Oh man they are floundering pretty bad. I'm blocked from their internets but I can still read stuff, Renton is giving them a hiding! I'm ok with them deleting a post with a swear word, don't delete politely worded questions after asking for questions.
One very valid point is that skateboarders cannot become members, and vote on the board. This pasted from Renton's post regarding their constitution...
The CEO shall call for nominations for the President, Treasurer and three (3) Ordinary Directors eight (8) weeks before the date of the Annual Council Meeting. All Members shall be notified of the call for nominations
The "membership" forms they posted as proof that this was incorrect were just waivers for clinics. Either being deliberately misleading of just useless, neither being acceptable.
The only way you could be a voting member as a skateboarder was by being a paid up and qualified coach. I was for years and can only recall one occasion where board nominations were sought and I received an email. I applied but was rejected as I was not paid up, despite being a paid up member, and qualified coach for a few years continuously. I paid immediately but was still rejected on these grounds (it was one day late!). What about parents, skaters who have no interest in coaching, or skaters who don't have access to their very expensive coach training sessions? Why should they not be entitled to become voting members? That's not fair or how it is done in any other org or NSO.
So a taxpayer funded organisation that squanders millions of dollars does not let skateboarders to become members to vote and have a say in who is on their board? Skateboarders would make up an easy 90% of their "roller sports" (ugh) numbers, but we are excluded from input in the direction of the board? We are just cast off to the side under the less accountable and unregulated for profit PTY LTD company known as SBA.
So, two very valid questions that have severe ramifications to the legitimacy and legal entitlement for taxpayer funded money to a "taxpayer funded non profit organisation"
1. Have any of the qualified SBA coaches (the only eligible to vote members under their dodgy rules) been informed about nominations 8 weeks before their AGM? The onus is on SA to prove this. It is important that coaches let us know if they have or have not been, especially if they are tired of the current malarky.
2. Where and when was the advertisement for a position vacant for a general manager of SA advertised? I sure didn't see any. A non profit org not publicly advertising is a serious breach. My assumption (which could be incorrect) is that the Australian Sports Commission (Martin's previous employer) has put him in there to try and get their house in order and to see where all the millions have gone.
Anyway, a bit of late night reading. Feel free to copy/paste this onto their FB page and demand specific, evidence based answers and proof to these two questions.
It's a rort. Plain and simple. Millions of taxpayer funds blown with very little to show for it, whilst the disadvantaged, disabled and mentally ill are kicked in the guts by the current government. Imagine if SBA had given $10k grants to people that were already doing great stuff off their own bat, and would have been happy to be transparent and accountable for every cent? Jimmy in Hobart or Esther for example.
