Introducing the nominees for the 2023/2024 board

Co-founder of PermaQueer and Permaculture educator

A focus on uplifting the diverse forms permaculture is practiced and also the diverse people practicing it. I’m deeply passionate about social permaculture and designing social systems and processes that move in equitable ways towards a just, regenerative future. Currently I’m sitting on the board and hoping to continue the work I’ve started.

PDC

Linda is an Permaculture icon in Australia and internationally. Her 1996 book “The Permaculture Home Garden” introduced Permaculture to innumerable homes, and her recent novel “470” has offered an extraordinarily prescient analysis of the impacts of climate change. Her blog, the Witches Kitchen, reflects her decades of experience as a fully engaged, practicing permie: https://witcheskitchen.com.au/

Linda’s decades of experience in the Permaculture movement in Australia means she brings a deep historical perspective to the board. Her 40 years of living ethically and sustainably, her experience of teaching Permaculture in the VET system, her wise and gentle approach to the world all enhance her capacity to provide guidance and direction to Permaculture Australia. Her engagement, ,through her writing, with recent and current crises (climate change; pandemic) demonstrate Linda’s capacity to offer clarity and vision to PA’s mission for the future.

Linda has had forty years experience as a company director in an intentional community, including several terms as secretary and as treasurer. She is well experienced in the legal, accountability, and ethical aspects of governance, and has developed and run a course on “Good Meetings” for community organisations.

Linda also has experience in overseas aid, as part of the Green Team in Cuba during the Special Period.

PDC

Diploma TAE, and  Master of Arts (Humanities & Media)

Raised on a self-sustainable farm and continue to live according to permaculture principles. Taught permaculture in secondary schools. Currently on the Permaculture Australia Education Team.

In addition to above answer, I have been on committees in the past, including holding the role of secretary. I have excellent organisational, communication and IT skills.

PDC – Limestone Permaculture (2021)
Permaculture Teacher Training – Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute (2022)
Also have an Honours Degree in Forestry and a Diploma of Education.

I have lived and worked on Permaculture farms since 2017, started running courses with Permaculture for Refugees and Permaculture College Australia in 2019. Board member for PA in 2020. Currently still teaching PDCs and TOTs in Australia and Internationally.

I bring prior knowledge of PA, having previously sat on the board as Board Member and Permafund Liason. I believe I have good communication skills and a desire to see PA develop into a responsive, inclusive, leadership body for the Permaculture Community.

PDC, Ian Trew 2017

* Supported many Permaculture initiatives and events in and around Melbourne including the start up of the Down’s community project in Frankston, an environment project, community garden and market garden.
* Member of Permaculture Victoria since 1990’s including terms on the committee
* Member of the Permafund Team. A founding member of the current Permafund team and proud of it’s 11 years of project grants and team solidarity. One of the three people on the team who are registered with the Federal Dept of the Environment as the ‘Responsible Persons“ for PA’s Deductible Gift Recipient Fund,
* Member of Permaculture Australia (PIL) since 2010 including terms on the Board.
* Many years working with NGO’s in the overseas aid sector. Supported many projects using Permacultural approaches.

I have experience of PA on the Board and with the Permafund team and I see substantial capacity for both PA and Permafund to grow..
I am nominated for the Board by Permaculture Victoria. They are keen to support PA to take the next steps in formation to adopt a governance structure that is representative of the many permaculture groups around Australia. They are keen to see PA grow in it’s capacity to be a voice promoting Permacultural responses to social and environmental issues.
I am seconded in the nomination by the Permafund Team. Permafund is a major productive team in PA and this year is seeking two seats out of the seven available. The Permafund team seeks two seats on the Board to complete the REO compliance repairs and to support the work of moving PA to stronger representative governance as a Peak Body. The Permafund nominees are myself as the hand seeking a final term and Felix Liebelt the new member seeking to step up to the role.

More specifically the work I hope to do if elected:
* Maintain PA’s DGR compliance
Last year I wrote a 10 page report on gaps in PA’s DGR compliance and how they could be fixed. These were issues that had emerged from PA’s constitution, accounts and annual reporting. We are 80% through the fixing and the remaining 20% is still to be done.

* Increased collaboration between PA teams, staff, volunteers and Board
More connection within PA’s operations and more open decision-making will improve risk management and better connection with the experience and knowledge of the volunteers, staff and teams.

* A governance structure for PA that provides representational connection with the many Permaculture groups around Australia.
I understand this is the final step needed in the formation of PA. It is a big idea and needs a working group to consider options on how it gets done. A working group open to delegates and submissions from the various groups around Australia.

PDC with Vries Gravestein & Terry White, Latrobe Uni, Vic 1992
Advanced Permaculture Course with David Holmgren Hepburn 2010
BSc, Monash U 1976, Dip Ed Melbourne U 1989

PDC with John Champagne of Brogo Permaculture Gardens 2017 and second PDC with Aaron Sorenson and Dan Deighton of Elemental Permaculture Port Kembla. 2022 Permaculture Teacher Training with Rosemary Morrow and Brenna Q. Supported living classroom projects in the illawarra and Shoalhaven. Supported Permaculture intro with John Champagne and Aaron Sorenson. Started a Permaculture design and landscaping business in 2017- to present(Geco Gardens ) .Member of the Permafund Team.  

I have experience in working with the Permafund team for nearly 2 years now and I see immense potential for both PA and Permafund to grow.
I am nominated for the Board by John Champagne. John is keen to encourage me to support PA to be representative of Permafund’s work and the next generation of Permaculture professionals and teachers stepping up in shaping the future for Permaculture Australia. My nomination is also seconded by the Permafund Team.   Permafund as a major productive team in PA and is seeking two seats on the 2022-3 Board out of the seven available.  I am the other nomination that Permafund makes, I am Felix Leibelt seeking to step up as Permafund Liaison Officer and learning the role on the board alongside very experienced John Mc Kenzie.
My aims for the year are : 

– Assisting Meg in the renewal of Permafund’s Online presence and sharing of the stories of the grant recipients and lessons learnt.
– Network with other Environmental Charities to help PA work towards being recognised as a valid voice in environmental and social issues in Australia and abroad.
– Limiting my workload on the board to being the Liaison person for the Permafund team, reporting back to the Permafund Committee and vice versa.

2017 PDC Brogo Permaculture Gardens Brogo , 2017 PDC Elemental Permaculture Wollongong , 2022 Permaculture Teacher training Rowe morrow Wollongong

Grew up in the 90’s flipping through the illustrations of Permaculture One and the Designer’s Manual on the kitchen table at our off-grid home in South-West WA, whilst surrounded by chickens, worm farms and a composting dunny.

After completing my Cert III & Teacher Training with Robyn Francis in 2012, dove into co-teaching a couple of Intro to PC courses and a PDC in Fremantle, WA before embarking on a different kind of permaculture educational/advocacy journey with the inception of the ‘Permaculture Ukulele Project’ (which became the band, Formidable Vegetable).

Toured for 7 years, promoting permaculture ethics/principles and connecting people who had never heard the word before with local projects & courses in over 20 countries.

Moved to Melliodora Hepburn Permaculture in 2020 and assisted David & Su with marketing & promotion of the publishing business.

In 2021, moved to Peace St Permaculture Community in WA, where we trained in & implemented Sociocracy as a governance framework and currently working with community members on co-designing a permaculture hub for the Great Southern region.

Passionate about connecting people and ideas. Excited to work with younger permies on innovative, new pathways, while honouring the 40+ years of knowledge in the movement. Keen to do outreach and advocacy to increase the diversity & range of skills, backgrounds and experience in the permaculture movement.

Cert III in Permaculture + Advanced Design & Teacher Training with Robyn Francis at Permaculture College Australia, Djanbung Gardens, NSW (2011), Teacher Training with Rosemary Morrow, Brenna Quinlan & Greta Carroll at Fair Harvest, WA (2022)

PDC and 1/3 owner of a permaculture farm in Djab Wurrung / Woi Wurrung country

I could bore you by saying I’m a queer immigrant, a professional marketer, an IT engineer or something along those lines.
I didn’t know I would be nominating before coming to convergence.
This event has reminded me that when I think of permaculture, I think of energetic, colourful and empowered people changing the world, changing the conversations we’re having.
I think it’s paramount that PA mirrors that same passion and energy, looking at where to go next. I want to be part of that.

PDC – Fall in love with the world while fixing it – Delldint Fleming – 2021

I have for decades followed an environmental ethical path. I had heard of permaculture decades ago, but only in the last 6 or 7 years have I actively engaged in practicing and acquiring permaculture detailed knowledge specifically.
I quickly came to realise “I have known this all along”.
I now teach permaculture PDC with my wife Meg McGowan, we are known as Permacoach.
I am currently the Treasurer and Public Officer for Permaculture Central Coast.

from conversations at the Convergence, it was my understanding that a new Treasurer is sought within the board. I have since come to know that there is currently a treasurer in Donna Morawiak, we have communicated and she seems keen to transfer that role.

In the case that Donna is indeed comfortable to hand over the role of treasurer, I have decided I will nominate to become a board member, specifically to execute that position.

Brief History.

Employment.
I have had a 4 decade career in the Information Technology industry. Now retired.
My roles were broadly in the area of enterprise level computer operating systems management and security, particularly mainframe systems programming and midrange unix systems, and consequent data centre management.
for most of that time I was typically the team leader/manager for a small group of highly skilled systems specialists.
The latter part of my career comprised a decade in the Cybersecurity division of a global IT services provider. Amongst other roles, I managed a large operations team of security specialists for some years, providing cyber security services for a broad range of clients, including federal government departments and major corporations of the finance and primary resources industries.
For much of those 4 decades, I have been primarily responsible for the ongoing operation, security and reliability of large scale enterprise computer systems.

Appropriate Treasurer skills.
From 2010-2021 I was a volunteer bush fire fighter with my local NSW Rural Fire Service brigade.
I achieved the qualification of Crew Leader and consequently Deputy Captain within the brigade.
I took on many roles (secretary, president, IT guru) and for the 5 years to April 2021, I was treasurer for the brigade.
This required high level of scrutiny, reporting and Audit, and I am very familiar with the requirements of DGR.
The brigade operated with a consistent balance of $35K-40K, with an annual turnover of $8-10K.
I medically retired form the RFS in 2021.

Since Nov 2020, I have been the treasurer for Permaculture Central Coast. PCC operates with a balance of around $8K, and annual turnover of around $4-5K.

Other things.
I enjoy teaching Ethics to my local primary school.
I am an excellent bass guitarist, and compose.

I understand I need to seek nominations from other members.
My wife Meg McGowan is also a member, and I have included her details in this form for now. However I will ask publicly in any PA members will also nominate me, and forward their details to hello@PA.

If my nomination is acceptable, please advise and I will seek the nod from others.

PDC (Holmgren 2019) and Advanced PDC (Permacoach/McGowan 2020)