Bassani resigns from Pipe Bands Australia
are the musical arbiters for the organization’s college standards and certification program. They are unpaid, but travel and accommodation expenses are covered.
In his letter of resignation to Pipe Bands Australia Secretary Steven Patterson, Bassani wrote:
Unfortunately, I do not see a positive future under the current leadership, only one plagued by more controversy. The recent alleged fraudulent activity by a former office bearer, while truly being a monumental betrayal, is also an example of our leadership’s monumental failure in observing its governance responsibilities for the Association, since the Act requires them to oversee the Association’s financial affairs. Instead of gallivanting overseas to the USA to lecture them on Member Protection, the President took his eye off the ball and should have been inwards-looking at protecting the financial affairs of our own members. This is what the Incorporated Associations Act would have been referring to when it makes reference to “overseeing the Association’s financial affairs”. Council has made its decision in respect to defeating the no-confidence motion in the president, as is its right.
There has also been a picture of “consultation” painted by the leadership but this is not to be believed, in my opinion. Matters are being put before the wider membership for voting without any discussion and debate by council, and in effect, no due diligence being undertaken in testing such proposals and possible ramifications before going to the membership. This is dangerous and allows vested interests to gain a foothold and be driven through. I also note most of these proposals emanating from a single Branch; take from that what you will.
I feel that I have more to offer in the position but my own sense of ethics and self-worth has led me to this decision. Most others in resigning from such a position would simply walk away, but having invested over 20 years in this role, I care too much for the Association to do this without stating my reasons in the hope that you will be able to bring the Association back into line and the Committee to a position of due diligence and accountability.
As well as the accounting matter, currently under investigation by both the Queensland and New South Wales police forces in Australia, a letter reporting on the 2016 Australian Pipe Band Championships was recently been tabled at a New South Wales Pipe Band Association meeting from the Contest Supervisor Dorothy Keers, who also serves as Vice President of Rules & Administration. Keers stated in her report that she was not told why she was told to disqualify City of Whitehorse at the 2016 Australian Pipe Band Championships at Knox Grammar School in Sydney on October 1-2, 2016.
+ WAPOL OZ Champs; Whitehorse DQed, security involved
Keers reportedly originally submitted her letter to the Pipe Bands Australia national committee, where, according to a source who asked that his/her name not be included, “they swept it under the carpet, [so] Dorothy then tabled it at a NSW branch meeting so her voice could be heard.”
“I was forced by Pipe Bands Australia President Chris Earl to disqualify a band as they broke some sanction that had been previously imposed on them,” Keers’s letter reads. “I am not privy to the details of the sanctions and felt that no contest supervisor should be put in the position I found myself in. Although I am VP Rules and Administration and this covers all rules of the association at a National Championships the focus should be on the contest not on other issues. It was not a good look that all adjudicators left the field whilst this band was playing making all spectators aware that there were problems within the Association.
Pipe Bands Australia President Chris Earl had not responded to a request for comment on the Bassani matter at publication time.
Bassani was a judge at the 2017 New Zealand Pipe Band Championship, March 10-11.
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