OSS–TRAY–(LEA)-AH DAY, MATE!
- Details
- Published on Friday, 03 February 2012 00:00
Happy Oz-trailer Day!
A bit belated sorry. My travel agent in Sao Tome was meant to book me a flight home. She heard me say "OSS - TRAY - AH" and I ended up in Vienna. I must remember to pronounce the "LEA" next time. I still had a traditional Oz Day anyway with some ex-pats: Eating meat, having fights, applying temporary tats, throwen’em-down and chucken’em-up. I think that’s what I did – Bundy’s a bit like that. Can’t be sure if they are going down or coming up – tastes the same either way. Never mind – here now. When I got back to reformWIRES’ Administration Office (we’ve stopped calling it “the lair”), I found so many messages left by our carrier-seagull service. Its been busier than the tone on the call centre’s phone…
You oughta be congratulated
One lucky WIRES member was awarded an Australia Day honour last week, winning the Gosford Council Australia Day Environment Award. Did you know that? This person must have done something pretty extraordinary and we wonder why WIRES’ management hasn’t celebrated the achievement of this little Aussie battler. We wanted to contact the person who put this guy forward, to congratulate them on their very brave choice and ask them for their reasons. Unfortunately this person elected on the nomination form not to be identified. So we tried to figure it out ourselves…
It can’t be for long service as the winner has only just completed 5 years in WIRES. If Oz Day Honours were the measure, many members would have an Order of Australia by now. It can’t be for unblemished performance as there are still unresolved formal grievances against this member. Some information received here at Admin Office (formally “the lair”) alleges he was asked to leave another wildlife group before joining WIRES. He doesn’t do the most rescues and is not an expert in his particular species of choice. It can't be for harmonious branch functioning during his chairmanship: there was a Special General Meeting called by his branch in 2010 due to dissatisfaction - thankfully the board intervened to "smooth things over". We really couldn't figure out why he won the award but regardless of all this he still valiantly accepted.
What annoyed us at rW was the total lack of recognition he received from WIRES. Another extraordinary WIRES member ignored by the management. So we here at rW intend to celebrate his amazing win...
He is Bill Fortier, WIRES Board-member representing the Central Coast. Congratulations Bill on getting this award over all the other hard-working, long-serving, near-broke members of WIRES – you deserve it. As the WIRES Chairman put it last Volunteers' Week: You're a hero, mate. A WIRES hero.
Talking about Volunteers' Week...
You may remember that message we featured in “Whistling” on Christmas Day – the one sent out by the Chair “in celebration” of WIRES volunteers (if not, click here). In the agreement on the second page there was a stipulation that the member named remove from her vehicle, and further desist in displaying, some signage or other. It is WIRES policy that all use of the WIRES logo be authorised, so…
We have received here at Admin Office (formerly “the lair”) several copies of the latest WIRES North West Branch newsletter. This is the branch of board member Maggie Cooper. Towards the back is a picture: It is of a station-wagon and has the WIRES logo emblazoned across the entire back window. From our sources, this display is permanently incorporated into the car’s window and cannot be removed. We cannot find evidence of any approval being granted by the WSC for so graphic a display. This is an obvious breach of WIRES rules and flaunted flagrantly in the newsletter of a board member. There was also no attempt to obscure the number plate of the car – a personalised plate bearing the initials of the owner! Even worse, this newsletter encourages those who read it to pass it on to anyone they choose.
That leads to perhaps the worst of the worst… the newsletter details in clear step-by-step instructions how to break-in to the WIRES database. It is the opinion of one correspondent familiar with computing that the WIRES database is totally vulnerable to illegal access because of the lazy attitude of those who administer it. All would-be hackers need, according to this person, is a copy of a branch membership list and they can potentially erase or tamper with vital data. How can one be sure a hacker wasn’t one of the unknown recipients of this newsletter? Being responsible and security minded here at rW, we are not going to publish the photos, the instructions on gaining access to the database or the name of the owner of the offending vehicle.
STOP PRESS!
Important notice about
the NWB Newsletter
Lifetime of service honoured
A current board member was not the only one to recieve recognition this Australia Day. Mikla Lewis, one of the founders of WIRES and its first executive officer, received the Medal of the Order of Australia.
After helping to found WIRES, Mikla then went on to form the native plant rescue organisation in the Blue Mountains. Eventually she moved to Grenfell where she helped found the Weddin-Lachlan Branch of WIRES. She is still its chair to this day. Mikla maintains her property as a conservation reserve and currently works with the Catchment Management Authority. Mikla was not nominated by the management or board of WIRES, and they did not provide references in support of her nomination. Her own branch and other long-serving WIRES members proudly put her forward.
Congratulations to you, Mikla Lewis OAM.
What's New?
As promised, WHISTLING has some more ever so enlightening correspondence about grievances. This time from Ron Haering at OEH.
oi, oi, oi
[As it was not possible to seek comments in response to allegations made in this article, Spartacus assures the individuals referred to that he will put up on the site any response received in reply to what has been said.]
Write the minister
What is reformwires?
Comments
OAM my arse!!!
[LINK TO MENTIONED NEWS STORY: http://www.k3s.com.au/Cnews/CN598/CN598.pdf
S.]
How come he is still in WIRES???
Could it be that the Board, for whatever reason, simply failed to issue “written notice”???
Environment - William Fortier ...
William Fortier has been an integral part of WIRES Central Coast for many years. He has been instrumental in the training and mentoring of other volunteers, ensuring that the invaluable work of WIRES continues well into the future. William has been committed to raising awareness to the plight of unique and endangered species and is a strong advocate for the protection of native animals. His commitment and dedication were essential in assisting WIRES Central Coast complete 2,573 rescues last year.
[Thank you guest for that bit of detective work - want a job? or are you going for the WIRES van driver position which has just been internally advertised?, S.]