Colin Jones - RA-Aus Board Election 2014 - Candidate for NSW

[coljones]

Hello, I am looking for your support and that of your friends and colleagues to whom you choose to pass this to.

 

There is much wrong with RAA but it is difficult to accurately put the finger on any issues as the current

 

board is very quite (secretive), with a few exceptions.

 

Certainly the debacle with aircraft registrations is causing much pain to the members who own aircraft and those who rent them together with who are contemplating buying particular types.

 

There are also the difficulties getting a finger on the draft Ops and Tech Manuals as they are held close to the board and staff with no pre-approval review and thus little or no input by the members.

 

I have been told that there are good people on the board but the current apparent paralysis is making it difficult and appears to be bringing RAA into disrepute.

 

I have considerable experience in Not-for-profit Boards and organisations and have a range of life experiences which would be of great use to RAA

 

My published statement

 

RA-Aus Board Election 2014 - Candidate for NSW

 

Colin Jones

 

Aviation Employment Statement. "I hold no positions in any aviation related organisation which pays an

 

income, remuneration or honorarium"

 

Relevant experience:-

 

o Ra-Aus Certificate and PPL, flying out of The Oaks, near Sydney

 

o Retired Professional Engineer and IT Manager - Telstra & OTC

 

o Retired National Treasurer (honorary) of APESMA, a major member based advocacy not-for-profit

 

(income exceeding $20Mil - over 80 staff)

 

o Retired NSW Branch President of APESMA

 

o Board Member, Schofields Flying Club.

 

o Committee member of a number of small local social, sporting and youth organisations

 

o Ashfield (NSW) Citizen of the Year 2010

 

o Australian Defence Medal (RAAF Reserve)

 

My involvement with Recreational Aviation is relatively recent, however I have a life long family association with aviation where my father and uncles were commercial pilots and my brother, a LAME.

 

An early decision to go to University limited my choices to flying or eating and later having a family had the same effect. Having the kids off my hands meant I could once again indulge, now in RA, and it is bringing much enjoyment.

 

I am offering myself for election as I believe I have qualifications and a range of experiences that will be

 

useful to the board and of benefit to the members. I understand that there are issues of transparency and

 

representation which are causing some debate as well as how the organisation is travelling financially and as the representative body of the members and as the delegate of CASA. As the board of a member based

 

organisation the RA-Aus board must face these challenges which are unlike those of a public company

 

where you can sell your shares and just walk away.

 

As a Professional Engineer and IT Manager I have had significant experience in turning needs into solutions using technology. This required making the business case, determining standards, issuing and selecting tenders, employing staff and ensuring that the solutions were implemented in accordance with needs, met requirements of timeliness, costs and utility.

 

As the Treasurer of APESMA, being part of the executive team, I had oversight of the organisation which

 

was operated by a CEO. The function of the executive was to represent the members, setting the targets

 

budgets and fees and monitoring the operations. With changes to the legislative basis of existence there was regular needs to review the rules of the organisation to ensure compliance and, as we changed through a range of mergers, to ensure equity and fairness of outcomes as well as representation and governance.

 

It is my intention to fly around and see a lot more of NSW from upstairs. I hope to meet more rec flyers. If I am elected I hope to exchange views and gather the opinions of members, particularly those who can’t get to NatFly, the AGM or other RA-Aus sponsored events.

 

Recreational aviation is fun, deserves to be sponsored to the rest of Australia and needs better access to more airstrips, without that access being undermined or compromised by CASA, government or local councils.

 

I can be contacted on 0439 979 950 or [email protected]

 

Col Jones - RA-Aus Member 026402

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Hello, I am looking for your support and that of your friends and colleagues to whom you choose to pass this to.

All the best Colin, thanks for offering your help. Just a suggestion, you might want to delete or modify your email address in this post unless you relish contact by a bunch of Nigerian aircraft enthusiasts?

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I agree, Col all the best, I wont put you down as number 1 on my vote form but you wont be far behind me....on my form at least !

 

Andy

 

 

[coljones]

All the best Colin, thanks for offering your help. Just a suggestion, you might want to delete or modify your email address in this post unless you relish contact by a bunch of Nigerian aircraft enthusiasts?

Thanks.

GMail does a pretty good job of sorting the Nigerians from the rest. It is the Canadians (so they say) trying to sell me Viagra who fill my junk mail folder.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Got to say I find it strange to only vote 1 to 3 preferentially for two positions, leaves it wide open for my vote to only influence one of the available postions if my other two preferenced candidates are extinguished! For both your sakes I hope that is not the case just the same.

 

 

[coljones]

Got to say I find it strange to only vote 1 to 3 preferentially for two positions, leaves it wide open for my vote to only influence one of the available postions if my other two preferenced candidates are extinguished!

In NSW there are 2 positions to fill. The first position is selected (balloted) using preferences. After the first position has been filled the 2nd position is selected, renumbering the votes by eliminating votes for the winner of the first position and re-allocating the prefs to the remaining candidates. Even if candidates are eliminated in the ballot for the first position they get put back into the ballot for the second

It is not proportional representation! Each voter actually gets 2 votes, once in each position fill.

 

ALL VOTES ARE VALUABLE - democracy depends on you voting for at least 2 people - and preferably everyone in order of preference so that you truly end up with the most preferred members of the board.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

What is on the form is an example rather than exact . As there are 5 candidates and 2 positions the really astute will number candidates from 1 to 4 at least and preferably 1 to 5

 

Andy

 

 

[Peter008]

I take my hat off to all the candidates for throwing their name in the ring but thought that there may be 10 or more judging by the amount of fuss made about how poorly the board is perceived to be performing.

 

I may be a bit cynical but wonder about the people who criticise the board but never volunteer for the job. I believe that it would be one of those thankless jobs where one would get more flack than recognition of services well done for the organisation.

 

So, to the board members existing, I congratulate you for having the commitment to do what you have done. I will not pass any flack at any of you as I have not put my name forward for Queensland when the elections were held.

 

To the people standing for election now, I wish you every success and that we as members of the organisation, support you as best we can.

 

Nicely put together spiel Col. A mix of a Resume, CV and a future direction you wish the organisation to take. Well done!!

 

 

[rankamateur]

What is on the form is an example rather than exact . As there are 5 candidates and 2 positions the really astute will number candidates from 1 to 4 at least and preferably 1 to 5Andy

Given the directions on the form I was not convinced that my vote would not be deemed informal if numbered all the way to five. I numbered one to three then posted comment above. I can't read it again to check my interpretation, it is already in the post.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

you are correct that is exactly what it says on the form, however I took my interpretation from previous votes and the returning officers report as to how the vote was counted and how votes were discarded when or if they didn't nominate anyone past the person just removed as being the lowest returned count with none past the post.

 

Andy

 

 

[DonRamsay]

It is unfortunate that the instructions on the ballot form relate more to an election of one person rather than two.

 

The instructions don't invalidate the election process but could be more helpful and less unhelpful.

 

You can vote 1 to 5 or 1 to 4 or 3, 2, or just one and they would all be valid.

 

There would be a difficulty if you put more than one tick on the form. That would probably invalidate the form.

 

To be safe, number 1 to 5 (even though 5th pref is pretty meaningless).

 

Don