Congratulations to Ian Stanistreet OAM, former CEO of the Community Broadcasting Foundation, who was awarded the Medal of Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to broadcast media on 26 January 2025. The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service and exceptional achievement.
Ian has dedicated his life to community broadcasting, having worked in the sector for almost 40 years. He is the founder of the National Radio News, former Station Manager at 3PBS & 2MCE where he is also an Honorary Life member. He is the former President of Community Broadcasting Association of Victoria, past Secretary of the Northern NSW Community Media Association and has also served on the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia‘s National Committee.
Ian’s early start in community broadcasting began in 1982 at 3PBS (Melbourne/Naarm) where he was a volunteer broadcaster while studying Arts-Law at university and was invited to visit the station by an Australian music program presenter. A few years later, he became the station’s first employee and Station Manager. He subsequently worked at Ballarat’s 3BBB (now known as Voice FM) on Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country, where he devised a training program for long-term unemployed people. From there, he moved to Bathurst’s 2MCE on Wiradyuri Nation, where he was instrumental in establishing the community broadcasting sector’s National Radio News (NRN) service.
As CBF’s former CEO for two decades, Ian was a fierce champion for the guiding principles of community broadcasting who always maintained the highest levels of integrity and accountability to ensure the sector received the best value from government funding. Ian completely transformed the way CBF grants were managed through the introduction of online grant applications and the implementation of a new funding structure and governance model.
In 2017, he won the CBAA Michael Law Award for his sustained and outstanding contributions to community broadcasting.
Thank you Ian for your extraordinary service and contributions of wisdom, knowledge and passion for a sector that you have made your life’s work which will continue to benefit many thousands of community broadcasters, communities, participants and volunteers across Australia.