Townsville’s Indigenous radio station, 4K1G is embroiled in allegations of financial mismanagement after financial records were allegedly wiped from station computers.

According to the Townsville Bulletin, government appointed administrators found that the records had been deleted before they were able to assume control of the station.

Sources told the Bulletin that stakeholders were informed during a meeting about the station’s finances, that the records had been deleted.

Administrators were appointed in June this year following serious concerns over the station’s solvency and a number of alleged breaches of legislation and the corporation’s rule book.

4K1G – Too Deadly was launched in April 1992, operated by the Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Media, and it is understood that it had accumulated significant liabilities before the administrator moved in.

It will remain under the control of administrators until at least December after the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations extended the special administration period, originally scheduled to finish in September.

In a public statement special administrator, Neil Michel, says the underlying cause for the financial problem was the loss of knowledgeable staff and a lack of investment in people, but with a new station manager now appointed, and a range of people willing to offer valuable programming advice and other assistance, the administrators are hopeful of building a station with a bigger range of programming that will attract sponsorship.

He says the expected short term result will be to invigorate the 4K1G sound and brand to attract more listeners with a long term result of greater interest from investors and sponsors.