Could auDA Become A Star Chamber?

Late yesterday, auDA Members received “Notice of 2017 auDA Annual General Meeting”.

Tucked away at Item 8 on the Agenda was this little attempt to become a “Star Chamber” without even a moments consultation with members:

Special Resolution — Amendment of Constitution:
Fit and Proper Persons Test, proposed by demand class member Simon Johnson
See proposed text for further information.

Let’s Analyse Some Key Points

♦  auDA tried a similar stunt at last year’s AGM – and it got voted down. As I said back then:

“But don’t try and ram it down my throat without consultation. And please don’t treat me as a mushroom.

Any politician worth their salt knows that you need to take your voters with you if you want to get changes through. Sell your case – don’t just assume that “legislation” will pass. Otherwise, you might just encounter a “protest vote”.”

♦  Members became so frustrated with some of the shenanigans at auDA – so we called a Special General Meeting back on 31st July. This was succinctly reported by Myriam Robin in the “AFR Rear Window”. One of the big issues was the Code of Conduct that auDA was trying to enforce without member consultation. This was covered in the “Board Communique Following Special General Meeting”. Here’s a self-explanatory snippet:

♦  Let’s also call a spade a spade. Who is the proposer of the Special Resolution? It’s Simon Johnson. Yes, he’s a Demand Class member, but he is also an auDA Director.

♦  Hello auDA and Simon Johnson! Whilst this resolution is not a “CoC” – it does definitely relate to it. Did you forget the part about “developing it in partnership with members”?

♦  Hello auDA and Simon Johnson! What about the “Constitutional Advisory Committee” that you have supposedly formed? Wasn’t this going to be their role? Isn’t this a slap in the face to members?

♦  Who paid for the legal drafting of this Special Resolution?

♦  Why should auDA be judge, jury and executioner? Why does the new Clause 13.3 remove the right for a Member to be heard? That is unconscionable conduct in my opinion.

As a betting man, I’m willing to put $1000 that this special resolution will fail, and that certain people at auDA will deservedly have egg on their face again.

Late Edit:

I have just spoken to Erhan Karabardak (Interim Chair), and he tells me that this Special Resolution has nothing to do with the auDA Board; and further it is not endorsed by them. He says that Simon Johnson did this as a “private member”. Erhan believes that it will be voted down.

Ned O’Meara – 6th November 2017

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