SBA AGM motion on a moratorium on neonicotinoids

**Trog** · 17-03-2013, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Stromnessbees

This was indeed an interesting AGM

Now that a lot of members have seen with their own eyes, that nearly the whole SBA executive is against a moratorium to invoke the precautionary principle with regards to neonics, they might become very concerned.

These are some of the hands I saw raised against the motion:

[see my edit above]
etc.

Very worrying indeed.

And maybe questions need to be asked regarding due procedure:

Can the rule that voters have to show their current Moir cards be overturned as easily as it was yesterday?

A quick proposal by Phil McAnespie that a count of hands should do might have had serious consequences:

Can we be sure that all hands raised belonged to fully paid up members?
What if the covert industry representatives brought along some 'well meaning friends' to help defeat the motion?

Doris, that sort of comment is WELL OUT OF ORDER. One of the Exec spoke *in favour* of Eric's motion. Did you not notice that? Who are these mysterious 'covert industry representatives'? Everyone present signed the attendance list. The membership convener is able to check all these names against the subs list. Would you like me to ask him to do so? That should knock that particular conspiracy theory on the head, shouldn't it?

As far as I know all exec members have only their individual votes as SBA members, same as everyone else. There are no extra votes made by or on behalf of the exec.

**Stromnessbees** · 17-03-2013, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Trog

Doris, that sort of comment is WELL OUT OF ORDER. One of the Exec spoke *in favour* of Eric's motion.

Yes, [that Exec member] supported the motion and he spoke very well.

But Phil Moss, whose primary interest should be the health of out bees, held a passionate speech against the motion, claiming that OSR had unmissable benefits for beekeepers despite the health concerns.

Who are these mysterious 'covert industry representatives'? Everyone present signed the attendance list. The membership convener is able to check all these names against the subs list. Would you like me to ask him to do so?

Yes, I would like the list of attendants checked against the list of fully paid up subscriptions.

If there is a discrepancy I think we need to repeat the vote.

With regards to connections to industry:

This point has been raised repeatedly, but to no avail.
Several prominent members of the SBA are working or have been connected to jobs in plant research. There are issues of possible influences, but I have yet to see any of them abstain from voting, as required by the rules.

**drumgerry** · 17-03-2013, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Stromnessbees

Yes, Ian Craig supported the motion and he spoke very well.

But Phil Moss, whose primary interest should be the health of out bees, held a passionate speech against the motion, claiming that OSR had unmissable benefits for beekeepers despite the health concerns.

Yes, I would like the list of attendants checked against the list of fully paid up subscriptions.

If there is a discrepancy I think we need to repeat the vote.

With regards to connections to industry:

This point has been raised repeatedly, but to no avail.
Several prominent members of the SBA are working or have been connected to jobs in plant research. There are issues of possible influences, but I have yet to see any of them abstain from voting, as required by the rules.

Right there you're in the the realms of defamation Doris. You'd better hope that the people you're maligning aren't of a litigious mindset. And it's not the sort of thing the moderators of a forum should be tolerating.

**Stromnessbees** · 17-03-2013, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by drumgerry

Right there you're in the the realms of defamation Doris. You'd better hope that the people you're maligning aren't of a litigious mindset. And it's not the sort of thing the moderators of a forum should be tolerating.

We'll see what other members have to say about the issue, in the meantime I will send a request to check the list of attendants.

**Jon** · 17-03-2013, 02:26 PM

binary fission

**drumgerry** · 17-03-2013, 02:28 PM

More like nuclear meltdown Jon!

**Jimbo** · 17-03-2013, 02:37 PM

Doris. I have been attending the SBA AGM for over 12 years as well as my friend Ben for over 35 years. I can assure you that the only unknown faces in the room were from some members of an association in the west who actually voted for Eric's motion but did not even stay for the further discusion on the constitution. It will be interesting if we see the these same faces turn up again at subsequent SBA events.
In my opinion the discussion for and against the motion was conducted in a fair manner as well as the vote.

**Trog** · 17-03-2013, 03:26 PM

That's very interesting, Jimbo. I couldn't see all the room but did notice that there were a lot of empty chairs after the 'key' vote. I charitably assumed it was because folk were trying to get home in poor weather before it got dark.

I think the fact that out of the entire membership only 60-something members felt the vote was worth turning up for at all (and that's not allowing for the fact that many of those would attend the AGM anyway as they have always done) indicates that the neonics debate is not top of most beekeepers' priority list. Let's face it, the majority of members are within easy reach of Perth and there was Skype for those who are not.