Occupy Melbourne Minutes
Wednesday 30th November 2011
6pm, Treasury Gardens
Working group Reports:
Direct Action Group
Mic check of Melbourne City Council and Robert Doyle by OM at City Hall yesterday (29th November) was a huge success. Video is up, you can also
Well received by a number of Councilors. Robert Doyle looked uncomfortable.
Education Group
Fact sheets will be produced every week. (Example :Food in financial markets)
Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance speaking on Friday 2nd December at the Occupation at 12pm
Next meeting Sunday 4th December at the Occupation
Logistics
Logistics need more helpers, especially for night watch.
Bedding will be provided to new members, but radical self reliance is encouraged: people have to look after their own belongings.
Call for people to attend the camp more often, even if they cannot stay overnight. Turning up to GA is not enough.
Media
Next meting Saturday 3rd December 12pm, location to be advised.
New members encouraged to come along.
First Aid and Care Bears
The first aid teams have been experiencing some frustration and have had their efforts hampered by the rest of the OM community. Members of the care teams have been criticized for trying to do their job to the best of their ability, mainly because of varying opinions how dangerous and difficult situations should be handled. First Aid need the occupiers to stand behind them, not undermine their efforts. Some valuable members have left because of this. There have also been reports of women being made to feel uncomfortable or harassed by some of the male members of OM. Female membership at OM has dwindled, so this is an important issue.
Proposal
by First Aid and Care Bears: We want a mandate to act on situations we consider unsafe to individuals or the community as a whole, and if necessary to call outside help (police, ambulance etc.) Outside help will only be called in once all other avenues are exhausted. Passed at 90% consensus.
Proposals
Direct Action
Call to do mic checks in the city during the Christmas shopping period, aimed at corporations, not shoppers.
A straw poll confirmed that there was interest in doing this.
Facilitation Group
Proposal to have a quorum of 40 people or decisions to pass at GA. Not passed
Alternative proposals discussed including: quorum of 31 people; and quorum based on numbers of people camping. Received less support than original proposal, not passed.
Declaration Working Group
It was decided at the last GA that there will be a special assembly for the declaration. Working group announced/sought support to hold this at 3pm Sunday 4th December at Treasury Gardens. Passed with 100% consensus.
Individual proposals
Proposal : That OM does not endorse destruction of property and considers it not necessary for the goals of OM but a breakdown of discipline. Not passed
Proposal :To raise your hand with a peace sign (V) when you feel violated. Not passed. To be workshopped further.
Proposal by Occupiers :: Do we occupy overnight tonight and where?
Proposal: that we would continue to occupy overnight tonight. Passed
Proposal: that the choice of location was left to the overnight occupiers group. Passed
Announcements
- Education working group would like their info sheets back
- That Kenji will start a discussion group for issues of interaction between men and women at the camp. Talk to him for further details.
- Anita and Rob will run nonviolence training Thurs 4-6pm and Sat 1.30-3.30pm at the occupation
Next General Assemblies:
Saturday 3rd December at 4pm; and Sunday 4th December 3pm at Treasury Gardens.
