UpdateSeptember 2020 Vol 28, No. 3 Quarterly Newsletter ABC Friends A Call to Action! ABC Must Be Included in October “Jobs and Recovery” Budget It is simply misleading for the Minister provide financial incentives for both private Margaret Reynolds for Communications, Paul Fletcher to and public sectors to help Australians ABC Friends maintain his ‘no cuts to the ABC” rhetoric recover economically. National President especially when that particular slogan was But will this national strategy include the so discredited by former Prime Minister ABC ? Is the Federal Government capable Tony Abbott. of meeting its responsibilities to Australian It’s time for ABC Friends to demand that The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison is public broadcasting? Has it read the the October “Jobs and Recovery” Budget obviously committed to jobs growth as interim report of the Royal Commission includes financial support for the National employment has been devastated by the Broadcaster, which has provided essential six months lockdown, so this budget will continued on page 3. health and wellbeing support during the last six months of the pandemic. Rupert Murdoch has already received his $10 million grant from COVID 19 funds so obviously the ABC qualifies for its share of pandemic funding to restore some jobs and continue strengthening vital information and educational services to the Australian public. In recent months, the Federal Government has been in denial about the extent of financial cutbacks and resulting 1250 job loss for the national broadcaster, so now it has the opportunity to restore public confidence by recognising the ABC in the October Budget. ABC Friends National Update, September 2020, Vol 28, No 3 1 Update Publication Information From the Editor Update is published three times a year by ABC Friends National Inc. PO Box 3620 Manuka ACT 2603 Print Post approved: PP245059/00002. ABC – An Essential Service working in the 1970s on Lateline, a regular Extracts from newspapers and other voice on Radio National, and founder of publications appearing in Update do The Exodus has Begun the ground-breaking program Coming not necessarily reflect the views of the Out. She was a mentor for many women members of ABC Friends. Sophie McNeill, Elizabeth Jackson, who have become household names on Update is distributed to all members of Eleanor Hall, Michaela Boland, Zoe Daniel, ABC radio and television. Liz would be ABC Friends as part of the membership Dominique Schwartz, Karen Percy, Sascha devastated to see the current exodus. fee. Update is also supplied to Rundle, Sharon O’Neill, Sheryle Bagwell, journalists, politicians and libraries across Australia. Kellie Riordan – the dismal roll-call goes Eden-Monaro By-Election Update is edited and produced in on – highly experienced, highly valued Sydney and contributions are welcome ABC staff, essential to the credibility of The by-election on 4 July resulted in the from state and regional branches. Email our publicly-owned broadcaster, are being narrowest of victories for Kristy McBain, your contribution (in Microsoft Word) to shown the door, often without a “Good a strong supporter of the ABC, in this [email protected] or famously swinging seat. As mayor of Bega post to address below Bye,” a handshake, let alone a “Thank Kristy was acutely aware of the ABC’s Material may be quoted or reproduced you for your years of service to the ABC.” from Update provided the source is Latest figures confirm that 86 journalists vital and lifesaving role in last summer’s acknowledged and reproduction is sent in the ABC News Division are being made devastating bushfires on the South Coast. to the Editor at the above email or postal redundant, along with at least 120 other ACT Region Branch of ABC Friends ran address. staff. The damage to the ABC’s ability to a very strong campaign to ensure that Would you like to receive bring accurate, up-to-date reporting to all adequate funding for the ABC was front Update newsletter Australians will be enormous. and centre as an election issue. We sincerely thank ABC Friends from outside electronically? It seems that the last 7.45am radio news the electorate who travelled to Eden- Save the planet’s trees and ABC Friends’ bulletin will be heard on Sunday 20 Monaro to work with the local branch on printing and postage costs and read September. From that day, ABC Mornings Update on your tablet or computer. When election day. Update is published, you will receive an will change to a single presenter doing email with a link to the latest issue (each the entire shift solo. Good-bye local news, Call to Action newsletter is a 2-3MB PDF). good-bye value-adding quality. All because You can try this now by going to the current government will not provide the National President Margaret Reynolds www.abcfriends.org.au, click on ABC with sufficient funds to continue to has issued another stirring challenge with ‘News’, then ‘National Newsletter’. serve the Australian community as it has her Call to Action, asking that we contact Who to write… for the past 90 years, and in keeping with our local Federal politicians with the very clear message that enough is enough, and Anyone seeking basic information its Charter. This same government that about writing to persons of influence can find millions of dollars to hand out to the very survival of the ABC is at stake, might find it helpful to go to commercial media like News Ltd and Fox. particularly if there are further cuts to the www.abcfriends.org.au, click on ABC in the forthcoming October budget. ‘Get Involved’, then ‘Take Action’ where In this Update we pay tribute to Liz you will find helpful addresses and ideas. Fell, who passed away recently. Her Reports in these pages from states and determination to establish broadcasting as branches make it clear that COVID 19 Update Editor - Mal Hewitt a viable and rewarding career for women need not prevent us from getting the PO Box 1391 North Sydney 2059 eased the path for those listed above. Liz message out to all Australians that the [email protected] was a pioneer in a field dominated by men, ABC is a national treasure, but will not Production Manager - Angela Williamson [email protected] Assistant Editor - Dr Diana Wyndham Cartoonist - Phil Somerville Phil currently runs an online topical cartoon by paid subscription called Line of Thought. Enquire at phil.somerville@ somervillecartoons.com Layout Artist - Paul Martens [email protected] Cartoonist Matt Gosling 2 ABC Friends National Update, September 2020, Vol 28, No 3 survive further reductions in funding. We country, and removed career options applaud the initiatives being taken – Zoom in radio and television from countless conferencing, webinars, social media of talented young Australians. It has been Inside all types are being well used to spread a process which predates the current the word. I commend the report from the government, and the ABC has suffered at Update Northern Suburbs of Sydney Branch, the hands of both major parties, but it has A Letter... 4 whose patch includes the seat of Bradfield, accelerated dramatically under the Abbott/ currently occupied by Communications Turnbull/Morrison governments, with more Interim Report Royal Commission Minister Fletcher, who is being made very than 1200 jobs gone since 2014. The ABC into Natural National Disaster Arrangements 4 aware of the activities of ABC Friends in building in Perth is a stark symbol of this his electorate. process of attrition – once vibrant with life, ABC Friends (Vic) Slogan activity and creativity, now standing empty Competition 5 What Has Been Lost and lifeless. ABC - An Acrostic Poem 5 Update has printed a letter to the West ABC Friends say “No more cuts!” The Somerville Cartoon 5 Australian from Ian Parmenter, a name ABC is a priceless asset to the whole that will be familiar to older ABC devotees, Australian community, and is recognized Quentin Dempster Castigates Political Cuts to ABC 6 reminding us all of the extraordinary output as such by the vast majority of Australians. of the ABC Perth studios in former days, Government must be made to listen to AGMs 6 the voice of the people, who say “Stop shows which were conceived, created and The ABC’s six strategic priorities produced by the ABC team in Perth – you destroying our ABC!” |for the next five years 7 may recall Consuming Passions, Talking My sincere thanks to all who have Letters 8 Pictures, many children’s programs – and contributed to this edition of Update, but were taken up enthusiastically by the other especially my incredible production team: Open Letter to, Managing Director ABC and Chair ABC Board 10 states. The relentless march of time and Diana Wyndham, Angela Williamson and budget cuts has stripped each state of the Paul Martens. Response from David Anderson 11 staff and funding, therefore the capacity to produce programs for use across the Mal Hewitt OAM Emma Alberici and ABC finalise ABC Friends details of their long and messy divorce 12 What will happen without a free press? 12 If wars of the future are about influence... 13 Clearly the influence of the Institute of ABC Friends Trust ABC Friends, we know the A Call to Action! Public Affairs is running rampant within real facts 14 the Minister’s office and at the Cabinet ABC Budget ‘Cuts’, or ‘No Cuts’, continued from page 1. table where we know a significant Who is Right? 15 number of his ministerial colleagues acknowledging that the ABC is the trusted share membership of this anti ABC think A curse on art, a curse on broadcaster that should assist delivery of society: Government contempt tank.