[Osia-members] OSIA Q3 update

[Jack Burton]

Evening, all.

Quite a bit has been happening at OSIA since the last update, and even
more is just appearing on the horizon, so now seems as good a time as
any to let everyone know about it all.

** OSIA Events **

The next OSIA domestic market event will be held in Adelaide on
Wednesday 15 October. The topic is "Removing the silos: a future built
on unencumbered open standards", with speakers including Ron Skeoch,
Anastasia Kuusk and yours truly. See announcement posted to the list
last Friday; further information available at:
http://osia.com.au/drupal7/?q=node/36

Don't forget to register -- by email to <rsvp at osia.com.au>. Hope to see
many of you there.

We're also looking at hold the next OSIA member event in Sydney, towards
the end of November. Watch this space for further details.

Thanks also of course to all those who attended the OSIA 10 year
anniversary event in Sydney in May, particularly our guest speakers,
OSIA founding directors Brendan Scott & Arjen Lentz. A good evening was
had by all.

** OSIA AGM & OSDC **

This year's OSIA AGM will be held at Griffith University (Gold Coast
campus) on Tuesday 4 November, at 5:30pm -- immediately after the close
of proceedings for the day at OSDC. Further details will be provided
with a formal notice within the next fortnight.

Co-locating our AGM with OSDC makes it easier for members, particularly
those from interstate, to attend both without having to make an extra
trip.

If you haven't registered for OSDC yet, you can do so now at:
http://2014.osdc.com.au/registration

Naturally, any members not attending OSDC can still attend the AGM, but
if you're going to be on the Gold Coast for the OSIA AGM anyway, why
not enjoy a world-class FOSS conference while you're in town?

** Board elections **

The call for nominations went out to the list last Thursday, and closes
next Sunday (12 Oct).

Financial members who are keen to contribute their time and expertise to
shaping and driving OSIA's future are encouraged to nominate.

** Annual renewals **

Membership renewal invoices were sent out in early August and are now
well and truly due.

Thanks to all those members who have renewed already, and a gentle
reminder for any who haven't yet to attend to the matter now.

Note that, to vote at the upcoming AGM (and to stand for election to the
Board), a member must be financial for FY2014/15.

If anyone hasn't received their membership renewal invoice yet for
whatever reason, please let OSIA Secretary Steven Sackett
<secretary at osia.com.au> know and he'll be happy to send you one.

** Changing of the guard **

OSIA Director Mike Hideo retired from the Board earlier this year. The
Board thanks Mike for his substantial contribution to OSIA during his
tenure -- first in the Domestic Markets portfolio, later as Company
Secretary, and most recently responsible for membership & sponsorship.

Given that elections are nearly upon us, the Board decided not to fill
the casual vacancy left by Mike's retirement. OSIA Director Anastasia
Kuusk has taken on the membership & sponsorship portfolio (in addition
to her existing responsibilities) for the remainder of the current term.

More recently, the Board has engaged ACB Consulting on a commercial
basis to provide administrative and logistics services to OSIA. This
arrangement will enable OSIA to achieve more in future.

Members should expect to hear from ACB Consulting's principal, Alison
Brown, about matters relating to membership, events, etc. from time to
time. Please make her welcome.

** Public policy **

The ACIP review of the innovation patent system, to which OSIA lodged a
submission late last year -- see http://osia.com.au/drupal7/?q=node/29
-- released its final report earlier this year -- see
http://www.acip.gov.au/reviews/all-reviews/review-innovation-patent-system/

Whilst the ACIP Review's report did not quote the OSIA submission
directly, there are quite a number of passages that bear a remarkable
resemblance to parts of OSIA's submission. Although ACIP did not go as
far in their recommendations as we would have liked, it is certainly
reassuring to see that at least some of our advice was taken on board.

More recently, the Board wrote to the Prime Minister and the Minister
for Communications in July, putting a strong case for the role open
source software should play in helping the Commonwealth Government
achieve budget repair & economic growth and begin to address Australia's
substantial ICT trade deficit.

We have not yet heard back from either, but in retrospect perhaps our
timing was not ideal, given the multiple significant events on the
international stage that have dominated Australian politics since then.

The Board is currently considering matters regarding the upcoming
Victorian election, and the Commonwealth Government's competition policy
review.

Members with a particular interest in either of those matters who are
prepared to contribute their time and expertise to OSIA are encouraged
to let us know (either on this list, or reply to me directly) before the
end of next week, as whether or not the Board pursue either or both of
those matters is likely to depend on availability of enough suitable
personnel to be effective.

** Infrastructure **

The much anticipated OSIA member referral service is now nearing
completion.

Watch this space for more information.

** Board meetings **

Since the last update, the Board has met four times (twice by
teleconference and twice in Melbourne).

The Board will next meet, in Adelaide, on 15 October (immediately prior
to the open standards event), which will be the final Board meeting of
the current term.

As always, members are encouraged to bring any pertinent matters (and
indeed your views on them) to the attention of the Board, either on this
list or by contacting any of us directly -- all directors and their
email addresses are listed at: http://osia.com.au/drupal7/?q=board

Finally, for the benefit of any members intending to nominate for
election at the AGM, just a heads-up that the first meeting of the
2014/15 Board is scheduled to be held on the Gold Coast on Wednesday 5
November (the day after the AGM).

Look forward to seeing you all at OSDC.

Regards,



Jack Burton
<jack at saosce.com.au>