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Steven Heath bio / election statement

SH 

My involvement in InternetNZ goes back to 1999 as a member and a councillor.  It was the changes to the society, the management and governance of the .nz TLD in my term that lead to the creation of NZRS and the DNC.  These continue to have a lasting impact on the society and thanks to hard work and long term thinking by many people we have one of the most respected and well managed TLDs in the world.    Once NZRS and DNC were operating extremely well I stepped back and took the role of an observer rather than a participant.

InternetNZ has grown and evolved strengthening in several areas, but the observer role has left me disillusioned at some of the recent shenanigans occurring in the non .nz areas of Internet NZ.

Problem as I see it

InternetNZ punches well above its weight (esp. compared to how small the society actually is). But to be honest the approach its takes as an entity to consult members and to actually plan its own future and direction is woeful. The farce around the recent governance changes is proof of this. Numerous members, including myself, were asking for details on the reasons for this change, the value to members, the society and the public. The summary of the response was 'trust us, we know what we are doing'.

Look how well that turned out?

Several of the key movers are standing for positions in this election as well as a wealth of other candidates.

Governance and strategic direction in the non .nz areas has always been the Achilles Heel of the Society. People holding various different positions one after another has hardly helped the governance and management separation. Where else have you seen all of the following:

Former Executive Director elected President?

Former President becoming the Executive Director?

Holders of the Secretary and Treasurer positions each running for the other position because they were both term limited in their roles?

Current President and former Executive Director standing for Vice President?

What I would do if I was on council

One person on council can not and should not be able to change things. However the council sets the tone for the staff and the society. If council does not act in an open and communicative manner then that sets the tone for all dealings. 

I would like your vote and here is why:

  • I would help the council communicate to members, not just call a meeting and have it dominated by a few people
  • Let members know what is occurring before seeing a story in Computerworld or the NZ Herald
  • Allow members input before 'drafts' are presented in key areas (be it membership votes, funding, or just submissions)
  • Open to contact by members, and interested members, to discuss ideas and concerns on the society or related to our objectives
  • Highlight the expenditure (both time and money) that goes on
  • Truly report on what council does (both the good and not so good)
  • Honestly report on the trials of the last 2-3 years on the endless changes that have resulted in massive bloat but little sign of improvement to the Society.

I am also not in favour of the possible merger of InternetNZ and TUANZ. While some overlap may occur between us and TUANZ each has its own role and identity. Working together on areas and issues is the way forward. I think that one ‘disappearing’ would weaken the ICT space in NZ. I am willing to consider a fully documented proposal should one be created with the pros and cons for each party, their members and the wider public good.

About Me

Some of the roles I have held with InternetNZ are:

  • SRS Working Group (Hine Report) member
  • Councillor 
  • Treasurer
  • Domainz Shareholder Representative
  • Panel Chair for NZRS Board member selection
  • 2LD Review Working Group
  • bank.nz and .maori.nz 2LD Application Convenor
  • Technical Committee member

I am owner and director of Foxbane Consulting Ltd. Foxbane Consulting is a boutique company that specialises in advisory to clients requiring Strategic Vendor Management and contract management advice and negotiation skills.   The majority of work has been providing independent advice around ICT contracts, governance and engagement models and as ‘on the ground’ vendor manager for major outsource contracts with large New Zealand ICT vendors.

Also run the coworking office called AltSpace in Wellington.

I have previously worked in a range of technical and management positions in New Zealand and Canada. For further details please refer to my Linked In profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/foxbane

Feel free to contact me at sheath@foxbane.co.nz or 021 706 067.

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