Sydney Linux group may merge with Linux Australia

Sam Varghese
Thursday, 03 March 2011 08:01

Opinion and Analysis

The Sydney Linux User Group may be wound up by the end of the month and function instead as a sub-committee of Linux Australia if a motion drafted by its president, James Polley, is passed at the AGM on March 25.

Polley outlined his proposal on the SLUG mailing list on the last day of February, pointing out that since SLUG was an incorporated association it placed many burdens on the organisation.

"...in the main we end up merely duplicating work and expenses that Linux Australia does," he added.

The aims and goals of SLUG seemed to be the same as those of Linux Australia, with the only difference being that the Sydney group was catering to a smaller geographical area that fell within the larger area on which LA was focused, he said.

"I'm proposing that we ask LA to take over the functions SLUG has performed, and then wind up SLUG as an association," Polley wrote.

He said this would free SLUG of the need to have a public officer of its own, the need to lodge reports with the department of fair trading and the requirement to take out insurance that, at about $800 per year, was consuming almost all of the SLUG's income.

The activities of SLUG, such as the meetings (held in a venue provided by a sponsor) and the mailing lists (hosted free) do not consume any financial resources.

Polley's suggested structure for a SLUG replacement visualises the Sydney group becoming a sub-committee of LA which would be delegated the current responsibilities of the group.

LA would appoint two members to the sub-committee - the two people elected as SLUG president and treasurer at the AGM.

Polley then visualises SLUG being wound up - after this is authorised by a special resolution at the AGM - and donating all its assets to LA.

He pointed out that the final wording of the resolution needed to be finalised by tomorrow (March 4), three weeks before the AGM. The draft motion is here.