Australia denies visas over concerns about open source? WTF? UPDATED
January 12, 2009
I’ve just been alerted via a Linux.conf.au mailing list to a ridiculous situation – apparently the Australian government has overzealously been patrolling its borders against the scourge of… open source technology.
According to Finnish MySQL developer Kaj Arnö, this policy will prevent several MySQL people from attending LCA this year:
“Several Sun Microsystems Inc employees, especially related to the Database Group, have been denied short stay business visas to Australia, over the last few months, as they have been seen to be competing with local Australian businesses unfairly.
I regret to share that this will adversely affect MySQL presence at linux.conf.au in Hobart, Tasmania 19-24.1.2009.”
You can read the full post here – and note that he says he’s observed or experienced open source people having trouble getting Schengen (European Union) and US visas in the past as well.
How crazy. On so many levels. One -this sounds remarkably like the government discriminating against people due to their choice of technology. Do they really have big business in their ear that much? And it ignores the fact that open source technology and business generates an estimated $500 million for Australian businesses each year – you could argue this policy is restraint of trade, rather than protective of it. And it’s just offensive that our government is actively preventing people from gathering together for the purpose of freely sharing information.
I’m not sure what we can do to help fix this – LCA starts in 6 days.
Update: 9.48am, 14 January 2009
Kaj Arnö has updated his original blog post to admit that the link between the visa being denied and open source was conjecture on his part:
“The rejection letter merely says “SHORT TERM BUSINESS ETA APPLICATION WAS NOT APPROVED NO AUTHORITY TO TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA HELD BY PASSENGER”. However, the person who now got rejected has been frequently in Australia and, to the best of my knowledge, lacks any record which would imply a visa rejection (such as, but not limited to, unpaid traffic fines).”
Read his updated post and the long discussion in comments for further info. Thanks Jacinta for alerting me to the update.
If you’re attending Linux.conf.au in Hobart later this month, I strongly recommend you look at the lineup of talks which Brianna Laugher has organised for the Free as in Freedom miniconf on Tuesday, 20 January.
I’ll be speaking on journalism in the age of citizen journalism at 1.45pm (“It’s all fun and games until someone wants to sue you”). I’m also really looking forward to the other talks, especially Matthew Landauer from OpenAustralia.org, who was recently voted best speaker at the Open Source Developers Conference in Sydney. Matthew won’t be speaking at the main LCA conference – so this will be your only chance to see him speak – so make sure you come along to Free as in Freedom. 
On Geek Parenting – call for panelists
November 25, 2008
I’m co-convening the Linux Chix miniconf at Linux.conf.au (LCA) in Hobart in January. I’ll be able to post the lineup of speakers for the day soon, but in the meantime an overview of the day can be found here. But one of the cool things we’re planning is a panel session on Geek Parenting, which will be open to all LCA attendees.
We are now looking for some experienced geek parents as well as an expert or two (educator, counsellor or other professional who is experienced in matters parental) who would like to share some ideas, tips and discussion on the challenges that being a parent can present.
Read on for details including how to nominate yourself for a spot on the panel.
[crossposted to Linux Chix, Linux Australia, LCA and GGD lists, apologies if you see this a few times.]
How would you like a mentor to help you improve your proposal for a talk at Linux.conf.au?
If you’re a female geek (professional or student) and thinking of submitting a tech talk to LCA, then I’d like to tell you that a couple of experienced speakers have volunteered to make some time to read draft proposals & give feedback to women who are interested in presenting at LCA. The idea is to encourage women (especially ones who haven’t applied or presented before) and hopefully increase their chances of getting selected. (I’m not part of the LCA 2009 organising committee, this is not an “official” thing just something I’m organising with the help of a couple of volunteers.)
I’m trying to get this message out to lists frequented by technical women & students, please forward to any mailing lists or friends/colleagues who you’d like to see presenting at Linux.conf.au in January.
The timetable I’d like to work to is:
1) You contact me asap (sarah.stokelyATgmail.com) to let me know you’re interested in having someone vet your talk. I will provide you with contact details of your “mentor” and you will forward your draft proposal to them by this Friday, 25 July (yes, this Friday!)
2) Your mentor will get a week to look at your proposal, and will be asked to send you some feedback by August 1. (so you’ll then have a week to do any further tweaking before submitting your proposal).
4) Call for papers ends on 8 August, hopefully many excellent proposals will be submitted including a record number by women.
Please note: There are a lot of things you can do yourself to improve your proposal before it even goes to your mentor. Please check out the following.
Information on LCA for people wanting to give a paper: Read the rest of this entry »