Minutes of Executive Committee - 28 November 2006

Present: Colin Jackson (President), David Farrar (Vice President), Chris Streatfield (Secretary), Michael Wallmannsberger (Treasurer), Simon Riley.

In Attendance: Keith Davidson (Executive Director), Susi Fookes (Project Administrator)

The President opened the meeting 10.55 am

1. Minutes of Exec Ctte meeting 18 September 06
The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted.

2. Matters arising
None.

The President noted to staff that David Harris has resigned from Council. There was discussion on the process around this coinciding with the current election.

RN [ExeCom] (President/Vice President) “THAT the Secretary will propose to the membership that we adopt the winner and runner-up of the election then in hand.”

CARRIED U

Action point: President to ask David Harris if he would still like to attend the DIA meeting on Monday.

Action point: Secretary to ask members asking if anyone objects to adopting the runner-up as the replacement for David Harris.

3. Council agenda

Start 9.30 am

- Council alone time

- Council Dynamics 2 hours

For approval to go to membership consultation

- Strat Plan 30 minutes

- Budget/Bus Plan 30 minutes

- Structural Review 2 hours

Special speaker 30 minutes

Usual Business 1.5 hours

- Teleco regulation

- Spam Legislation

- Digital communities etc

Lunch 1 hour

It was agreed that Don H or Laurence Zwimpfer is the preferred special speaker. If neither are available, a speaker from the National Library on Peoples Network or Murray Millner.

Action point: President to source an external facilitator for the Council Dynamics workshop (John Boyd was suggested).

Action point: Monday (20/11), President to advise Council of the anticipated running time of the meeting and note the key agenda items.

4. Strategic Plan
The President introduced the item and clarified that it is purely about the process of the plan as opposed to content.

Cr Riley noted that the pacific section and the organisational capability still need work and the digital strategy needs to be added in. The document will then be ready for ‘word smithing’.

Action point: Executive Director to arrange for the Strategic Plan to be word smithed before the next Council meeting.

Action point: Executive Director to prepare a timeline for the Strategic Plan covering the next two weeks.

The Executive Director noted the tight timeframe and asked that when it comes time to review the plan that the Executive Committee are prompt to respond.

It was agreed that the plan is to be released to members as a ‘proposed Strategic Plan’ rather than a ‘draft Strategic Plan’.

External stakeholders to be invited to comment will include Netsafe, Tuanz, ISPANZ and NZCS.

5. Budget bids
The President introduced the item and noted that the Technical Policy Committee have not put in a bid. The Treasurer noted that the budget will be tied in with the Strategic Plan and need to be considered together.

Action point: Beginning of next week, Executive Director to send a copy of current Strategic Plan to the Treasurer and discuss budget.

The Executive Director noted that the Audit committee and the Executive Committee also have not made bids. The Treasurer replied that it will be just the standard meeting fees.

Council training was discussed and how to budget for it. Executive Committee would like it to be optional and feels a budget of $25,000 would be appropriate.

Action point: Executive Committee to meet to get the budget bids into the envelope agreed by Council at its last meeting.

Staff budgeting

The Executive Director confirmed that the Technical Analyst will be replaced when he leaves this year. He continued that he is unsure as to whether another communications person will be appointed; there are other factors around staff resources including the whether we continue as the APTLD secretariat.

$14,000 budget was agreed for Councillor conference attendance ($1,000 per Councillor). It was noted that there needs to be clear differentiation between ‘council training’ and ‘council conference attendance’.

The access grid was touched on. This will be a carry over into next year’s budget.

Action point: Staff to prepare a spreadsheet comparing the actual with the draft budget.

12:00 – 13.05 The Committee broke for Lunch

Digital Communities initiative
Cr Riley spoke to the item. There is a planning workshop next week between INZ, LGNZ and EDANZ. This is a commitment between the organisations to go forward with the Digital Communities initiative. Themes will include: e-city index, supporting the broadband challenge applicants, resource kit, access grid network.

InternetNZ will take ownership of supporting regional networking, in particular with the broadband applicants and also the access grid network. Neither are new initiatives to InternetNZ; it will involve supporting other organisations on these issues.

It was noted that the Executive Director will attend the meeting.

The first day is for the broadband challenge applicants and how to support them. The second will be a workshop.

9.  Financial Authority: Check budget lines with potential overspend
The Executive Director asked if this can be left with him as he is not familiar with it, but understands there are some issues to be ironed out. He asked for time to check the coding and to come back to Executive Committee next week. This was agreed by all.

Action point: Executive Director, Vice President and Treasurer to review the transaction ledger for Public Policy Committee.

10. Staff priorities
The Executive Director spoke to the item.

APTLD

There was an APTLD meeting earlier this week. Don Hollander is currently reviewing the future of the secretariat function; he has suggested that we may loose it as of April next year. This will result in staff time freed up and will have little cost ramification. The Executive Director noted that he would like to see our role as the secretariat continue as it has enriched Jordan Carter’s role giving him the opportunity to mix and mingle with other ccTLDs.

MEMBERSHIP RETENTION ACTIVITIES

He noted that we are starting to strike a formula. We are developing a good balance at the moment; we could invest more money in it, but with little more gain.

By in large we will cope within the current budget constraint for staff. This year the ICANN meeting and the broadband submission has been a considerable drain on staff resource, both that will not impact the next few years. Next year will be a more ‘business as usual’.

There was discussion on the membership plan and tying it in with a communication plan. The Executive Director briefed them on current work and explained that staff are actively developing it. The committee asked for more internal reporting on this.

Action point: A few weeks before members consultations staff to meet with the Executive Committee to cover the membership plan.

The membership plan can then be put in place by the next AGM.

11. Internet Code of Practice
The Executive Director gave an update on the code. ISPANZ sees it having real value. Richard Wood is working on it and now is seeking input from Jordan and himself. It is looking to be ready in time for the December Council meeting. He confirmed that it will have a small line in the budget.

It was agreed that it is important that the code is taken forward as it provides consumer protection. It is still valid and there is a need to drive it.

It was noted that Telecom, TelstraClear and iHUG (amongst others) made submissions on the draft code, a good sign that they are supportive of having something put in place.

12. Accessibility
The President updated the committee on the progress of e-accessibility with AccEase. At the moment they are seeking support by doing a joint press release. He noted that we are not here to lead this, but will support the initiative where possible.

Action point: Staff to work on a joint press release with AccEase “The Internet is for everyone”.

13. Other outstanding projects

ENUM
ENUM is shelved at this stage until we are able to speak to TCF, which will not be until next year. Cr Riley suggested that in the mean time there are other ways we can be involved, for example following and commenting on the work being done in Australia.

TUANZ

There was discussion on the coming TUANZ board meeting and there was question as to what involvement we are to take.

Action point: The President to talk to the TUANZ Chair to confirm their expectations of InternetNZ involvement and advise the Executive Director.

NZCERT

Nick Wallingford is working on this. Key to note is that Brendon Murray is no longer active, however there have been discussions with CCIP. It was suggested that this could be put on the NZNOG agenda to ascertain their feelings. Funding for the project was discussed and whether a ‘champion’ is needed for the project. It was agreed that the next move InternetNZ should take is to talk to Frank March.

WIP

President and Cr Riley attended a launch for the Digital Content Strategy last week and had the opportunity to speak to Phillipa from AUT. The Executive Director noted that the primary issue is that they have had trouble securing sponsorship and that he has tried to help them. It was agreed that no further action will be taken until sponsorship is secured.

14. Content Digital Strategy
Jordan Carter posted a link to the Draft New Zealand Digital Content Strategy discussion document this morning.

It was noted that Staff did not attend the Digital Content Strategy launch last week as they were not advised of the event.

Cr Riley feels that a funding stream is missing. There is no money to fund applications; this is an angle we could take.

Jordan will have a draft submission put together by 4 December.

The President closed the meeting at 3.00pm.