Monday’s Special General Meeting is not about individual “winners or losers”.
The fact is, auDA is a membership organisation. It’s not a Government department; nor is it a private company. It is a self-regulating body set up to represent all stakeholders in the Australian domain name industry. Members elect the majority of Directors; there is a Constitution; and members have rights.
And that’s what’s seems to have been forgotten by some of the current Board and management.
So if you’re either a Supply or Demand Class member, and you want a return to: accountability, proper processes and consultation, transparency and communication, then there is only one current option open to you. The buck must stop with the current Chair.
Please help us send a clear message to auDA by voting in favour of Resolution 4
“That Stuart Benjamin be removed as a director of the Company with immediate effect.”
Overwhelming Support For Our Objectives
The issues relating to the lack of transparency, communication and proper processes have resonated with a lot of auDA members – many of whom I have never communicated with before. On behalf of my fellow signatories to this SGM, I thank everyone who has supported us by giving us their proxy.
Here is just one example of such support from Linux Australia (which we’re sincerely grateful for). Have a read why they supported this resolution – and their heartfelt recommendation to auDA in the last paragraph. I share this publicly because they tweeted their decision yesterday.
auDA’s Response
auDA’s plea to support the Chair to ensure stability of the organisation is very offensive to a lot of members given their shenanigans over the past year. Particularly as the current Chair was an elected Demand Class Director who somehow organised to become an Independent Director just two weeks prior to the AGM last year. Whilst I and many others support a true independent Chair, these machinations were not a good look.
And let us not forget two other very important issues:
♦ The accusations and innuendo directed at the previous administration and staff without any proof.
♦ The human cost to previous well respected staff who “were let go”.
Please Jump Off The Fence And Support Us!
For members who cannot attend the meeting in Melbourne on Monday 31st July, but still wish to vote, I would be happy to act as your proxy.
Once you have completed the proxy form (please note it needs to be hand signed, not electronic), please email it to me – and / or Di Parker at auDA.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything with me, please call me on 0437 013 523.
Ned O’Meara – 28th July 2017
If by some miracle he survives, how do we get rid of him?
Does the chair position have a specified term? Is the position elected by members or the board?
Why wasn’t the chair position put through the same requirements as the replacement for the resigned demand director Miguel Wood?
Why wasn’t Tony Staley good enough anymore?
What are the current Chair persons credentials for the job besides being a good mate?
Remain vocal and concerned. Or start the same process all over again. Or raise the stakes by requesting a full Board spill. Or formally request the Australian Government to invoke their reserve powers under the Telecommunications Act 1997 (sections 474-477 for the unfamiliar).
One year. To be reconfirmed at each AGM (or not, as Tony Staley discovered). It is a Board decision. Independent Directors also need to be “reconfirmed” by the Board every two years, though Benjamin’s tenure is listed as ending 14/11/17 on the auDA website.
Very good question. I guess the Board can choose whoever it wants as Chair – but perhaps the more pertinent question to ask would be why the Board allowed a surreptitious slide from Demand class Director to Independent.
Another good question. I suspect many dont agree. With the except of Mark Latham, of course!
I’d pay good money to hear the answer to this.
That simple email thread (same link as above) from the President of Linux Australia illustrates an excellent example of transparency, communication and proper process, from a genuine leader! auDA could learn a lot from those few paragraphs by Katherine (Kathy) Reid to her constituents of how it (transparency, communication and proper process) is actioned!
…And he’s gone.
I hope this ripple in the right direction leads to a wave that washes away the rest of the rot.
The course auDA is on needs to change. Too many shenanigans have occurred for that not to happen. For example there still is no sound justification from auDA to introduce .au, which appears to have only been green lit by the board and CEO for self serving reasons.
…And just before we all relax…The announcement doesn’t say Mr Benjamin has stepped down from the Board. It says stepping down as Chair. The resolution calls for him to be removed as a director. Will that resolution still need to be put to members on Monday?
This was my first thought.
I can absolutely confirm that Stuart Benjamin has resigned as Independent Director and Chairman.
It’s just that the language of the auDA announcement was a bit loose.
auDA and Benjamin have wasted hundreds of thousands on this Farce.He should have resigned as a Director months ago.
When did he pen his resignation?
If the CEO knew of this before tonight why stuff around?
Now it is time for new CEO and 100% new auDA Board.
Benjamin has stuffed his own industry reputation completely.
SACK THEM ALL.
This is a clear message to auDA that transparency is a major concern to members.
Members are open to change as long as process is followed.
The board still has to be held accountable for it’s decisions at the SGM
Hear, hear.