Board Member Comments

[Admin]

Just curious on whether any of you agree that it isn't appropriate for a current board member to be commenting on candidates standing at an election whether those comments are good or bad on a public forum.

 

I would have thought the "proper, decent and professional" thing to do of a current board member is NOT to comment on whether a candidate is good or not but rather just promote that people vote in a public forum.

 

 

[winsor68]

It is a tricky one... I guess the right as a member to have their say does need to be respected... but then again.

 

Surely there is a standard for this?

 

 

[coljones]

Comments by the board members might carry some weight in the minds of the voting public.

 

I am more concerned about the lack of involvement in this forum by the vast majority of the board and other candidates.

 

we are limited, in most cases, to the de-personallized board summaries of peoples behaviors on the board and by the pitiful A4 statements and photos put up by the candidates.

 

I, of course, have voted for myself as I hadn't received any info that this would have been an act of folly (or crass stupidity).

 

The last election campaign was carried out on this site with vigour, a vigour in which the administrator played a large part. Since then this site has been dumbed down, the Daily Telegraph aren't interested in RA-Aus, RA-Aus is not progressing far with their web-site and the ordinary members are still very much in the dark.

 

I would welcome any comments by board members on any topic - it would at least allow us to test them in our minds about their capacity to do their job.

 

Cheers

 

Col

 

Vote Colin Jones [1]

 

and remember preferences might count

 

so vote Michael or Mark [2]

 

Mark or Michael [3]

 

David [4]

 

 

[robinsm]

sorry I dont understand I have been "dumbed" down duh.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Yes, of course it's OK for board members to comment and openly support candidates, right up to the voting point where the members have a right to a confidential vote.

 

There are many precedents for this in Federal, State and local Government, Unions and Associations

 

You'll have heard Party Leaders visiting electorates and asking them to "get behind Col Jones!"

 

You'll be aware of the "support the progressive group" etc.

 

The only time elections become sensitive is within the proximity of or inside a polling booth.

 

VOTE FOR COL

 

 

[Admin]

Yes, of course it's OK for board members to comment and openly support candidates, right up to the voting point where the members have a right to a confidential vote.There are many precedents for this in Federal, State and local Government, Unions and Associations

 

You'll have heard Party Leaders visiting electorates and asking them to "get behind Col Jones!"

 

You'll be aware of the "support the progressive group" etc.

 

The only time elections become sensitive is within the proximity of or inside a polling booth.

 

VOTE FOR COL

Yes TB and I agree that's what you would expect from a 2 party government political system...I just personally think that it wouldn't be right in just an Association of members type of thing because we are all together...there isn't us or them, there isn't fractions, all candidates are also members as well that the rep is suppose to be representing...we are just all together as one and the board member will still be representing the losing candidates thus their association members after the election.

 

 

[coljones]

Yes TB and I agree that's what you would expect from a 2 party government political system...I just personally think that it wouldn't be right in just an Association of members type of thing because we are all together...there isn't us or them, there isn't fractions, all candidates are also members as well that the rep is suppose to be representing...we are just all together as one and the board member will still be representing the losing candidates thus their association members after the election.

Sorry Ian, you are dead wrong. It is not about parties, factions, or conspiracies, it is about an informed membership making informed decisions about their association. If you shut down board member comment then you are allowing the old boys wall of silence to win. Fred Nurk claims 54 years experience on the board - what did he experience on the board? Did he contribute to the board? Was he effective? or was it the same 6 months repeated 108 times?

I think the last election "campaign" was illuminating and the RA-Aus politic is much better understood. A big issue was board secrecy and non-disclosure.

 

I certainly have more faith in this board and executive than I did in the last but I still want semi-continuous disclosure of the board function and board behaviours and in much greater detail than I get from the current board summaries and candidate statements.

 

If Don Ramsay contributes to that better knowledge I say more power to him.

 

Cheers

 

Col

 

 

[Admin]

Huh?

 

 

[David Isaac]

Comments by the board members might carry some weight in the minds of the voting public.

I would think that Board member comments would carry substantial weight and so they should after all we elected them. However, a Board member could find him/herself damned no matter what they say because there may well be NO net gain to discuss candidacy in any form by a sitting Board member other than to broadly endorse all and wish them all well.However there certainly is substantial gain to the membership if the candidate themselves were to speak up and we were all to ask them appropriate questions in response. That could be a very effective function of any forum.

 

I am more concerned about the lack of involvement in this forum by the vast majority of the board and other candidates. We are limited, in most cases, to the de-personallized board summaries of peoples behaviors on the board and by the pitiful A4 statements and photos put up by the candidates.

I agree Col, this is a major issue in my view. I do not understand why a candidate for a Board position would not be on this site or any others for that matter that reach a broad base of RA Aus members putting forward their attributes for candidacy. Credible forums would have to be one of the most efficient ways to get information immediately to members.

 

I, of course, have voted for myself as I hadn't received any info that this would have been an act of folly (or crass stupidity).

I would hope so mate, if you were not prepared to vote for yourself we would be nervous ... LOL

 

The last election campaign was carried out on this site with vigour, a vigour in which the administrator played a large part. Since then this site has been dumbed down, the Daily Telegraph aren't interested in RA-Aus, RA-Aus is not progressing far with their web-site and the ordinary members are still very much in the dark.

Indeed there were substantial gains made by the active part this site played in the immediate past AGM election role and it was a mistake in my view to shutdown the post election discussion. It was for that direct reason this Rec Flying site was reopened to specifically deal with the RA Aus matters so we can actively use this forum for that purpose.

 

I would welcome any comments by board members on any topic - it would at least allow us to test them in our minds about their capacity to do their job.

Hear hear; so where are the candidates ...? Well except for you of course Col. Regardless of the way they may feel about the administration or otherwise of this site, the members of this forum are not the administration so can we have some contributions please. There will be no censorship on this site.

 

sorry I dont understand I have been "dumbed" down duh.

robinsm, I think you will find Col is referring to the removal of Governing bodies forums from the site some time ago before it switched to 'Aircraft Pilots'.

However, whilst that did happen for a period, this site has been opened for this very discussion purpose for debate and discussion on all issues affecting RA Aus pilots which obviously includes the RA Aus elections.

 

We are now free to discuss all these issues on this Rec Flying site.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

As long as it is transparent, and stated that a current Board member or current candidate is making comment on other candidates, then there's no sleight of hand and the members can sort the wheat from the chaff. In the end, the truth shows through and anyone playing fast and loose with it will eventually come unstuck.