At each NACAA delegates representing their Astronomical Societies meet to discuss common issues influencing astronomy and the operations of the various societies. This delegates meeting provides a forum whereby astronomical societies can learn from each other and agree on common courses of action. The Delegates Meeting has no authority or standing within the various astronomical societies and is merely a discussion forum at which delegates can explore what other societies are doing.

A major outcome from the Delegates Meeting is the agree forward plan for future NACAA. Astronomical societies or groups may bid to host future NACAA. It is expected at each Delegates Meeting that the hosts for the next NACAA will be agreed and the bids for future NACAA have been received.

The NACAA Secretariat has been created to supporting the NACAA in general organization and providing consistency from NACAA to NACAA. The Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society has agreed to operate the NACAA Secretariat. One of the functions of the NACAA Secratariat is to organise and maintain records of the Delegates Meeting.

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21st NACAA

Delegates Meeting

Sunday, 2004 April 11, 17:00

Wrest Point Hotel, Sandy Bay

Hobart, Tasmania

 Present

1. Seed Funding for Future NACAAs

John Perdrix pointed out that it is important that not all the money be spent, and that there is the ability to hand over to the incoming host society something that it can put in the bank to start off the next Convention.

Motion B. McMillan/ Perdrix: "That future organising committees are encouraged to budget for seed funding to be handed forward to the next Organising Committee".

Carried unanimously.

2. National Secretariat

Peter Lowe discussed some activities that are needed from NACAA to NACAA; there used to exist a Secretariat.  Peter still feels that there could be a National Secretariat with a limited level of responsibilities to the NACAA.  This would be a Secretariat of NACAA, not of Astronomical Societies in Australia in General.  Communication is improved today; the former Secretariat was operating in the times of phone and mail.

The idea would be that the Secretariat's limited activities would be organising the Delegates' Meeting at the next NACAA, etc.

Moved Peter Lowe/Barry Cleland: "That the Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society take on the role of National Secretariat of NACAA, and prepare a document defining the basic functions of the Secretariat". 

Amendment to the motion: Add the words "This document shall be circulated to the delegates of this meeting for review and subsequently to all societies in Australia".

Amendment carried.

Motion carried unanimously.

3. Group Policy Insurance

Brett McMillan, through the Sutherland Astronomical Society, has organised low cost public liability insurance with QBI insurance.  This insurance can be available to all societies Australia-wide, but QBI needs 75% of societies to take it up before they can offer the good rates of $3 per member.

Societies need to indicate this by 2005 April 26, by email to Brett McMillan.

Societies do not need to be incorporated in order to take up the offer.

Note that a $200 premium needs to be budgeted for the NACAA itself, independently of the general public liability insurance cover.

Brett will send out forms to the societies.  Invoices will be sent from the broker to the societies directly

4. Archives of NACAA Material

A suggestion was made that there be backup copies that may be kept elsewhere.  Martin George, who maintains the NACAA repository in the Launceston Planetarium, agreed.

5. Web Site for NACAA in General - Steve Russell

Steve Russell suggests that there be a website for NACAA.  Peter Lowe is happy to go ahead with such a website - it will probably fit in with the idea of the Secretariat.

6. Promotion of NACAA - Glenn Dawes

Glenn and others are concerned about the promotion of the NACAAs.  Colin Drescher mentioned that one of the biggest concerns may be that people don't know beforehand what is going to happen.  John Perdrix suggested that perhaps the Secretariat could do this.  Steve Russell said that perhaps the organising committee needs to keep the schedule well ahead so that the Secretariat can be kept informed well in advance.  There also needs to be a post-conference writeup that should be made available.  Glenn Dawes offered to circulate his report that he prepares for the ASNSW.  Glenn needs a soft copy of the abstracts.  Martin George agreed to organise to have this forwarded to Glenn.

ACTION Glenn Dawes to circulate a post-conference report; Martin George to forward soft copy of abstracts to Glenn.

7. Designated Observatories

This item was carried over from the 2002 NACAA in Adelaide.  Note that it is possible to designate observatories through the ASA.  This could be a job of the Secretariat, who could send out a reminder notice to societies that this can be done.

8. Clash of NACAA & South Pacific Star Party.

No further action be taken, as the South Pacific Star Party date may be moved.

9. 2008 NACAA

Ray Johnstone has suggested 2008 for Hamilton island if they received support such as paper printing, etc., from another society.  Barry Adcock and others suggested that Hamilton not be a good idea because not many people would go there.  There was general agreement that it should be Sydney or Melbourne (i.e. to keep the NACAA going ok).  But there is no society here willing to put up their hand for Sydney.  There were expressions of interest from individual delegates Steve Russell and Glenn Dawes who feel that the 2008 NACAA should be held somewhere in the Sydney area, especially if there could be established a separate programme committee.  A decision will be made shortly.

Motion (M. George/S. Russell): That the Delegates' Meeting thanks Ray for his suggestion of Hamilton Island for the 2008 NACAA but that under current circumstances the location is considered unsuitable.  Carried with 2 dissentions.10. 2010 and Other Future NACAAs

Sutherland have shown interest for 2010, because their 50th anniversary is 2011.  ASV may be interested in 2010, and CAS may be interested 2010-2014 somewhere.

Meeting Closed at 17:56.

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PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE 2006 NACAA DELEGATES MEETING

1) Recognition of Delegates

2) Minutes of NACAA 2004 Meeting

3) Business Arising

4) NACAA Secretariat Report

5) Confirmation of 2008 & 2010 NACAA

6) New Motions.

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