The Wireless Institute of Australia will hold the Annual General Meeting in May at Hahndorf in South Australia. The meeting will be the single venue where the WIA membership can obtain detailed and direct information from the outgoing board, which in an emphatic vote by the membership sees six new faces take office at the conclusion of the meeting. Any WIA member can contact the Secretary of the Institute, Mr Jim Linton, with motions to be added to the Agenda for the AGM. Several WIA members have shared with us their motions and today we are putting these in the Public Domain, to allow the WIA membership time to prepare itself for these motions and to put the Secretary and outgoing Board on Notice that he is being watched very closely by the membership after previously declaring unilaterally that the General Meeting called for by members was dis-allowed. The members have advised us that they have presented these motions in writing to the Secretary who has declined to acknowledge or confirm receipt. WA Amateur Radio News is aware that several of these have been submitted to the WIA as Registered Mail and we have evidence that the office has received these motions. We also need to point out that we are aware of further motions that have been made to the Secretary of the WIA. To see the Motions on Notice, read more here: http://www.vk6.net/announcements/posts/20170426-wiaagmmotionsonnotice
Look frankly there has been a coup - only one member of the old board has been re-elected - and that is Then President Mr. Phil Wait - and then only by a slim margin. There are bruised egos... The fact is that the situation got to the position where Treasurers were gone through like hot-dogs at the baseball! Directors were forced out due to threats, harassment (i.e. midnight calls, abuse, heavy breathers, distortions of facts placed in their workplaces)... As to my story - I was receiving death threats ... The real reason that I had to leave a radio club was because Federal Police ADVISED me to leave that club - just because I expressed my views in the open - because Mr. President published an email in "AR Magazine" and a subsequent bashing of me and others for expressing our views publically - and did not support nor allow me (or others) a right of reply! They my Wife, who is studying for upgrades, along with friends, was allegedly used to bite-backs at me on SEVERAL occasions (the worst being the "friend" complaint against one of the two assessors that assessed my wife... they did not dispute the other assessor... the matter stank). One issue only, you would say "MR VM you are in la-la land" ... but it happened on 3 clear identifiable occasions ... Issues allegedly that could be relating to me directly and issues allegedly that could be used to get back at me through disgraceful conduct directed at my wife... This is my story... others have their stories too that I could refer to but it is NOT my place to convey their negative experiences of expressing opinion and/or crossing egos within the WIA. It comes down to ETHICS .... and DISGRACEFUL ETHICS AT THAT !!!!! I admit to being one that has placed questions on notice. The WIA constitution does NOT require motions to be put and seconded, as is a rumour out there. Neither has there been conventions for questions to be seconded. It is just plain ignorance of the membership to invent hoops to jump through ! Questions of a hard nature will be put at the AGM... and these are necessary so that the members understand WHY hard decisions have to be made by the new incoming Board. Yes they WILL expose what some could perceive to be incompetence of the previous management and structures underneath the management - but it is NECESSARY for members of the WIA and the WIDER AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNITY that the WIA also purports to represent to ask these questions so that when hard decisions are made that the members will understand. I will say it straight... Mr. WIA President and Mr WIA Secretary - Be Big Boys and take responsibility. Answer questions... Respond... Answer questions honestly and do not try to blame others... Then step down gracefully (yes you Mr. President and you Mr. Secretary as well) and let the new board try to resurrect the reputation and financial position of the WIA. Hand over to people that will treat others with respect - that will not hide behind "commercial-in-confidence". The WIA is a not-for-profit entity... so commercial is down the drain anyway as an argument. Also those plans that are circulating - released from concerned members of old-guard and concerned AR (Vic) members - with regards to not permitting the new board to seven sit... These MUST be shelved and forgotten forever. Yes they have been exposed, and Government is aware and watching i.e. Senate Estimates. The members have CLEARLY spoken. You try to circumvent democracy and you will not only have the ire of Australian Members reflecting on your poor ethics - but the entire Western World. You will also be guaranteed that Government WILL step in as you will circumvent one of Australia's prime freedoms - democracy. Not only will continued mismanagement and the ongoing drain into financial reserves (that are not limitless) exhaust - but members will resign demanding fees back.... in droves. Some may want that - to get their play-domain back to themselves - continuing the private "tea party" ! But we also know that the membership database is in SERIOUS disrepair - allegedly full of dead members and people that have not paid fees for years but STILL appear as voting members ... Funds from the WIA Foundation that are inferred as being available to prop up the ongoing losses came primarily from donations from SK's... and they would turn in their grave if they knew how their legacies were being appropriated! This must leave a sour taste in every Amateur's mouth! ETHICS MY DEAR FRIENDS... ETHICS... Amateur Radio is for People and About People .... in a technical, regulated activity. People come first. Put people first. Remember that.
