edit this page | edited by michael, jb1989 - updated: 4th February 2013

About OurCanberra

"OurCanberra is an open community built solely for Canberrans to share and join the discussion, whether for fun or serious! Here you can find great content from across the Internet, catch-up on local news, share your own stories and links, and discuss anything and everything!"
Michael Pasqualone, OurCanberra Founder

Mission Statement

Our mission is to ensure that Canberra has access to an open, powerful and self-sustaining community that gives everyone an equal and powerful voice. We'll deliver this thought our core objectives and values:

The community always comes first, we're not for profit: OurCanberra is not-for-profit and our business plan spells out that everything must be for the community, for the benefit of the community - always and forever!
Be innovative, be bold: Our aim is to be fresh, delivering new and innovative features that encourage community participation.
Built on openness, where anyone can contribute: The entire community, including our policies and procedures will be open and freely editable.
The community that's in control: Anyone can run for election where the community votes in board members and leading community figures that manage the not-for-profit organisation.

The community in a nutshell:

vote on which stories and content you enjoy so that great content rises for others to see, while the junk sinks.

create your own subcommunity (called subs). Each sub is independently run and moderated by a team of volunteers.

comment on anything and everything and join the discussion. Contribute your own information, humour and questions.

an open community where everyone contributes. Edit business information, fix pages, and improve our policies.

A free and open community

Founded by Michael Pasqualone, OurCanberra is built on the idea of being a free [as in freedom, libre] community with those in power being directly accountable to the community.

This means OurCanberra has an open policy framework, similar Wikipedia where anyone can read, edit and improve our policies and procedures.

To make those in power accountable to the community, all key positions are voted in by you; just like our own Government. So if you're unhappy with the direction OurCanberra is heading then boot those out in power and elect someone who will do a better job!

Not-for-profit, and always will be!

OurCanberra is not-for-profit and it's built into our constitution that it's always to remain not-for-profit - this means our business plan will always revolve around improving the community, for the benefit of Canberra and not beholden to what businesses and advertisers want.

Find out more...

Continue learning by finding out about our innovative features.