Following hard on the heels of Iceland and Finland, the honorary Nordic country in the south Pacific – New Zealand – has elected a new executive council.

After a year of declining membership and a board that did not meet regularly the Pirate Party of New Zealand has elected a new executive council. The structure of the board has been simplified to consist of chairperson, secretary, treasurer and two ordinary board members. The results were  made public on 23 August 2014.

The new board

• Chairman: Andrew Reitemeyer
• Secretary: Ben Vidulich
• Treasurer: Andrew McPherson
• Board member: David Peterson
• Board member: Daniel Schwalm

Andrew Reitemeyer is the editor of the Pirate Times,  Ben Vidulich a student, Andrew McPherson is a cryptographer, David Peterson a photographer/ filmmaker/businessman and Daniel Schwalm an IT specialist. Andrew McPherson and David Peterson are members of the previous board and will help the transition for the newer members.

The first priority of the new board will to redraft the Party’s constitution that has proved to be totally unsuited for the New Zealand situation. The current constitution concentrates power in the executive council and, unintentionally, makes the grass root members into mere minions. This is contrary to international Pirate principle and practice. The new constitution was copied and adapted from an early, never used draft of the Australian Pirate Party.

The new Chairman told the Pirate Times that it is too late to take part in the upcoming elections this September. However, New Zealand Pirates are encouraged to support the party that they feel most closely meets the Pirate principles.. This way they are promoting our policies and gaining valuable experience for the next elections in 2017.

The new board hopes to be able to bring back former members who have left the Party from frustration (or boredom). They also hope to attract new Kiwis who want to work on a national and international level and get Pirate policies enacted.

Featured image: CC BY-SA Pirate Times compilation from PPNZ and Justüs Blumer

About Andrew Reitemeyer

I joined the Pirate Party of Lower Saxony in Germany in April 2012, once I found out that non citizens were welcome to join and become active members of the Party.
I joined the Pirate Times soon after it was started as a proof reader and am now an editor and author. Since then I have returned to my native New Zealand and joined the Pirate Party of New Zealand.
Politically I come from the libertarian left and have, up to now, not regarded any political party as having a solution for the democratic deficit that envelops the world. With the advent of the Pirate Party, which truly embraces grass roots democracy, I have found a political home. The Pirate Times is a way I can contribute to furthering the Pirate Movement around the world.
Skype: frithogar

 

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Following hard on the heels of Iceland and Finland, the honorary Nordic country in the south Pacific – New Zealand – has elected a new executive council. After a year…