Hello.
I’d like to present this draft to abolish the Local Council, and implement some changes to the moderation team. Drei’s recent amendments to electing the Ministers made me think we could probably do with discussing some major areas of reform, such as regional security, in the Assembly proper, and draw in some newer members to one of our most important institutions. I would like for us to still have completed something in the Great Council, if that route gets taken, hence this set of amendments.
DROPPED - Charter of the Coalition of the South Pacific
Preamble
The Assembly of the Coalition of the South Pacific, representing our diverse community, convenes to establish this fundamental law of our region, to uphold democratic principles and rights, and provide for the security of our community. unified community both on the forums and in the game.
I. CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS
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(4) Any constitutional law passed by the Assembly that directly affects the gameside community or its home governance, as determined by the Chair of the Assembly, must also receive the consent of the gameside before coming into force, where that consent shall not require more than a three-fifths supermajority in a vote.
(5) Constitutional laws passed by the Local Council hold the same status as those passed by the Assembly, limited in their scope and force to the realms of Local Council jurisdiction, but may not contradict this Charter or any law, regulation, or policy of the Assembly, Cabinet, or Council on Regional Security.
II. SOVEREIGNTY
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(2) Authority and legitimacy are held jointly by the region and the forum, and the union between the two is what defines the Coalition. No illegitimate invader or usurper of the region shall be recognized.
III. RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
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(5) No law may be passed by the Assembly that directly affects the activities of the in-game community without the consent of the in-game community.
(5) (6) The High Court may strike down any general law or action that violates any right or freedom found in this Charter.
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V. THE LOCAL COUNCIL
Establishing home rule for the in-game region residents.
(1) The Local Council will be the local government of the in-game community, composed of three or more residents of the South Pacific, and will represent the interests of all players in the region, moderate the Regional Message Board, encourage activity on the gameside, and administrate itself on issues unique to the in-game community.
(2) The Local Council is entitled to self-administration within its jurisdiction on local issues, but may not pass laws or regulations that contradict this Charter or constitutional laws passed by the Assembly. To that end, the Assembly may not enact any law, nor the Cabinet deliver any directive, that is solely related to an issue local to the in-game community, except as done under the terms of this Charter.
(3) The Local Council may not be denied the authority to run regional polls, create and pin Dispatches, and to suppress messages on the Regional Message Board according to a standard moderation policy. However, it may not alter the regional flags or tags, and may not send out mass telegrams, without the approval of the Delegate.
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VII. THE DELEGATE
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(2) The Delegate will work with the Local Council in moderating the Regional Message Board, fulfilling Regional Officer positions, promoting gameside activities, and representing the preferences of the gameside community.
(2) (3) The Delegate must fulfill in-game actions required by law but assigned to others if those actions can only be taken by the person holding the in-game Delegate seat.
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VIII. THE HIGH COURT
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Powers
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(5) The High Court may reconcile contradictions within the Charter, constitutional laws, general laws, and Cabinet directives, and Local Council laws and regulations, maintaining the least amount of disruption to the intended purposes of the contradictory parts.
IX. THE COUNCIL ON REGIONAL SECURITY AND CORAL GUARD
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Membership of the Council on Regional Security
(2) The minimum qualifications for membership in the Council on Regional Security are: maintaining a nation in the South Pacific and having served at least six consecutive months as a legislator or two terms in the Local Council.
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Membership of the Coral Guard
(13) The minimum qualifications for membership in the Coral Guard are: maintaining a World Assembly member nation in the South Pacific; having served at least six consecutive months as a legislator or two terms in the Local Council; and meeting requirements for influence and endorsements which are set and published by the Council on Regional Security.
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XII. THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Creating an independent, apolitical body to manage off-site communications.
(1) The Off-Site Administration Team will be responsible for the technical maintenance of the region’s Discord servers, forums, and the integrity of the database. Administrators will not be given responsibilities of a political nature.
(2) The Off-Site Administration Team will be responsible for the appointment and removal of its own members, except when an administrator is removed from the position following a guilty verdict in a fair trial for abuse of administrative powers. Additionally, new administrators must be approved by a majority of the Assembly before being granted administrator permissions.
(3) The Off-Site Administration Team must create standard administration and moderation policies. These policies will be submitted to the Assembly for a one-week review and comment period before going into effect.
(4) While the Off-Site Administration Team may appoint global moderators if needed, submitting these appointments to the Assembly for a one-week review and comment period before going into effect, individual Ministers, the Chair of the Assembly, and roleplay moderators primarily will be responsible for the moderation of their dedicated Discord servers and forums.
XIII. AMENDMENT PROCESS
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(2) Any amendment to the Charter or constitutional laws that directly affects the gameside community or its home governance, as determined by the Chair of the Assembly, must also receive the consent of the gameside community before coming into force, where the consent shall not require more than a three-fifths supermajority in a vote. Additionally, the Local Council may originate amendments to its structure in the Charter, which must receive the consent of the Assembly before coming into force.
(3) The Local Council will determine the qualifications and processes for amendments to its own constitutional laws.
DROPPED - Regional Officers Act
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2. Regional Officers
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(5) Moderators, appointed by the Administration Team, The Local Council will be allotted three Regional Officer positions and granted Appearance, Communications, and Polls powers.
DROPPED - Border Control Act
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3. Powers of the Local Council and Delegate and Moderators
(1) The Delegate, or a Moderator majority of the Local Council, may order a border control action against a nation they determine to be spammers or trolls. The assent of the Council on Regional Security is required if the nation in question is not a low influence nation.
(2) The Delegate or Moderator Local Council must inform the Council on Regional Security immediately after having ordered a border control action.
(3) The Local Council may enact policy allowing border control actions within its purview to be performed unilaterally by a border control officer. Any change to such a policy must be clearly and immediately communicated to all border control officers.
Elections Act
7. Separation of Powers
(1) Offices of the Coalition are the Delegate, the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers, the Chair of the Assembly, Local Councillors, the Chief Justice, and any of their appointed deputies.
Assembly Resolution on Local Council Reform Efforts
A resolution to set deadlines and consequences for Local Council reform efforts
The Assembly of the Coalition of the South Pacific,
Recognizing the Charter mandate of the Local Council to “encourage activity on the gameside, and administrate itself on issues unique to the in-game community”,
Concerned that the Local Council has historically fallen short of meeting this goal,
Noting as evidence for this the generally thoughtless and “spam” nature of most activity on the regional message board, the lack of initiative by Local Councillors in hosting regional events or media on gameside, the lack of broader legislative or executive activity on the gameside, and the lack of motivation or political energy stemming from the regional message board to rectify these flaws,
Hoping that the Local Council can address these issues itself, thus maintaining the general principles of gameside self-determination, while resolving issues which affect the prosperity of the entire regional community,
Hereby:
1. Requests that the Local Council enact meaningful reform, within the March-July 2022 term, that generates a suitable gameside governance structure and substantially addresses the shortcomings identified in this resolution.
2. Declares intent to consider an amendment to the Charter to abolish the Local Council, should meaningful reform not be successfully enacted within the requested date.