[Pil-pc-oceania] PIL-PcAustralia-Chaordic models

[Robyn Francis]

Hi all

Just back from IPC8 & getting over the jet lag.

Been interesting reading this thread - was some discussion on this at APC8
and a proposal for Permaculture Australia which got shelved.

Thanks Steve for sharing insights from IPC8. I would like to add a few
more...

Firstly re PIL
I noticed awkward responses to the name Permaculture International - and had
people question it's "international" claim - i'd say that 90% of the permies
at IPC8 were young 3rd-4th and beyond generation folk active in pc
unfamiliar with the history. I was also often questioned about whether we
had a truly national umbrella or nurturing organisation in Australia.

The name Permaculture International is an historic legacy from the early
days of pc and the wonderful journal it produced. In the latter years of PIJ
the trend of mag sales and audience was definitely more of in the national
market and less international as other major publications became established
OS. The perceived need for something more specifically Australian gave rise
to the Green Connections mag, but eventually both publications went down -
PIL a GST casualty and GC on the financial compost heap. In a way I feel the
existence of 2 national pc publications was more than the Oz market could
support. 
Since the loss of PIJ, PIL's role and focus and method of operation has
changed. It's key roles currently include ownership and management of APT,
management of the PermaFund and it's efforts to redesign a communication
network through the website.

PIL played a critical role as a pioneer species in the pc movements early
evolution and now we need to embrace the phase of succession.

PIL can remain as it is but as a not-for-profit company is can register
Permaculture Australia as it's trading name. I'll reconfirm but recollect
this being the legal advise received some years ago when a name change was
first mooted.

I would definitely support such a move as it involves little change
infrastructurally and could potentially help regain support from the
Australian pc community as an entity they can better relate to. I do not
envisage this resulting in any form of parochialism as I think we will
always need to connect to things on an international level.

I do however have one other suggestion that may be considered - Permaculture
Australiasia. I suggest this as a gesture to include our near neighbours in
the Sth East Asia/Pacific region where there is a lot of cross-pollination
and support happening.

This also raises the directive that came out of IPC6 in WA where we (the
Aussie pc community) were requested to redefine the APC's as Australiasian
Permaculture Convergence as a gesture of this inclusiveness and to provide
an opportunity for our near neighbours to connect and participate with each
other and Aus/NZ pc networks and support.

I am glad to see this discussion happening in the lead up to APC-9. Perhaps
this time round we can arrange to have an XGM (Extraordinary General
Meeting) during the convergence for a final discussion and to make a formal
decision regarding PIL's functional public name.

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On Centralisation/decentralisation

There is a need to find a balance between the two. At IPC8 there was some
interesting thinking on this from some of the European delegates presented
by the Spanish contingency. The Chaordic model is based on a natural systems
and patterns approach which integrates a degree of centralised structure and
form as a synergistic collectiong/dispersal point (organisation) for the
unstructured free-form chaos of individuals and independent organisations
and projects.

I have the a copy of the Chaordic powerpoint presentation which describes
the model and has some good food for thought pertaining to this discussion
thread.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

BTW  IPC-8 was fantastic, inspiring, empowering...  150 delegates from 42
different countries at the Convergence, around 400 at the public conference
in Sao Paulo
I am writing up a brief report and will post onto the list very soon

Ciao
Robyn
-- 
Pathways to sustainability...
Permaculture Education
Djanbung Gardens Permaculture
PO Box 379 Nimbin NSW 2480
02-6689 1755  /  0429 147 138
www.permaculture.com.au
robyn at permaculture.com.au