Jobs for the Boys

Details: Published on Sunday, 25 December 2011 00:00

In the last article “Donors' Money – Who gets it?” there was brief mention of the employment of staff and the awarding of consultancy contracts. Lets look a bit closer at that. What is not stated in the WIRES annual reports is that from 2007 to 2010 WIRES was also paying the Chair as General Manager, and the Vice Chair as a training facilitator through contracts with their corporate entities. Also they were paying another member of the board who works for payment part time at the SRO.

The employed “Training Officer” was retrenched in 2007 yet a member of the Board was contracted as a “Training Facilitator” shortly afterwards. A slightly different title but this position appears to have the same or similar roles.

CORRECTION 25/12/11: reformWIRES has received further information since first publishing this article. The "Training Officer" was sacked in March 2008, not "retrenched in 2007". This notice of termination was given via email. It appears that WIRES retrofitted redundancy to the deed of release after notice was given.

These employment contracts were never provided to the State Council for consideration and approval, as required in the Constitution, and it can only be assumed that the contracts were awarded and negotiated between each contractor / employee on the board and the board itself, without any independent outside scrutiny.

The amounts paid to the Board members under these contracts were never disclosed to the Council and there appears not to have been an independent person / body to check whether the terms of employment and remuneration were fair. The awarding of these contracts appears to involve real or potential conflicts of interest.

If the employment of the previous General Manager and Training Facilitator had been by way of personal contracts rather than through their corporate entities, WIRES would have had to obtain permission from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR). By setting up corporations for the purpose of employment with WIRES the OLGR was not required to consider the contracts that in effect employ members of the Board.

Spartacus has seen an email from the Secretary stating that these contractual arrangements between two Board members and WIRES were reviewed by the Charities Division of the OGLR for “compliance with appropriate risk management regarding potential conflicts of interest. This is not true.

There is no evidence that any paid position in WIRES has been advertised or put up for open tender

There needs to be an open transparent, merit based and competitive system in place for the employment of staff and the awarding of service contracts. There is no evidence that any paid position in WIRES has been advertised or put up for open tender. It is well known that there are people who have been engaged for paid work in WIRES who have had connections with members of the Board or are on the Board themselves.

The current General Manager was employed by the Board from within the organisation without any outside tender process or any consultation with the State Council.

reformWIRES has already been alerted to the possibility that the new van driver has a friendship with a current member of the Board and was appointed without the position being advertised. Members have been notified that this is a temporary arrangement, but this will give that person an advantage when the job is advertised on the open market.

It is strange that the husband of the secretary is engaged to do the performance reviews of members of the Board and also recently was engaged to do an assessment of the State Council. Surely another person who is independent from the Board and Council would be able and willing to do this. It would avoid the perception of a conflict of interest that comes form assessing friends and colleagues of his wife, as well as those she likes and dislikes. The husband of the Secretary has made the point that he does not charge for the work he does, but he does get a benefit by including this contract on his curriculum vitae.

CORRECTION 25/12/11: According to new sources, the only performance reviews prior to those mentioned above, were carried out internally. These were performed by the Executive Officer for all staff and their position statements as part of the new management proposals developed for the then State Management Committee. The only review the Executive Officer received was conducted by the Board for the purposes of increasing his salary. The then Executive Officer refused any increase in remuneration except for an increase in superannuation. It is felt by some that this review was part of a process to remove the then Executive Officer from the position.

Some time ago the Board allowed a board member and his wife (a then member of the Council) to run a business which sold products using the captive audience of WIRES training courses until it was brought to the attention of the Board by a member of the Council.

CORRECTION 25/12/11: Information passed to reformWIRES after publication of this article reveals that WIRES did more than permit board members to sell products at training courses. The WIRES State Council approved the company concerned to receive the WIRES food subsidy as well. This made the board member's company one of only 3 or 4 organisations with this marketing advantage. This meant in effect that any WIRES person buying their product would receive a discount paid for by donated funds.

Clause 9.2 of the Constitution allows for payments to WIRES Council and Board members for reasonable reimbursement of out of pocket expenses and reasonable remuneration where a member of the Council is an employee of WIRES, so long as both have been approved by the WIRES Council. Has this clause been complied in relation to payments made to Board Members for reimbursement and the approval of terms of employment in relation to any members of the Council? Minutes of Council meetings do not show any motions to approve these payments.

ReformWIRES suggests that for the sake of transparency, good government and to avoid any further suggestions of jobs for the boys, all future jobs in WIRES be advertised in the open market and employees selected by either an independent employment agency or selection panel whose members do not have any connection with the applicant.

Comments

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — It’s time 2012-01-14 19:39

Becoming obvious to me that WIRES is a totally non-functioning organisation. The actions of the Board in recent years has rendered this organisation as unacceptable. Perhaps it is time to accept its days are over.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-14 23:51

Isn’t that what the poeple who post here really wanted from the beginning? What takes its place? Poeple who don’t have to answer to anybody who do whatever they want from feeding biskits and tea to having private zoos? Jusw when the training changes are starting to show benefit?

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-15 19:12

Sorry, I reckon it has been getting worse since the new Constitution came in in 2007. A limited number of members then got absolute control over everyone else, got rid of a very competent and qualified member which upset many members and since then the Board seems to be trying to get rid of any member who disagrees with it. It really is time for a total overall of how wires operates and for that matter the government should be calling for an enquiry to consider a complete overview of how the whole system in looking after the state’s wildlife is working. It seems to be off the rails and nobody in government cares.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-16 14:14

You got it. Nobody in govt cares. There too short of money and with too many human problems. Wildlife is at the bootom except when they nod and make good noises to get carers off theire backs.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — anon 2012-01-15 20:21

I agree with guest. The Constitution is lacking in quantity and quality of detail so are the polices that don’t match the Constitution and aren’t followed anyway. WIRES should be rubbed out and started again.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — an eagle 2012-01-18 17:22

You’re right anon. The Policy for Proxy Voting was not updated in 2007 to accord with the terms of the Consitution and this was not done until about mid 2011. As a result it may have been possible to challenge the result of any of the AGMs held between 2007 to 2011 because the policy differed from the Constitution.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — yellowtail 2012-01-16 08:08

The coordinators are responsible for members not complying with the rehab policy. If they are not doing their job then the BMC should take action and if the BMC doesn’t then it is the Board’s responsibility to stop such bad practices. It seems obvious Guest that nothing is being done and the government should be taking action as wildlife is being mistreated. Your comment seems to support those that want change and want a management which will deal with the problems you identify.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-16 11:18

Every time a coordinator and the BMC try to fix things the bad carers say they are being bullied and put in complaints. With the new training and more help for the cordinators and now having to do refrshers no matter how long you been in things are geting better but alot of bpoeple called the bullies are because they are trying to get beter standards. The managment is working but the carers are screaming. I seen facebook pictures of possusm sitting on heads and joeys on lounges and when the coordinators try to fix it they are called bullies.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — guest 2012-01-16 23:00

You can’t be serious can you? Bad carers are left alone and hence don’t need to put in complaints. Complaints are not acted upon anyway so it’s a waste of time putting in a complaint it just makes you a target. Bad carers turn up to the AGMs to vote in the bad managers that allow them to continue with their own devices. There is no interest in better standards, the current standards are not known because they aren’t looked at. When was the last time your place was inspected? The management is working to feather their own nests, the carers keep their mouths shut else they will be dispensed with.
What is needed is hands on mentoring with actual animals, not more training courses where people turn up because they have to and remember almost nothing and go home and continue with their bad practices. The problem with wires is that it’s about politics, not animals. Nothings perfect but it could be alot better than this. It used to be a fantastic organisation where good people did good things for animals. Nothign could be further from that now.

# Guest 2012-01-18 17:52

Mentoring is good but only if the mentor is up to date and has realy good standards. If not then it just makes sure bad practises go on and on and never examined. The 2 should go together, more and beter training and mentors who maybe have quality asurance on their own standards somehow. Dont know how though.

# Cooee 2012-01-16 20:53

I think WIRES members want the Board to be leaders;
to have a vision for the future
to be fair and consistant with all volunteers
to have best standard of care for wildife
to be pro active and really kick arse for our little Aussie battlers the wildlife
WIRES could be a great leading Wildllife and conservation organisation.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — guest 2012-01-16 22:52

Yes, I think that was the idea wasn’t it? And for very good reason - the reasons you can read on this site. What takes its place is a workable licensing system where the very worst of human traits and behaviour arent encouraged and propogated. What takes it’s place is a state wide system that actually rescues and cares for animals, supports wildlife carers and doesn’t encourage animal hoarding and bullying of members. What you describe here, people feed biskits and tea and having private zoos is what wires has created, that’s why you have seen it and we’ve all seen it. I suspect it isn’t just wires but other groups too because it’s the system that not only encourages but actually creates this behaviour. The system is wrong and will never work, it’s not surprising it’s come to this as the sick condition of wildlife caring in this state is the direct result of current government policy.
The training changes are starting to show benefit? Really? Can you elaborate?

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-04 07:19

It is alleged by some members that the former Chair still has a big say in how WIRES is run. This is helped by having 3 members of his branch on the State Council who can vote and, since allowing standard team reps the right to stand for the board (which may be unconstitutional), could all stand for the board. This situation gives this branch 3 voices and votes on the Council while most branches only have 1 and puts it at an advantage over most others to get its views accepted and its interests met.

# Guest 2012-01-04 07:33

You need to check the rumurs for yourself. They are not correct.

# Apache 2012-01-04 16:37

What are standards teams doing with voting rights? They should be advisors not representatives! You can bang on with hiar splitting and say one is for the branch and the other for the team but truth is they are both from the same branch. That is stacking in my book. 1 branch 1 vote, that simple. Standards teams having the vote is a [EDIT]!!!!!!! How would you feel if your community voted out your local mp and then they popped up again as minster because they belonged to some group or had the right friends? Its all right according to you because one of them is your local member the other one is representing bosses, or workers, or people who love cats. Wouldn’t you think something was really wrong with your leaders if that happened? You can’t say its fair that standards teams have votes unless you would let that happen and I’m sure you wouldnt let it happen. So why is it all right in Wires????? What are we all missing here? No wonder everyone is leaving wires, it all looks so unfair and wrong and [EDIT] and the people running it seem to have no idea that its [EDIT] or dont care.

# Guest 2012-01-05 17:31

This time I agree with you but the first post said one branch was getting more advanatage than others which is not true. One does not have 3 vots but only 2 (right or wrong) the same as lots of other branchs. Its interesting but that sometimes that is not stacking but the 2 vote different ways. I think there were reasons for the statndards team votes which probably seemed good at the time but backfired. The bad is the reasons you said. The good is when the st member could vote for the interests of the animals if the branch rep wasn’t very interested in them. Or stand up for them like in the case of the possum food if the branch rep doesn’t know about it. Perhaps st members can be there to advise but only vote on animal care issues?

# anon 2012-01-05 21:37

The standard/management teams can influence the vote by what they say and with their experience with the animals or being in WIRES. The branches only should make the vote.
There was never any talk (or its not included in the minutes) about standard teams ever having voting rights and the right for running for the Board only came up when the secretary and vice chair lost their branch positions on Council in 2010. The standard team reps started representing their teams in 2007 and voted from day one.

# white ant 2012-01-07 12:20

Please advise what list you are referring too? The only list I can see is from June 2011. There were new elections in September 2011 and the Standard teams changed to Management teams. The list of new positions and contacts for each team have not been put up as far as I can see.

# a guest 2012-01-20 10:42

does anyone know so I cna check if this branch does have 3 members on the council.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-04 10:22

Like lots of other branches this one has 2 members on the WSC/Board. 1 representing the branch and 1 a standards team. Also lots of branches but not this one can have a branch rep and a alternate at the meeting but only one can vote. The ex chair has not been very active at all even in his branch since his heart attack.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-04 15:19

I don’t accept that a branch member can ignore their allegiance to their branch just because they are at the council as a standards team rep. They could have a conflict of interest between the interests of their own branch and the position of the standards team they represent as they could be different eg in a branch where there is a euthanasia policy for eastern grey joeys and it had the rep for large mammals. Sure any rep for a standards team would vote in favour of any motion which benefited their own branch and so the branch would have 2 votes. The attendance of the alternative when the rep is present at the council meetting is at the discretion of the Chair and it is known that approval has not been given for the reason that the branch would have 2 voices if the alt. rep. also attended, even though it was at no extra cost to WIRES and there would only be one vote on behalf of the branch..

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — anon 2012-01-05 16:52

If your talking about Mid North Coast there are 3 members on the Council.
1 x branch rep, 1 x raptor rep and 1 x small mammals rep

# Guest 2012-01-05 17:40

2 on council who are on standards teams as well but only 1 representing a standards team and the other for the branch. The 2 only got one vote each. You can see the whole list for all the branches on the intranet.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-05 19:45

This is the branch of the former Chair which would have had him as the same state council/management committee rep for many years. When he retired there was an opportunity for another branch member to finally have the experience of being the Council rep and bring to the State Council a fresh approach and new ideas. Without wanting to reopen the debate on the definition of relationships, the position of council rep, and also board member as it turned out, passed on to a person connected with the former Chair. Now we are told this branch has 3 members on council and so has 3 votes on motions and at the AGM elections, when most other branches have only 1. It could almost be an episode out of dysnasty or maybe an example of the win at any cost philosophy of union politics. It is certainly not what was intended by the constitution as members were told in the a letter from the Secretary that “no person is eligible to vote on the state council , other than those elected to the prositions by their branches”.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-05 22:00

Except the branch does NOT have 3 votes. That is a untrue rumor. And anyone in the same branch has connections. New partners of exes are hardly connected. This is a beatup to score points.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-05 20:20

I looked. That Branch has a branch rep on board and raptor team rep on council and no others. That is 1 vote for each. Some members are on diffrent teams but not representing them at council.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-06 07:09

So where does the rep for small mammals come from? The previous rep for SM did a fantastic job standing up for best practice for brushtail possums but was rolled by the board when the new teams were set up before the AGM as being found to be unsuitable. Unsuitable! After 2 years of fortitude attending council meetings to deal with confrontation and patronism from some members of the then board to ensure that BT possums were given the most appropriate diet in care.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-06 07:12

The ex chair’s health must be ok as he recently stood for election to the governance team with a 4(?) year term.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — battered 2012-01-05 09:07

Meanwhile, our Branch doesn’t have a Rep & hasn’t for sometime! That’s because anyone that gives it a go gets sabotaged & undermined by the branch bullies. Our members hear nothing about the WSC meetings.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — an eagle 2012-01-07 15:13

The State Council needs members with independent ideas who are prepared to scrutinise the material brought before the Council and present alternative viewpoints. Stand up to them battered and become the Rep as there is a chance for change if enough council reps want this to happen and support one another. The council would also then become more balanced and be more representative of all members and not just representative of the empowered group.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-02 09:42

WIRES MEMBERS SHOCKING EXPERIENCES POWER BOARD SHORT CIRCUITING.
Last year a person sought my advice about donating to Wires. A call to a wires apposite consultant and the smell of bankers ink lubricated the conversation. I was aware of the conversation. Without prompting the consultant opened the floodgate of knowledge. not long after the phone rang it was the consultant. in a remorseful mood. The questions from her were prying. She was asked who else is on the phone.? A very embarrassed and annoyed voice introduced herself. The donation was withheld I now have power of attorney and the cheque is not in the mail it is in the shredder. The money was substantial and is now being used to help fund the [EDIT]. Wires needs brains not drains. Warm hands not cold hearts. BRING BACK OUR LABARYNTH.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-04 10:24

I don’t understand this post at all.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — anon 2012-01-18 18:48

Yes a guest, if the public really knew how volunteers and animals are being treated and what the money is really beong spent on in this organisation the money would dry up. To think that a person could be listening in on a donor proposing to give money is very distasteful. What on earth were they thinking?

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — McGuyver 2011-12-31 18:54

Seriously the branches these reps belong to need to ask what is going on and please explain. Maybe NOT re-electing them as WSC rep next year. Do they give reports to their members?

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Mutt 2012-01-02 08:24

Mac, I know mine doesn’t. Everything is downplayed with “it’s confidential can can’t be disclosed” or “it’s just boring details you wont be interested in”. When you dare to ask a question the entire room will eat you alive.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — McGuyver 2012-01-03 22:55

Hi Mutt, That is a shame, because that is their job. How can they represent your branch if members don’t know whats happening and don’t have their say? The only confidential issues should be wages and grievances everything else should be no problem. You are a financial member and have the right to know.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-04 10:24

Those are the things that some people want to know about and bitch because they can’t. If your rep doesn’t tell you what’s happening look at the items on the intranet in the council tab.

# McGuyver 2012-01-04 11:36

A report to your branch is what was discussed in the meeting, you just leave out any thing that was confidential. The intranet doesn’t get updated until 2 months after the meeting, and last year there were no minutes for at least 6 months. Even now October 2011 Council minutes are not up even though Standing orders read they should be up no later than 7 days.

# a guest 2012-01-04 15:05

and are the minutes a true recording of the important things discussed and motions passed or those things the Board wants members to know. why are the minutes used to embarrass some members.

# guest 2012-01-06 02:27

Minutes are not a true reflection of what happens. A certain motion was put forward at a wsc meeting by the board. The motion was sent via email to certain members of our branch committee at the time however when minutes eventually arrived there was no mention of that motion which the board had lost conclusively. I understand that board minutes are not available even to members of the wsc? I could be wrong, others may know. There is no transparency which leads one to conclude that there are things to be covered up.

# A Friend 2012-01-06 14:31

Your right a few years back there was discussion about the Board meeting minutes. The Board stated that they were confidential matters it was suggested that they could black out the confidential bits. The Board said the whole minutes would be blacked out. It was compromised and the WSC get a Board report only. Councillors are not allowed to email it to members.

# guest 2012-01-18 18:43

Would that have been a motion to remove a Councillor from the Council because they protested a unethical and despotic process that had been pre arranged?

# guest 2012-01-18 22:52

No but was similar. It was an attempt to prevent a member who had been democtratically elected by their branch membership to represent them on the wsc to actually take up that position. They didnt want that person there so the motion was an attempt to prevent them from holding the position. The motion failed and was subsequently omitted from the minutes.

# a guest 2012-01-19 18:11

Think that is the branch which voted out the secretary as council rep. The board wasn’t happy about that and the motion was then put up to knock off the alt rep.

# a guest 2012-01-19 06:47

That was a disgrace. An elected Councillor who had lodged a complaint against a member of the Board, or the Board itself, then had the tables turned against him and was punished by a member of the board putting in a motion to have him dismissed from the Council. That action would have certainly frightened any member of Council off from lodging a complaint against a member of the board.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Apache 2011-12-28 13:50

REGARDING THAT BEGGING LETTER

I got the one that was on the front of this site. The one before that was even better. It came with a Christmas postcard.

The letterhead had the title "WIRES... Wildlife Information & Rescue Service" - what happened to "Education"?. The letter also said I should send the postcard to someone I know who might be interested in WIRES because it "has our rescue hot line number on it" - NO IT DIDN’T! The only phone number on the postcard was "Donation line (02) 8977 3396" Not a single mention of the rescue number!!!! So I should send it to my friend, and if they find a sick animal they should call and make a donation first? Shows what they care about at WIRES doesn’t it? What a cheap trick, guaranteed to drive people away.

[See the begging letter that was featured on the front of this site here:
FRONT - www.reformwires.com/images/beggingletterfront.jpg
BACK - www.reformwires.com/images/begging.gif
S.]

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Dianna 2011-12-28 08:50

I am putting forth a challenge to the Board of WIRES Inc. How about you get involved in these discussions and give answers or comments to the various issues that have been raised by this web site. I would ask that the general public see a statement from the Chair of WIRES Inc. addressing these concerns - it is about time we had some answers. Surely they want the organisation to function well and to be able to clear up some of these matters. Now it is up to you (the Chairman) to reply to these questions on behalf of your Board. Let us see their sincerity in helping the general public understand what is going on and how you are going to resolve these difficulties. Also show us how you intend to rectify past mistakes - I’m sure you will find members eager to work together for transparency and truth. Thank you.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Cooee 2012-01-16 20:56

Unfortunately Dianna, the Board only sees in black and white, yes and no. There is no grey and there is no discussions.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — guest 2011-12-27 23:27

The begging letter is a disgrace because it implies that money is needed to rescue and care for all these animals when in fact we all know that carers pay their own costs. None of this donated money flows onto carers apart from some animal food subsidies which relate to specific species only. If you specialise in a different species than the chosen few - young and baby animals needing special formulas then you are out of luck. The branch could raise funds and assist members and some of them do that but it is the same carers who are footing the bill who are out there fundraising to support themselves. And large amounts are often necessarily spent on vets bills and that can’t be avoided and medications are an additional expense for carers. Not all branches have the capacity to raise enough money to do this depending on the number of active members and what type of demographic the branch is in. It’s a very unlevel playing field.
It seems the priorities for how funds are spent is very secretive and insular and involves the Board and only the Board. It appears that animals don’t figure very highly on that list of priorities and carers even less.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — guest 2011-12-27 23:16

This can of worms becomes more and more disgusting. The downside is that members of the public are being fobbed off and lied to on a daily basis by inexperienced and less than knowledgable call centre staff having the flow on effect of many animals dying and members of the public being angry and disgruntled. I had a call yesterday from a person hundreds of miles away wanting help with an injured animal that had been hit by a car. They were adamant that they would not call WIRES and were seeking help to find another organisation or person to take it to. Luckily for the animal I was able to help out.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2011-12-28 09:18

The General Manager seems professional in looking to work with branches and members to find a solution and it looks like she is not involved in the politics and is treating all members the same. What happened though to the members who usesd to give their time working at the call centre and were far more experienced and had more knowledge that anyone who icould be employed from outside. Was this a decision of the board to get rid of members from the call centre who were from those reformist branches?

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — anon 2012-01-19 20:07

The problem I see the GM has is that the Board is her boss, there is only so much she can do or she too will be sacked.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a member 2012-04-22 02:48

It is unfortunate that the board is in control as the GM is far more qualified and experienced than any of the Board members.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Magnum P.I. 2012-04-22 03:22

Ha. She doesn’t like volunteers simple as that.
She sees them as being under the control of the Board and at her disposal. The board is her boss. In fact she works for the members - she works for them but she doesn’t get that.
She does not want reform either because then she might have to answer to the membership, as now she is guaranteed her job so long as the board gets what it wants. Much easier this way.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Dishlexsic. 2012-04-21 20:19

"The General Manager seems professional in looking to work with branches and members to find a solution and it looks like she is not involved in the politics and is treating all members the same. What happened though to the members who usesd to give their time working at the call centre and were far more experienced and had more knowledge that anyone who icould be employed from outside. Was this a decision of the board to get rid of members from the call centre who were from those reformist branches?"
I’m no dope! Fact is.
The Manager will discriminate against you! As she did with a member who tried to point out that the new system was allowing animals to be left to die unnecessarily. She demanded an apology.The subject of the animals was ignored. As for the apology. (not so long as I can draw breath.)

# Magnum P.I. 2012-04-22 01:47

Its good to be back - nice work Spartacus.
The GM not involved with politics? Sorry WHAT! Which planet are you from?
The GM knows what to say and when to say it. Who gave her her job? (GAVE HER - no application) Stan Wood?

Stories abound of her getting involved in Board politics. She works for them; not for you. Get with the program.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — It's time 2012-04-23 21:49

Yes public respect for WIRES in my area is very poor.I have lost count of the number of times MOP have said they don’t want to phone WIRES. Some have even said they will put down an animal themselves rather than call WIRES.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — an eagle 2011-12-27 11:29

Interesting that the annual report of the RSPCA gives a background of the qualifications and experience of members of the Board and a notification of Directors’ Benefits declaring that since the end of the previous financial year, no Director of the Society has receifved or has become entitled to receive a benefit by reason of a contract made by the Society or related coropration with him or her or with a firm of which he or she is a member or with a company in which he or she has a substantial financial interest, other than disclosed in notes to the full financial statements. I could not find any similar disclosure in the annual reports of WIRES.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — cooee 2012-01-16 21:00

If WIRES is not careful the RSPCA will take over wildlife rehab in NSW like they have done in QLD . Something they would love as it would give them access to all monies public donations and government grants that cover animals. It would also be easier for government, the RSPCA already have there support with $7.5 million allocated to them last year.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Guest 2012-01-17 20:23

Last I heard the RSPCA are nearly broke even with the help and the board has poeple who are farmer lobbys and watering down welfare polcies. They do a good job as much as they can but they got there own problems.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — cooee 2012-01-18 18:28

Yes at one stage the farmers infiltrait the RSPCA it was long ago and they are out now; this is one of the reasons the RSPCA is more open and transparent these days. If the farmers were in control I doubt the RSPCA would have collaborated with Animals Australia on live export project. Don’t know too much about the money side but I doubt the government would be signing an mou with a potenitally non existant animal welfare charity that care of the mess that humans and government policy create.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — white ant 2011-12-27 09:20

Well we all knew the training officer was sacked it just wasn’t made public until now. This is what happens when you have a different opinion to the Board, if your employed you get sacked, if your a volunteer you get bullied or investigated until you leave. It is normal and heathly for different opinions with in an organisation. But its all old school and its about protecting ones position.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2011-12-26 08:08

Sacked then retrofitted as a redundancy, then the Chair and Vice Chair get paid contracts from the board to do work similar to the work done by the retrenched Executive Officer. Sounds very odd. The board should give an explanation to visitors to this site. The members, donors and the government paid their wages and deserve to know. They also should be told the qualifications and prior experience of these members of the Board who were given paid contracts for General Manager and Training Officer as it is alleged that they did not have the qualifications and had not been previously employed in these positions.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — anon 2012-01-19 20:10

I think this is maybe against the law. You cannot retrench someone and then re employ a different person for the same job, no matter if the position title is changed the job description is still the same. This should be checked out by Fair work Australia or ATO to be investigate.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — a guest 2012-01-20 10:40

Many members reckon that the training officer did the same work as the one retrenched.

# RE: Jobs for the Boys — Dianna 2011-12-25 08:57

Blessings to you Spartacus and Happy Christmas. As a very concerned wildlife carer I can’t thank you enough for your hard work bringing all these issues to light and making them available for the general public to read. I was well aware over many years that jobs were being given to those who were friendly with the Board. There has never been any advertising internally in WIRES that would give members a chance to apply for positions. The volunteers with academic qualifications and the skills to implement correct governance seem to have been shunned. The way forward for WIRES is going to happen in 2012 and this will reflect a positive outcome for our native animals. It is also about time DECCW joined the debate to help ensure that change is made immediately. WIRES must be held accountable and transparent and the DONORS have a right to know the truth.

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