The objective of Friends of Cairns Community Radio 89.1 FM is to assist in the renewal and reinvigoration of 4CCR/FM 89.1 as a radio station that the people of Cairns can be proud of and participate in.
Check out the new Coutts' Constitution - a document drafted to entrench maladministration and nurture nepotism
For the benefit of CCBI members, Friends of 4CCR and supporters, I have attached the current constitution with the sections to be amended highlighted in yellow and the proposed new constitution.
Several changes are punitive and discriminatory and some clauses go beyond State and Federal statutory requirements and standards.
The Constitution if ratified would apply to current members, the existing Management Committee and programme presenters and not just for new members.
Bryan Law's letter to Members of Cairns 89.1 FM and Friends.
Bryan Law, member of the Friends has been involved with Friends since its inception. He too had his application for membership of CCBI rejected by Mr R Coutts' Management Committee without rhyme or reason. His appeal against the rejection of his membership has been arrogantly ignored without a hearing date been set. This action amounts to an abuse of authority and is indicative of many other similar cases.
Cairns 89.1 FM AGM deferred to 13th September.
Cairns' 89.1 FM members only and public excluded Annual General Meeting has been deferred until the 13th of September 2010. The meeting was schedule for 30th of August 2010.
No reasons were given for the postponement.
The Friends believe the deferral was necessary as the notice of the meeting and the adoption of the new Constitution was deficient in law.
Cairns FM 89.1 FM AGM Notice and new Constitution
Attached at the bottom of this Blog posting is the Notice of the Annual General Meeting and the proposed new Constitution.
The meeting is to be held on the 30th of August 2010 at 7pm. The venue please note is Brothers League Club, Anderson St Cairns.
The meeting Notice in particular states that ONLY members will be allowed to attend.
I believe this is a breach of annual general meeting's procedure. The general public cannot be excluded from an annual general meeting.
Coutts' Management Committee continues to defy ACMA's directives.
Attached to this Blog posting is a letter address to Mr Michael Hyams authorised by Mr R Coutts' Management Committee, signed by Ms Dianne Jensen.
Hyams' membership application form together with fees dated 2nd August, was sent in good time to be considered by the August monthly meeting of the Management Committee.
The Management Committee by its decision has effectively denied Mr Hyams the opportunity to participate at the Annual General Meeting on the 30th August.
Readers can form their own opinion as to the reason/s for this latest snub of ACMA's directives.
Cairns 89.1 FM Membership Application Form
Members of the public who have an interest in seeing a strong, vibrant and transparent community radio station have the opportunity to download Cairns 89.1 FM application membership form and lodge with the Secretary.
The next schedule Annual General Meeting (AGM)is to be held on the 30th of August 2010 at 7pm at the Brothers League Club.
The General Public has been excluded from attending; only members are permitted to attend.
ACMA will be notified of this irregularity and other relevant matters.
Cairns 89.1 FM Membership Drive
Members of the Friends will recall that ACMA recently made various adverse determinations concerning Cairns 89.1 FM's membership behaviour by the Management Committee.
Shame on you Mr Rod Coutts and your management Committee. The Cairns community deserves better!
I believe ACMA is becoming increasingly frustrated with the prevailing belligerent attitude of Cairns 89.1 FM, the pace in implementing agreed measures reforms, various financial matters. ACMA has put the radio station on notice. For further details kindly visit other postings on my Blog
ACMA issues 'final notice' to a hostile Cairns 89.1 FM
On 21 July 2010 ACMA (Australian Communications and Media authority) handed down a decision that Cairns Community Broadcasters Inc. had breached the Broadcasting Services Act. 4CCR had contravened its requirement to encourage community participation in what is supposed to be community radio. http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib311265/4ccr_report_2350.pdf
ACMA finds Cairns FM 89.1 in breach of License Conditions
On 21 July 2010 ACMA (Australian Communications and Media authority) handed down a decision that Cairns Community Broadcasters Inc. had breached the Broadcasting Services Act. 4CCR had contravened its requirement to encourage community participation in what is supposed to be community radio. http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib311265/4ccr_report_2350.pdf
Has 4CCR complied with ACMA 's conditions?
When Cairns 89.1FM applied to the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) for the renewal of its broadcasting licence it did so in the midst of several CCBI members' complaints about various breaches of its Code of Practice.
ACMA, after serious deliberation, agreed to renew 4CCR's licence on the 1st December 2009. It was not plain sailing for 4CCR as ACMA imposed 7 conditions, titled AGREED MEASURES.
Condition 7 imposed the requirement that 4CCR:
