Suit threatens station’s future
A LOCAL community radio station has revealed fears it might not survive legal action taken against it by former mayor Darryn Lyons.
Geelong radio station The Pulse released a statement yesterday regarding Mr Lyons’ decision to sue charity Diversitat over on-air comments — made in July last year — that likened his nightclubs to “drug dens”.
The joint statement, from station manager Leo Renkin and Diversitat chief Michael Martinez, revealed the legal action “could serve as a potentially fatal blow for our station’s livelihood”.
“The Pulse is a not-for-profit community radio station whose day-to-day operations survive on the good will of our volunteers and sponsors within the community,” it read.
“The financial hardship this suit has and will continue to bring may be devastating to our ability to operate. Fundraising campaigns and further sponsorship support may be required.
“It will be an extremely sad day for Geelong and surrounding regions if the station were forced to close our doors, devastating hundreds of volunteers and thousands of listeners.”
The statement also noted it had made a formal apology to Mr Lyons, and suspended the person responsible comments.
Mr Lyons filed a writ to the Supreme Court alleging he was defamed by Diversitat’s community radio station The Pulse and presenter Greg McHenry.
The writ makes a claim for a payout to cover “damages, interest, costs (and) such other further orders that the court sees fit”.
The writ — filed by lawyer Frank Vinci — details on-air comments Mr McHenry made for the about an earlier encounter he had with Mr Lyons at The Pulse studio.
In those comments Mr McHenry made a number of accusations about the behaviour he allegedly witnessed by the former mayor towards Committee for Geelong chief Rebecca Casson.
Mr McHenry was critical of Mr Lyons’ appearance, and accused him of “bullying” Ms Casson to the point of tears. The legal action, however, centres on the comment about the nightclubs.
The writ quotes Mr McHenry saying “the places he looks after, his establishments in town, are drug dens that are not right for the community”.
Diversitat, also known as the Geelong Ethnic Communities Council, later apologised and conceded the nightclub “comment was utterly baseless and should not have been made”.