NA Northern Australia Service Board Meeting minutes held on 30th September 2024

Location: Virtual Zoom
Meeting ID: 487 569 8440
Pass code 865364
Meeting Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86913016074?pwd=QjVpNFhXektBZUpiTXR3ajU5MFgwUT09

Date: 30th September 2024
Time: 7:00 – 8.30pm
Facilitator: John C;
Minutes: Sami;
Attendees: 1.1. Sami; Brad; Krissy A; Michael B; David T; Joymaree; Tia; Michael B; Jacki; Courtney;
Apologies: 1.2. Meredith;

7.00pm – 7.10pm
1. OPEN
1.1. Chair’s welcome.
1.2. Service prayer:
God, grant us the knowledge that we may serve 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
1.6. Maintaining an Atmosphere of Recovery
To ensure we maintain an atmosphere of recovery, the Board asks that all participants share their views and speak respectfully to one another throughout this meeting.
If required, the Chairperson will pause the meeting to remind members of their responsibility to communicate respectfully.
1.7. Meeting Format
Meeting participants are asked to use the Raise Hand function to share their views or make comment.
To enable Board meetings to finish at 8.30pm each section of the agenda has been allocated a specific timeframe. Timekeeping will be managed by the Chairperson who will also ensure the final five minutes of each agenda section involving group discussion allows group consensus to be reached on the next steps and required action items (where necessary).
Discussion points not covered due to time constraints will be held over (where necessary) until the next Board meeting.
1.8. Acceptance of previous minutes
1.8.1. – Brad accepted the previous minutes

7.10pm – 7.40pm
2. ITEMS
2.1. Action Items (All reports)

2. REPORTS
2.1. RCM Report
2.1.1. Nothing to report; next region is the second weekend in November so all reports need to be to Brad by the end of October;

2.2. Treasurer Report (Treasurer report posted on NA website)
2.2.1. Nothing to report;
2.2.2. Krissy had trouble accessing one of the reports; Michael asked her to take a screenshot next time so he can check it;
2.2.3. Michael advised that fund flow to region was put on hold while the convention was being organised; now that the convention has passed, we will begin to fund flow to region again; Michael will double check that everything is finalised with the convention;

2.3. H&I Hub Report (H&I report posted on NA website)
2.3.1. Tia advised that Rockhampton had two meetings on the same night; they have changed one meeting to a Tuesday night and have started a monthly BBQ; there wasn’t an option for Rockhampton GSF on the webpage where you submit your reports;

2.3.2. H&I Hub activities undertaken in September 2024 included:
• Provided Policy Workgroup with H&I Coordinator position description and provided feedback on the Grievance Policy.
• Proposed that Brisbane Women’s and Southern Queensland Correctional Centres purchase NA literature for their libraries.
• Contacted by Numinbah Correctional Centre wanting to recommence NA meetings. Referred to the Gold Coast fellowship.
• Invited to discuss potential proposal to create a dedicated Regional H+I Subcommittee on September 30,
• August H&I report uploaded onto NA website.

2.4. PR Report (provided as an agenda attachment)
2.4.1. See attached

2.6. Website Report
2.6.1. Nothing to report

2.7. Board Communication (enquiries and contacts) Report (provided as an agenda attachment)
2.7.1. See attached;

7.40pm – 7.55pm
3. GSF FEEDBACK

3.1. GSF from Board:
3.1.1. Mackay: Courtney seeking advice from the board regarding a listing the Anglican Church (they rent their room from them) has put in their community notice on what happens in the region; It was discussed that this wasn’t a bad thing or breaking traditions and it let the community know that we were there;
3.1.2. Sami to send an email to the GSF reps asking for discussion items for the LSC;

3.2. LSC:
3.2.1. Hiring a tech person to organise the hybrid part of the meeting is cost prohibitive; Sami to email Nathaniel Krissy will forward; having a virtual LSC instead of hybrid ; Sami to post the details on the website; Consensus that it is more inclusive to have the LSC as a virtual meeting; David suggested we have another meeting in a fortnight to discuss LSC agenda; on Monday night – Sami to check zoom (15th October Tuesday) at 7pm

7.55pm – 8.20pm
4. POLICY WORKING GROUP
4.1. Guidelines draft presentation: Krissy presented the new policies document to the board; Sami to post it on the webpage tomorrow and will email the link to her contacts; any amendments need to be forwarded to policy email;

8.20pm – 8.30pm
5. New Items
5.1. Fund flow to region – to be held over to next board meeting;

6. CLOSE
6.1. Meeting feedback
6.2. Next meeting Monday 28th October 2024 from 7.00-8.30pm
6.3. 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.

REPORTS:

1. Treasurer

2. H&I

3. PR
Sept 2024
• Melissa W contacted me re setting up PR on the Sunshine Coast – she was not left anything from the outgoing Coordinator. Provided her with a handy hints list and format of a PR meeting. As it is another area, I didn’t offer to provide resources but suggested which ones are helpful
• Tim P asked for help re setting up an Inner Brisbane PR group. Provided Tim with a helpful hints list and posted business cards and posters to get the group started
• Attended a ARSC PR sub committee meeting which will occur bi – monthly organised by Simon P and Michelle B.
• Provided Brisbane North PR group with business cards and posters.
• Northern Australia PR groups: Brisbane North, Brisbane City, Cairns
• Purchased posters – Cost – $236

4. Northern Australia Service Area Policy Workgroup
Project status report
Northern Australia Service area guidelines/policies

Status Summary
NASA Guidelines completed for uploading onto webpage for review.
Statement of Intention provided.
Both documents emailed to Local Service Board members.
Power Point will be presented at LSB meeting Monday 30.9.24

Project overview

Budget overview

CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

The first meeting of the Policy Workgroup was 22.1.2024 and has continued to meet regularly – in the beginning it was a fortnightly basis, however the meetings have been at a minimum of one a week and the duration has extended, due to the size of the tasks involved. That process was successful and led to the document being completed to a stage now where it may be reviewed by trusted servants and NA members throughout the Area.

As a part of the process, trusted servants were sought for information; old area documents located and perused; other Areas and Regional Guidelines resourced and NA literature; resources and information online were utilised.

It was a big project and thanks must go to all those NA members that helped throughout the process.

The document has been submitted, as required, on the due date and now needs to be published on the Northern Australia Service Area webpage for NA members to review and become familiar with.

It is requested that any suggestions/feedback or comments be sent in witing to policychair.northernaustralia@na.org.au for consideration.

Our next Policy Workgroup meeting is set down for Monday 14 October 2024 at 11.30am.
YILS,
Krissy A

5. Correspondence