Executive Director's Report to Council 28/08/05

The InternetNZ staff extends a warm welcome to the incoming Council. We are looking forward to progressing the objectives of the Society with you all.

I am taking this opportunity to break with tradition from previous Executive Director report formats, in the hope that Council will find the new methodology more useful. Having shamelessly "stolen" a project template from Simon Riley and the NGI group, we have adapted the template to what we hope more adequately reflects InternetNZ's requirements, and have applied a number of our current projects and initiatives to this template. Furthermore, if Council agrees, it is my intention to provide Council with an Executive Directors report and update of projects on the 20th of each month in the future. I feel this regular form of reporting, not necessarily so aligned to the timing of Council meetings will enable us all to ensure that we keep our focus and progress on the priority tasks, and make it harder for things to slip between the cracks. In addition, I think the projects reporting in this form will allow a more useful archive, and obviously would be better tailored to website recording requirements.

I have therefore attached a "Project Status Summary" for the projects we have converted onto the template form, and the actual project reports following. If Council finds this an acceptable practice for the future, then my monthly report will primarily be a summary of the recommendations requiring Council approval, arising from the previous month's projects.

Any other issues that I consider of significance for Council will continue to be reported in the normal form of the ED's report.

STAFFING

We continue to struggle with insufficient staff numbers, and the recruitment of suitable staff members has proven difficult. We do however have a well qualified PA / EA commencing temporary assignment with us from Monday 22 August. Furthermore, we are getting towards the end of an interview process that may see a suitable full time staff member recruited in early September. In the interim though, we continue to cope and are rising slowly out of "fire-fighting" mode to a more stable and sensible environment.

ICTUS

I have discussed ICTUS with Jim Higgins, and other possible parties to this endeavour including NZ Computer Society and TUANZ, and all have agreed we should "park" this project for the interim

INTEROPERABILITY PROJECT

I have discussed this project with Judith Speight and have agreement that this issue be "parked" also. No ongoing costs are being incurred by INZ.

GENERAL

As well as progressing projects as outlined, I have been attending to my personal re-branding as Executive Director, and have been establishing a timetable of meetings with some of our regular contacts within Government and sibling organisation stakeholders.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MONTHLY PROJECT REPORTS

1. That the monthly project reports and Executive Directors Report be received

From INZ Membership Plan

1. That the structural changes be adopted, for recommendation to members for, consideration as forming the basis of an INZ Membership Plan..

2. That the ED be authorised to evolve a marketing and promotional plan relating to the membership plan.

From ICT Leaders Debate Access Grid:

1. That the ICT Leaders Debate initiative, along with budget of up to $9,000, be approved.

Keith Davidson
Executive Director
20 August 2005