President clarifies 2-letter call issue

Michael Owen VK3KI, WIA President made the following statement on behalf of the Board today:

While it is not our intention to comment on the submissions received on the proposed 2-letter callsign ballot process that the WIA and ACMA have jointly published before the closing date for submissions, there is one matter that has concerned a number of people that I would like to clear up.

In the paper that has been published setting out the proposed process, under the heading “persons eligible to apply” it is said, in effect and leaving out a number of words, that a person who is a director, officer or employee of the WIA will not be eligible to participate in the ballot.

The important phrase is to exclude any person who is a “director, officer or employee” of the WIA.

It was intended to exclude people who are in, or could be perceived to be, in a position to influence the outcome by reason of their position in the WIA. The term “officer” is a term used in the Corporations Act, where it is defined to include a person “who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the business of the corporation; or who has the capacity to affect significantly the corporation’s financial standing”.

We intended to exclude people such as our Secretary, but certainly not every volunteer doing some task for the WIA. It would make no sense to exclude Assessors, people involved in the QSL bureaux, awards, contests, NTAC or the many other tasks that are undertaken for the benefit of the WIA and its members.

Yes, we have already heard complaints that WIA members would get a preference. That is just not true. That is what the whole process is about, being open and transparent. That is why we have published it in advance. That is why we have invited comment. But we also decided to exclude those who hold particular positions, where the position itself would lead some to suspect improper conduct if that person was successful in the ballot, such as a director or secretary.

But certainly not the many other people who contribute in so many ways to the WIA.

So, in clarifying our intention in this matter, I must apologise for not making our intent clearer in the first place.

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