Millicent’s 5THE FM community radio station facing the prospect of closure

A South-East community radio station is fighting to stay on air, despite receiving tens of thousands of dollars in grants.

A regional town is fighting to keep its community radio station, after it was found to be in breach of the national guidelines and defunct, despite receiving about $60,000 in grants funding.

Millicent’s 5THE FM radio station, now under new governance, has just three weeks to prove it is operating efficiently before its temporary broadcasting licence expires on December 29.

During a special meeting late last month, more than 50 residents passed a vote of no confidence in the previous board, following months of concern over its governance and lack of local content.

Retired senior public servant and Wattle Range councillor David Walshaw was appointed chairman as part of an interim skills-based board to “try and right a sinking ship”.

“I was asked by the community to step in to get the station back in community hands, because we were effectively locked out – there was probably only two hours of local content a week,” Mr Walshaw said.

Millicent’s 5THE FM radio station, now under new governance, has just three weeks to prove it is operating efficiently. Picture: iStock

“When we took over we changed the locks to the station and bank account into our name.
“We found finance information was missing from computers, power and water were due to be cut off, the phone had been cut off and the mailbox hadn’t been paid, so it was just dumped.”

Among the mail was a show cause notice from Consumer and Business Services and last week’s Australian Communications and Media Authority findings that it was in breach of two licencing conditions – failing to hold AGMs or elections for management.

ACMA also found the previous licensee had not provided financial statements since 2019.

However, the Advertiser can reveal that since 2019/20, the station has received about $60,000 in grants from the Community Broadcasting Foundation – which did not respond to questions.

The funding included a $25,000 Covid crisis grant, nearly $26,000 to upgrade the studio and equipment, and a combined $9512 for local ethnic programming.

Mr Walshaw said the new board was now fundraising to pay outstanding bills, while trying to convince Consumer and Business Affairs they could manage the station.

“We’re fighting two battles. CBS has made a scathing report of the station and its governance and they’ve given us a show cause notice why the association shouldn’t be wound up and we have 28 days to do that,” Mr Walshaw said.

“But in the meantime the licence runs out on December 29 and the ACMA have an equally damning report of this station.”

Mr Walshaw said the station now had 60 members, up from 17, and 5GTR FM in Mount Gambier had loaned it updated equipment to get the station back on the air.

“We start local content everyday next week and getting out Filipino, Dutch, Italian and Greek communities back on air which they’re desperate for,” he said.

A Consumer and Business Services spokesman said it continued to work with the station but was unable to provide further comment.

The Advertiser attempted to contact the previous management, but was unsuccessful.