NA Northern Australia Service Board Meeting minutes 25/09/2023

Location:  Virtual Zoom
Meeting ID: 487 569 8440
Pass code 865364
Meeting Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86913016074?pwd=QjVpNFhXektBZUpiTXR3ajU5MFgwUT09
Date:  25/09/2023
Time:  7:00 pm
Facilitator:  John C;
Minutes: Sami
Attendees: Brad N; Sami; John C; Eleanor; Brea; Jason T;
Apologies: Michael B; Nathan;

1. OPEN
1.1. Chair’s welcome.
1.2. Service prayer:
God, grant us the knowledge that we may act according to your divine precepts. Instill in us a sense of your purpose, make us servants of your will and grant us a bond of selflessness that this may truly be your work, not ours, so that no addict, anywhere, need die from the horrors of addiction.
1.3. Acknowledgement of Country
Today we stand in footsteps millennia old. May we acknowledge the traditional owners whose cultures and customs have nurtured, and continue to nurture, this land, since men and women awoke from the great dream. We honour the presence of these ancestors who reside in the imagination of this land and whose irrepressible spirituality flows through all creation.
1.4. ID of those present
1.5. Apologies.

2. ITEMS
2.1. RCM
2.1.1. From the beginning of next year the RCM will go from 4 meetings a year to 3; there will be two face to face meetings, one in Sydney and the other will be a roving one; one meeting will be held on zoom;
2.1.2. When a new meeting starts up they can contact FSO for a starter kit which will include meeting reading cards and some literature (not banners) and all they need to pay is postage;
2.1.3. We are seeking legal advice on pit fires being allowed at meetings to make sure we are legally covered should an accident happen;

2.2. Treasurer
2.2.1. Reports are posted on the web
2.2.2. Michael has been dealing with Westpac to open further sub-accounts; whilst away John has been filling in; John has provided the bank with a PDF version of our minutes that are signed;

2.3. H & I Hub
2.3.1. Chermside Mental Health Secure Facility: has reached a plateau with regular attendance of around 5; currently have 11 people on the roster but always looking for more; need two years clean time as it is a secure facility; good balance of members sharing and patients sharing; meetings are fortnightly;
2.3.2. RBWH Hospital Alcohol and Drug Service (HADS): ticking along nicely
2.3.3. Moonyah (Rehab): no report
2.3.4. Logan House (Lives Lived Well): Meredith hasn’t been able to get in touch with the NA coordinator of the roster but believes it is going well
2.3.5. Caboolture Mental Health Facility: John will ring the coordinator to try and get meetings recommenced;
2.3.6. Lives Lived Well (Caboolture): Alan P. is in the process of doing a new roster; going well;
2.3.7. Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (Gatton): fortnightly meeting; very difficult to get the women engaged there possibly because the facility is hap hazard with regards to scheduling it; Meredith is happy if there is only one woman;
2.3.8. Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre: 8 women on the roster; monthly meetings but may be moving to fortnightly soon; hoping to go back to weekly eventually;
2.3.9. Helana Jones Correctional Centre: fortnightly meeting; good attendance and a strong meeting;
2.3.10. Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre: monthly meetings but two meetings have been unable to go ahead due to staff shortages on the day; looking for more men to go onto the roster; only have 4 men at the moment;
2.3.11. Online correctional zoom meetings: Townsville was approached but declined as they don’t have the capacity; QCS have put it out to other facilities and waiting to hear back; Meredith is very keen to start a conversation with QCS about NA becoming
2.3.12. Online (National): nothing to report
2.3.13. Online H&I (Monday night Qld and NT rehabs): going well with a great roster;
2.3.14. John suggested that we raise awareness about these rosters at the end of any meetings we attend; John and Meredith suggested we give out their phone numbers to anyone interested in H&I; alternatively they can fill out the expression of interest form on the website;

2.4. PR
2.4.1. Stickers and posters are being distributed;
2.4.2. John has requested funding to order some more posters at a cost of @$300; no objection from members of the board; John will pay for the printing and seek reimbursement from Michael when he returns from holiday;
2.4.3. Rail campaign is due to end 2nd October, 2023 and we will receive information about how many people scanned the QR code: Bruce from the phone line may also have information about who contacted the phone line as a result of the rail campaign; data can be used to help decide if we use this method again;

2.5. Website / Outreach
2.5.1. Update has been finished; Sami requested board members to have a look and make sure the information is correct.

2.6. Board enquiries and contacts – email/ mail / etc.
2.6.1. Emails: 01/08 to 25/09

2.6.2. Mail: 4 letters from prisoners which have been forwarded to Nathan and Sami;

2.7. New Items
2.7.1. Brisbane Inner City GSF request for funding for Unity Day: Brisbane Inner City having difficulties with disruptive behaviour; they had a discussion at their GSF about how to handle this and decided that a workshop addressing this wrapped in a Unity Day with a BBQ; they would like support from the board with funding as well as attendance; the idea is to provide members who are dealing with this tools to handle it; they are requesting $600 to cover the cost of hiring a venue, food, workshop materials; any funds raised by 7th tradition will go to the board; Jason suggested that a new sub-account be created for Brisbane Inner City GSF and the $600 be placed in that account with Jason and Tim being signatories; John will get in touch with Michael about getting this done; if this is not possible then Jason suggested that the Sunday Spiritual Concepts sub-account be used; Brea suggested that they use the Friday night sub-account as both signatories are in the country;
2.7.2. Discussion held about having a third signatory on the account; John to check with Michael;
2.7.3. Brisbane Convention, do we need to raise the idea of a Brisbane Convention at the LSC before bringing it to the board; the question is “who wants to put on a convention?” Brea suggested that it be taken back to each Brisbane group asking who is interested in putting on a convention and go from there; there are members with experience who are available to support people; Meredith suggested that we need a set of questions to be taken back to the groups with the answers being presented to the board at the November meeting; Need to ask for expression of interest to be part of the committee, what theme, what approximate date (eg May/June 2024)
2.7.4. The board would like to pass on their gratitude on behalf of all members for the service given by Peter T. May our fellowship draw strength from his selfless service. Peace at last for a good man.

3. ACTION TABLE:

4. CLOSE
4.1. Next meeting Monday 30th October 2023 at 7pm
4.2. Serenity prayer in the plural:
God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change. The courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.