1904 Regional meeting

Present:





1. Opening worship (silence, then a reading)



2. Acknowledgement of Country



3. Membership

a. Coral Coleman testimony

b. Application for membership – Sejin Pak

c. Minute of record for Anne Boyce



4. Nominations

a. Clerking team



5. This we can say



6. Treasurer's report

a. Verbal report (with written report attached after RM

b. Ratification of payments under new signatory system



7. Safe Quaker Community Policy and workshop (5-6th Oct 2019)



8. SANTRM constitution



9. Sejin Pak's concern for peace on the Korean Peninsula



10. Financial support for Alice Springs Meeting



11. Yearly Meeting Gathering

a. Applications for support to attend

b. Invitation to Jason McLeod in the second half of the year

c. YM feedback session for SANTRM

d. Permissions for non-members to attend YM gathering (Kenise Neill)

e. YM Child carers

f. Items for Standing committee



12. October non-residential weekend



13. YM surplus funds (Appendix)



14. Financial support for those attending the clerks course at Silver Wattle



15. Items for noting

a. Barbara True is laying down her role as newsletter editor for the Friends Fellowship of Healing. We will let you know when a new editor takes on this role.

b. ?








Appendix 1 (usually Treasurer's report)



Appendix 2

Surplus Funds Working Group

Request for feedback from Friends

Standing Committee in January made the following minute 1.19.3:

We accept the report of the AYM Finance Committee. We have been reminded that the excess funds in question come from our reserves and not from quotas.

We are pleased to learn that our reserves cover well over two and a half years’ expenditure and that our investment earnings continue to rise at a higher rate than inflation.

We accept the Committee’s recommendation that the $100,000 be released for distribution.

We ask Regional Meetings to appoint a representative to an AYM Working Group to discuss the allocation of funds. We ask the Treasurer to convene this Working Group and to make a recommendation to a future Standing Committee.

The resulting Working Group had a preliminary meeting on 18 March and drew up an initial list of suggestions. We are now asking Friends to look at the list and see if they have any additional suggestions. We would also like feedback on what priorities Friends have in relation to the release of the money.

The intention is that the money be spent in a fairly short time, maybe extending to 3 to 5 years. We would remind Friends that this is a one-off situation. If the money is used for an internal purpose (such as employing someone or reducing ongoing costs) there may be a hiatus when the money runs out. This may commit us to ceasing a temporary arrangement or finding additional sources of finance to continue the arrangement.

Friends are asked to give feedback to your RM representative as follows:

David Shorthouse (CanberraRM) djshorthouse@apex.net.au

Jackie Perkins (NSWRM) RMNSWTreasurer@quakersaustralia.info

Christine Venner-Westaway (QRM) RMQldTreasurer@quakersaustralia.info

Topsy Evans (SANTRM) RMSANTTreasurer@quakersaustralia.info

Julian Robertson (TRM) julianr@iinet.net.au

Chris Warner (VRM) RMVicTreasurer@quakersaustralia.info

Jennifer Hole (WARM) RMWATreasurer@quakersaustralia.info

The initial list of suggestions is as follows:

1) ‘Internal’ AYM use

a) AYM Funds (e.g. Publications, Children & JYF, Stitches)

b) Employing a part time person for support for the AYM Secretary, the Website and IT system, Outreach and/or organising Yearly Meeting.

2) Regional Meeting use

a) Financial support for Family gatherings, audio and other technical systems or relieving the cost of the Quota.

b) Charitable uses generally (refugees, respite care, etc.)

3) ‘External’ Quaker use

a) Quaker Organisations related to AYM (e.g. Australian Friends Fellowship of Healing, Silver Wattle, FWCC and/or AWPS, Friends Peace Teams, Woodbrooke and/or Pendle Hill.)

4) Other external use

a) Specific groups (e.g. the Independent and Peaceful Australia network (IPAN) and other peace, refugee, disability and indigenous groups)

b) Climate emergency response and advocacy

c) Extending ecumenism to Interfaith

For your consideration:

Do you have other suggestions?

Do you have particular preferences?



A reminder: the Working Group hopes for responses from Friends in your Regional Meeting by 19 May so that it may develop recommendations in time for AYM 2019 in July.







Appendix 4