• ExpensesPolicy

Linux Australia has a responsibility to minimise spending in order to maximise the benefit to the Australian FOSS community.

LA F2F

The Linux Australia Face to Face (F2F) meeting under normal circumstances happens twice a year. Once soon after election, and usually about halfway through the year. This is important as face to face time of the committee which is usually geographically dispersed helps get the council working well together as a team, and are on the same page. The meeting is usually an all day meeting. This gives the council time to get on track and to ensure time is spent usefully during the election term for each person. The meetings should have at least a month or more notice in order to get good rates. Normal expenses covered by LA for the F2F include:

• Economy class flights at best available rates
• Per diem meal costs (perhaps $50?)
• Reasonable accomodation for the required night/s for the meeting
• Cab trips to and from airport

TODO:

• need to set reasonable ceiling costs on accomodation and meals

Ghosts

The Ghosts of a conference past is a meeting where the current linux.conf.au team gets to invite select members from previous years and where useful LA (particularly the treasurer) to discuss their planning, debrief on the previous year, and basically share information.

• The linux.conf.au team has to budget this event into their planning, which includes whatever they choose to cover of all attendees expenses. LA should not be paying for any of this as it has to be taken into account in the linux.conf.au planning
• LA has often paid for one dinner for all ghosts attendees as a token of appreciation for attending

Stewart and Jon's draft from the Sydney airport qantas club lounge

Linux Australia committee members dedicate a lot of time and effort to being on the committee. Since face to face meetings are often on weekends, this does make a significant difference to the amount of time one can spend with their loved ones. Because of this burden, it is reasonable to expect council members not to be out of pocket for their already large contribution of time and effort.

Not spending large amounts of the communities money is good, but be comfortable. Go back to your loved ones rested, not irritated. Council members are expected to exercise discretion in their choices.

Face to Face Meetings

Linux Australia will cover the following:

• Transport to/from the airport. For example:
  • Petrol/Road Tolls
  • Taxi
  • Shuttle
  • Train
• Plane flight (or other method of transport to the city)
  • Economy (or equiv)
  • Airline is individuals choice
  • Transport to/from Hotel (or other Accommodation)
• Accommodation
  • Select somewhere nice, not exorbitant
  • Sharing a room with another council member is good as you can end up with a much nicer place for the same price per person. This is totally reasonable. It also lets you get to know your fellow council members better
• Meals
  • Are covered by Linux Australia. The reason being if you were not on LA business, this would not be a personal expense for you.
  • As a general guideline about $30AUD is not unreasonable for a meal. Eat good food.