[AUUG-Talk]: Wind up AUUG: Objections?

[Lawrie Brown]

Hi All

Okay, I put my hand up as one of the current 8 financial members.

On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 09:57:05AM +1100, Christopher.Vance at auug.org.au wrote:
> When I left it (after illness), there was an (understrength) board
> with some plans to tidy things up.
> The financial members voted against dissolution when recently asked.
> Most of them also chose not to nominate for board positions.

Indeed. For the record, I put my hand up to be co-opted onto the board
earlier this year (before I got swamped). There were moves to make
this happen (and I did get onto the Board mailing list), but then
all went silent. I'm not sure if I was actually, legally coopted on.
Also, I do not have access to any of the AUUG records or details.

On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 09:58:21AM +1100, Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote:
> > There is at least one group (Karl, groggy, StephenR) who've indicated
> > they wish to take over the domains.

On Sat, Oct 25, 2008 at 06:07:34PM +1100, steve jenkin wrote:
> So the Chosen Few voted - and their voice was "AUUG Must Live".
> Then the Great Eight did what AUUG does best - NOTHING.

Speaking for myself, yes I voted for AUUG to continue, because I believed
the wind-up proposal was, at the time, too hasty.

Yes, I am COMPLETELY in agreement with the proposal mentioned by Groggy
above, for there to be an "informal association" to take over some
key assets of AUUG, specifically the domains, website, email lists etc.
I rather suspect most of the others voting for its continuation felt
likewise.

BUT, as was discussed on this list prior to the vote last year, this has
to occur BEFORE AUUG is wound up, not after. Because the AUUG constitution,
as required by the Incorporation Act, specifies that in the event of it
being wound up, those assets can ONLY be transferred to another suitable
INCORPORATED association or other legal entity. An "informal association"
doesn't cut it. So if thats whats wanted, its needed now before wind-up.

But in order to transfer the assets, there needs to be SOMETHING to transfer
then to. Even an "informal association" needs at least some skeletal
structure, some rules stating what its aims are, who are members, how its
governed, and most importantly, how to resolve disputes (because they're
guaranteed to occur). I have been waiting all year for the proposers of this
son-of-AUUG to create it, so we can get on with doing what is the general
consensus of what people want, and transfer some key assets to it.
However, despite several prods, nothing has happened.

Can I humbly suggest that if the members of this list really want to see
any chance of something of AUUG's history and assets remaining, they
put their hands up and help get this entity created. Because if that
doesn't happen RSN, NOTHING will remain.

> > AUUG has the ability to transfer items, but that would need a
> > functioning board.
...
> We could have some kind of [belated] election, I suspect.
> Then those eight people who voted against the dissolution ballot could
> sign themselves up to the board and do whatever they think should be

Yes, as Adrian has said, it would only take a handful of the members
to construct one. And if had a limited scope - like transferring assets
to a suitable entity, then getting on with the wind-up, then I hope we
can find those people.

I agree with the claim that AUUG is clearly comatose and unlikely to recover.

> is blocking or VETO. Preventing others from acting it seems is a far,
> far better thing than doing anything yourself.

I disagree with that assertion. Yes the fate of AUUG is in its current
members hands. BUT WE are not preventing the creation of a suitable
successor.  The ability to create something to inherit at least SOME of its
assets is in the hands of a number of people posting to this list. YOU do
something about that. Then WE will do something about AUUG gifting the
needed assets to it.

If no suitable successor org is created in the very near future, then
yes I believe then the only option is wind-up. And if that occurs I
believe we will lose all traces of AUUG, since none of the organizations
I saw proposed in discussion last year seemed to me to offer any
possibility of preserving some aspects of AUUG. I'd love to be
proved wrong if anyone has some concrete suggestions to the contrary.

As well, if any of the more extreme suggestions I've seen posted here
eventuate, then absolutely all traces of everything AUUG has will clearly be
destroyed.  I don't want that. However I get the distinct impression
that some on this list do.

So - is there going to be a suitable successor?

Otherwise is there a suitable incorporated association that could take
over whatever is then left of AUUGs assets on wind-up? Which is clearly
going to happen one way or other, fairly soon.

I'd love to know.

Regards
Lawrie