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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Hear hear!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I’d like to add some of my own to cents to this
discussion. The turnover in Queensland isn’t quite as bad, but
based on the secretary’s report and my own observations of who’s
been showing up to the AGMs, we had a forty percent turnover of membership in
the last year. As Andrew says, that sort of statistic is simply not
sustainable in the long term, and it *<b>must</b>* be addressed by the
committee in 2010. As Andrew says, a lot of this is due to the fact that
a lot of the chapter activity to date has been concentrated in Sydney and
Melbourne, while things have been fairly quiet everywhere else. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>To a degree, in the case of Brisbane at least, this has
partially been our own fault; events and perks for members simply are not going
to materialise out of this air for us. At the same time though, there has
to be a realistic commitment from those in the southern/eastern states to
assist us in the northern/western in growing our local communities and
membership. I note with satisfaction that those I’ve spoken to in
the committee seem to “get it”, so hopefully there can be some real
progress on this front.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>In closing, I think Andrew’s idea is an excellent one, and
I’d encourage everyone (particularly those of us in Queensland) to get
aboard and start brainstorming.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Craig F.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
wikimediaau-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org
[mailto:wikimediaau-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Andrew<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, 13 December 2009 7:41 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Wikimedia-au<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Wikimediaau-l] Membership, regional participation and other
things<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Fellow members and supporters,<br>
<br>
A key priority for 2009-10 has to be building the chapter and make it
successful. <br>
<br>
Before being elected to my present role, I heard lots of people saying they felt
this chapter was overly Sydney- and Melbourne-focussed not just in activity but
in priorities. There was also a fair few people saying (both among those who
stayed/newly joined, and some who lapsed) that the chapter was overly focused
on central or headline priorities and, in their view, gave insufficient support
to members.<br>
<br>
Using the figures from the secretary's report at the AGM, in regional terms our
numbers were stable, here in WA we went from 5 to 3 members (I am in fact the
only original WA member left) and, even more concerningly, nationally we lost
2/3 of our initial intake although we actually gained a fair number of people.
We need to do *far* more to retain members, and to give those outside the two
biggest cities reasons to join and ways to participate - otherwise this chapter
will fail. I ran on a platform to that effect and got support for it, so I'm
hoping that means the members trust me to find ways to act on those concerns.<br>
<br>
I am happy for people to approach me privately with project ideas they want
feedback on or support for. I think peer support is vital to keeping people's
enthusiasm up, and I understand not everyone wants to go public with projects
before they're ready. I would note in saying so that I can't give
"official chapter approval" to anything although I can certainly seek
it on your behalf from the committee if you wish me to.<br>
<br>
On the wiki I've been working on an early draft for a regional participation
drive, and I'd also appreciate comments on that. I'll be adding more to it
after the first committee meeting on the 20th as I'll know then what I have
support for.<br>
<br>
kindest regards<br>
Andrew Owens<br>
(WM-AU committee general member)<o:p></o:p></p>
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