The call went out from a young student, Keith Horsely, with a transistor radio in his hand: “The ABC lied, it’s a lie, we are still here on the railway tracks blocking the uranium train … where’s 4PR, the voice of the people?”
A SMALL GROUP had set up a Brisbane pirate radio station in 1976, we used a combination of sound wave broadcasts and transmission from Mount Cootha. The station made oral submissions to the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal as to why we should NOT obtain a licence. We called the station 4PR – Voice of the People.
At the Australian broadcasting tribunal hearing, our submission provided 4Zzz with left cover. The tribunal chairperson, Alan Gyngal, cleared the room when 4PR argued why it shouldn’t get a licence. Federal police escorted us from the hearing.
We found out afterwards that 4Zzz had obtained its higher power FM licence. I then helped Zed take down the small antenna from the Schonnel theatre and to erect the big antenna up on Mount Cootha. Steve Blair built both 4PRs transmitters and later did the same for 4Zzz (personal communication from Jim Beatson).
Because everything 4PR did was illegal, Steve adopted a nom de guerre: George Orwell.
We were standing on the railway tracks. It was 9pm. Over a 100 police lurked in the shadows. Special Branch was all around. The ABC evening broadcast came over the radio. The suave voice of an evening news reader declared we had been removed from the tracks. Yet here we stood blocking the uranium train. The police commander bellowed over the loud hailer that we should relent.
From the middle of our sturdy throng, Keith Horsely let out the plaintive cry: “They Lied, it’s a lie, we are still here … Where’s 4PR – the voice of the people? And, as the cops pushed us off the railway tracks, Detective Senior Constable Domenico Cacciola leant down and whispered a warning as we piled up on the ground: “We’re gonna get ya“! True enough, they did.
The uranium train got through that night but was stalled on the wharf by the waterside workers for health & safety reasons. However Keith Horsely’ cry, said with youthful conviction, it was as if, in that moment, 4PR was the embodiment of truth. The fact is we were standing on the railway tracks at Hamilton No 4 wharf trying to block the uranium train. Uranium, an element that has done so much damage to people’s lives since that day in August 1977..
4PR podcasts are still running today. Listen to 4PR @ https://on.soundcloud.com/gwZd9kZSesLhDJEH9
Ian Curr
4PR- voice of the people
16 Mar 2025
The original charter of 4pr voice of the people
4PRfm
THE REVOLUTION SPEAKS
Radio Station 4 PR – FM 91.2 megaherz
Australia, we are told, is a part of the ‘free world’, with free speech and no censorship of the press or media. Yet is this really the case ? Certainly not.
The media, because of the structure of Our society, is owned by large monopoly enterprises whose networks stretch over the entire country in the areas of radio and television to the area of the small suburban throwaway newspapers. They use this communications network for their own monopoly interests to the detriment of the bulk of people.
As well as this monopoly control, the federal government totally dominates the licensing of radio and television and through the Broadcasting control board.
This severely restricts what is said and what is presented over this part of the media. The People’s answer, 4PR – FM.
Peoples Radio (PR) because its aim is total opposition to censorship and control of content operates as a pirate radio station. Further, because it’s very existence is a direct assault on the established media and the governments and society it supports.
It is integrally linked with a movement of opposition to the state and federal governments. 4PR -FM is thus a pirate radio station broadcasting to people who are feeling the brunt of the government’s assault, the poor the working people, the students, blacks,women, and migrants, by a group of people who actively oppose the governments.
It is both a new part of a movement to unite people against the state and federal governments and an expression of that growing unity.
AIMS OF 4PR-FM.
4PR-PM aims to give those groups who oppose the government and who are demanding a change in society a voice, 4PR-FM is thus the ‘voice of the people’. It conveys the ideas and organisation of those who argue for change in our society. Thus, it is the VOICE of REVOLT’. IT stands as a symbol of the struggle against the state and federal governments.
Thus, it is the ‘VOICE OF THE UNITED OPPOSITION TO THE STATE’. Finally, it caries in its motivation the ideas of a new Society that does not enforce class exploitation and the oppression of minorities. Thus, it is the ‘VOICE OF THE REVOLUTION’!
HOW TO LISTEN TO 4PR-FM,
Regular broadcasts will start on Sundays at 7. 30 pm and will continue to be broadcast at that time, the frequency is on the FM band at 91.mz. For the best reception antennae should be in a vertical position. The signal strength will not be as high as other Fm stations. Thus, the volumne control knob should be at almost maximum height.
4PR, as you can understand, will be operating under difficult circumstances.