It’s been good to have some time to rest and recuperate from recent stresses in my life.
But so much has happened in the past week, and I just have to write about it – because I still care! Whilst I’m not the best writer in the world, I do find it enjoyable and therapeutic – it certainly keeps my brain active whilst I’m lounging around home!
Another SGM Has Been Requested
I am now aware that auDA members Josh Rowe, Paul Szyndler and Jim Stewart have emulated the strategy of the very successful “Grumpy” campaign last July. They have called for a General Meeting of members under S249D of the Corporations Act 2001 (SGM = Special General Meeting).
To read their concerns, have a look at Grumpier.com.au.
For the record:
- This is their doing – not mine.
- Neither I or any of my family or corporate entities (that are auDA members) have signed the petition. However, that is not to say that they don’t have my support – because they do.
- Whilst I can’t talk about what I said to the auDA Board during my short stint as a Director, I have consistently highlighted on this blog about the level of ongoing member dissatisfaction since the last SGM. I also stood up and said it at the AGM in November 2017. If auDA didn’t keep its promises / assurances that they made to Members, then another SGM was always going to be a possibility.
- I also advised the auDA Board at the AGM (before I was elected) that they should look at strategies to immediately increase the membership base so as to make it harder for situations like this to occur. That advice was not taken up. Increased membership from all across the internet community offers the opportunity for a more representative organisation.
- My blog article “It’s Not Rocket Science” back in January is also illuminating.
The SGM application has now become a reality. And it’s not just Demand Class members who are upset – there are many unhappy registrars and resellers (they have their own reasons).
My sympathies do lie with the members – it would be disingenuous of me to say otherwise. But I love the .au namespace first and foremost, and I hope that something good comes out of this process.
Ned O’Meara – 10th April 2018
Disclaimer
Thanks for your words of support Ned.
It’s good to see you “back”.
One point I would like to make clear to auDA members that read your blog is that neither Josh, Jim nor I wanted to take this course of action. It is a burden on members and auDA, and causing such upheaval is somewhat contrary to our collective desire to see a stable, effective .au space. But we couldn’t see any other way through.
We all come at this issue from very different perspectives. Josh has nothing to gain financially or strategically through initiating “grumpier”. I definitely dont have any “skin in the game”. I’m agnostic about proposed policy reforms but care deeply about the processes behind how they occur. Heck, Jim could sit quietly through the direct registration process and make a motza from his clients when they need extra attention in adjusting their SEO strategies.
Our collective interest is having the best possible management and governance structures for .au and maintaining the excellent reputation that auDA built over many years. So we are making our voices heard and will leave it up to auDA members to make up their own minds as to whether they agree with us or not.
Because, as you said yourself during the “grumpy” campaign last year, that is democracy in action.