Following revelations last week that all was not well over at the Ellenbrook Community Radio Station, ex-volunteer Rob Howes has received overwhelming support from the local community for his courage to speak up, and it has prompted more people to come forward to voice their concerns.
Several of the expelled members have questioned the amendments to the association’s constitution.
Tabled at the 2022 AGM, the new constitution elevates the role of ‘Chairman’ to ‘President’. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in the required time to expel a member, reducing it from 28 days to just 7 days, limiting the time a member can now prepare a defence, and access any relevant committee minutes.
Association Secretary, Suzanne Dore, in making an application to Consumer Protection, the body that administers the incorporation of not-for-profit groups, stated the changes to the constitution were to make “some general grammar corrections and in (sic)new constitution, clauses are renumbered as we have inserted a new clause”.
The station’s Chairman, Mr. Nicholas (Jimmy) Antartis has overseen the expulsion of four members from the association, all of whom had raised concerns regarding the committee governance practices.
Mr. Antartis had previously suspended general business at an AGM to prevent a Motion of No Confidence in the committee being tabled, with the AGM lasting for 10 mins. When questioned about this behaviour, Mr. Antartis responded by applying to the Midland Magistrates court for a Misconduct Restraining Order against the member.
The new constitutional changes now empower the committee to vet all memberships annually, which is unique as most clubs and associations once accepted, membership is perpetual, providing a member remain financial and membership hasn’t been cancelled following the constitution’s stated protocol.
The group of ex-volunteers have raised concerns, that with these changes, the committee have given themselves what they believe to be unconstitutional powers, to control membership as they see fit.
More to come…..
