Acommunity group has appealed to the Attorney-General’s Department after its bid for mediation with Millicent community radio station 5 THE-FM failed.
The group has multiple concerns about the station’s management and governance and had enlisted ex-Wattle Range Mayor and former 5 THE-FM board chairman Mark Braes to mediate the current impasse between the station management and the community.
However, it was advised by the station management through Mr Braes that this would not be forthcoming.
Mr Braes approached 5 THE-FM a week ago but was told by its board on Friday morning that his offer to be the mediator would not be accepted.
Community group leader David Walshaw said the group was both disappointed and frustrated with the response of the 5 THE-FM board.
According to Mr Walshaw, the decision to reject a mediation process with Mr Braes has left his group with no choice but to ask the State Government authorities to intervene which they were trying to not to do as we felt that this could be better managed at a local level rather than involve external agencies.
“We felt Mr Braes was an excellent choice given his background in public life and his past involvement with 5 THE-FM,” Mr Walshaw said.
“Mr Braes is well-connected to the Millicent community, has a legal background and is professional mediator.
“Mediation would have been a good opportunity to raise questions directly in a facilitated manner with the 5 THE-FM board and perhaps put the community’s minds at ease.
“Now we do not have the opportunity to get answers about the management and governance of the station which leaves a big question mark over why the 5 THE-FM Board does not want to engage with its community.
“In essence, the community group is looking for the 60 recent applications for station membership to be processed.
“Then, an annual general meeting can be held and a skills-based board can be elected in accordance with the constitution.”
Mr Walshaw said he was aware of individuals lodging complaints about 5 THE-FM to the various statutory authorities that administer the operations of the station.
Attorney-General Kyam Maher and his Office of Business and Consumer Affairs has responsibility for such groups across South Australia as the Australian Communication and Media Authority.
Mr Walshaw said the matters to be raised with the departmental officials include the status of the applications, the election of officers to the association, the current legitimacy of the association, the frequency of board meetings and the election to casual vacancies and the acquittal of grants.
The SE Voice has repeatedly sought comment from the board of 5 THE-FM but has been unsuccessful.
Last week, the 5 THE-FM board issued a statement to another media organisation.
The statement said, in part, that misleading information about the station had been circulating.
