recent meetup that was promised by auDA? Why would anyone travel long distances to a meetup if they were promised a webcast or video?

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  • July 5, 2017 at 1:24 am
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    Ned, we can’t wait for your response and next article to the latest auDA newsletter.

    I am sure this sort will only motivate many to keep going even more.

    Note to auDA…Ned is valid media/ journalist and so is Domainer.com.au as a media platform. Get with the times of bloggers etc…. Look at how Crikey.com.au and others started. The fact is Domainer.com.au probably gets far more real non robot readers and auDA members reading it daily than the auDA website.

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    • July 5, 2017 at 6:14 am
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      I’m definitely not a journalist – I am a blogger and a commentator. And I also happen to be a passionate member of auDA who hates seeing our rights as members being basically ignored.

      As you allude though, the distinguishing lines between journalism and bloggers are increasingly intermeshing (according to the Courts).

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