Join WIA !

Now that the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA), the new national organization representing amateur radio interests in Australia, has in a progressive manner re-invented itself it is time for all those holding an Australian Amateur Radio Call Sign to sign up for membership.

At present, Membership Applications can be lodged in only the following three ways:

1. By fax to 03 9523 8191(overseas applicants must delete the leading 0 and add the Australian Country Code 61) authorizing      payment by Credit Card (Bank Card, Mastercard or Visa but not American Express);
    
2. By telephone calling WIA at 03 9528 5962; or
    
3. By Postal Mail to: Wireless Institute of Australia, PO Box 2175, Caulfield Junction, Victoria 3161 Australia, together with Credit Card authorization or personal or business check (cheque) covering the first year's subscription for the membership chosen.
   
   (It does not appear possible to apply for membership by email or through WIA's website)

Four categories of membership are available and annual membership fees (expressed in Australian Dollars) are as follows:

•     Those which include a subscription to WIA's magazine:
  •             Member (with Australian Postal Address)                   $ 75
  •             Member (with an overseas mailing address                 $ 85
  •             Member entitled to a Concession (see note below)      $ 70
     
•     Those who do not wish to received the WIA Magazine:
  •             Member (No Magazine)                                             $ 50
     
  (Note: Concession members are allowed an annual discount of $5.00. This membership is available to fulltime students or those holding an Australian Health Benefits Card.)

You should download the Application Form at: http://www.wia.org.au/documents/WIA%20Nat%20Membership%20Application.pdf.

An example of a completed Membership Application is shown below:

Please note that the published form requires that two current WIA members sign it as Proposer and Seconder, respectively. This probably is an anachronism dating back to a time when it was a practice by many private clubs to exclude applicants on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religious or sexual orientation or nationality. Such discrimination is no longer deemed politically correct and should not apply to public service organizations like WIA. No doubt, if this is still official policy, WIA surely would accommodate those prospective members living in remote locations in Australia or overseas, who do not know of any other WIA members in their immediate vicinity.

A copy of WIA's Constitution is at: http://www.wia.org.au/documents/Constitution%20of%20the%20WIA%20-%20Final.pdf.

AussieWinlink encouraged the previous WIA leadership to transform itself into a national organization and take a more proactive stance in protecting and advancing the interests of radio amateurs in Australia. Now that the new WIA has made the right responses all of us should show our appreciation by joining as members. AussieWinlink gladly assists in that effort.

AussieWinlink
12 October 2004

To view Membership Certificate click on "New Member" below

Copyright © 2002-2008 AussieWinlink. Material may be quoted with acknowledgement of its source. Last modified: September 28, 2008