submissions During the bush fires earlier this year it was the ABC who I turned to when bushfires started not far from my home at East Hills. It is the ABC I turn to in the event of flood forecasts (my home is in a flood zone) and it is the ABC I turn to for news (unbiased and factual - unlike some of the commercial sources e.g. the Murdoch press). As such it is the ABC that keeps me sane, safe and informed. Funding for this vital service must never be cut, but increased in times of emergency. John B VIC 2213 There are so many reasons why I need the ABC and why I believe we, Australians, need the ABC. Here are some of these: 1. Our ABC gives us Australians access to real - and uniquely Australian - voices and stories. 2. Our ABC tells those real - and uniquely Australian - stories in uniquely Australian ways. 3. Our ABC produces quality Australian radio, podcasts, television, film and video. 4. Our ABC showcases Australian talent in a huge variety of creative, academic, scientific, technical, medical, and many more disciplines to the entire world. 5. Our ABC is paid for by our taxes, and this gives us ownership and pride in its offerings. 6. Our ABC gives us local and global news, current affairs and varied and diverse perspectives on these. 7. Our ABC allows us to be well-informed about the world, but it also educates, stimulates, inspires and elevates us. 8. Our ABC unites us, gives us s sense of community, and comforts us during troubling times. 9. Our ABC is inclusive and reaches out to as many Australians as it can: people of all ages, with diverse orientations, interests and backgrounds. 10. Our ABC practises what Australia preaches: fairness, tolerance, friendship, dialogue, inclusivity, diversity, depth, breadth, richness, community. 11. Our ABC is us; it is AUSTRALIA. Commercial channels are a dime a dozen; most content is biased, spin, shallow or American. We don’t want to become the USA’s little brother; we want to become the best version of Australia we can be. And we want our ABC provide us with our role-models - and to be our mirror. Thank you! Evie L VIC 3148 Hello, I feel that retaining and even enhancing funding for the ABC is vital. As a previous resident in a bushfire area with family and friends still living in fire risk areas the ABC is a vital source of emergency information when fires break out. Earlier this year we constantly monitored ABC reports as fires threatened the homes of relatives. We needed an up to date reliable information source. Also during the Covid19 pandemic the ABC has been our main information source. We aimed to avoid the hysterical and sensational information provided by other sources and simply wanted reliable facts. Also during this time of pandemic my children have relied heavily on the ABC to supply quality children's programs. Whilst they strictly limited media usage by their children they were determined that any media that was used was quality, both entertaining and informative. Thank you and I hope that you listen to the voices of many like me. Davina Lohm Davina L NT 3939 To whom it may concern, I am writing to vehemently oppose funding cuts to the ABC. The ABC provides me and my family with trusted news and information; I use the print, tv, radio and podcast formats at different times depending on circumstances. I would be lost with this source. I also love the ABC for its dramas and reflection of Australian society. There is nothing else like it. I am scared about my daughter growing up in a world where a very small minority hold the monopoly on news and information. Please give the ABC the respect it deserves and fund it properly. Regards Ailsa MacFie A M QLD 822 The ABC is a core foundation of our democracy which is key to our collective prosperity. Without the ABC, the bias in the commercial news cycle will move Australia to the hard right. Both sides of politics have something to offer and a balance between progressive and conservative ideas is the secret to the best governance. History proves this. The ABC is the vehicle that best informs the citizenry of this country and brings us together culturally. Defund the ABC and you imperil our country and greatly weaken the resilience and effectiveness of our democracy. This is a very dangerous time to be considering do so. Aaron H NT 4031 My large extended family all use the ABC’s news and other programs as a vital means of accessing accurate information and in-depth facts and analysis - this has been especially important this year with the terrible bushfires, as two of my sisters and their households were under threat at various times during the fire season. This was extremely worrying for them personally and for others of us living interstate and overseas, and accurate, rapidly updated news from the ABC (radio, TV & online) was our lifeline. Subsequently, during the pandemic this year we have all relied on updates and info provided by the ABC as we advised and supported each other from afar. We support an increase in funding for the ABC, our favourite and long-trusted broadcasting organisation, and absolutely condemn any government cuts. Please look after our ABC! Thankyou, from the Spiers & Martins family Abbie S NSW 841 I object to the cuts to ABC, SBS & NITV that have occurred since 2013. Murdock and The IPA don’t run our country but the the way the LNP bow down to them you couldn’t be blamed to think they did. I rely on the ABC for reliable unbiased news and current affairs information, content that doesn’t treat me like I’m an idiot and that promotes an Indigenous voice. I have lived in a bushfire prone area for 25 years and relied on their fire updates to be able to plan for the safety of my family. Abigail H NSW 2148 I have had depended on the ABC for up to date information about the COVID 19 epidemic. Particularly what I can and can't do up to now. The other thing I have depended on is entertainment during the long period of the lock down. Since I am over 70 I still need to restrict the time I spend away from home, knowing that I can be well informed and entertained by ABC radio and television is very important to me. Ada Mackay Concord West ada M SA 2138 We love our ABC Adam M QLD 5157 We live in regional SE Qld on a small acreage. Our home is in a very bushy area with only one road in & out. Mobile phone signals are virtually non-existent, dropping in and out, so cannot be relied upon at the best of times let alone during an emergency. During the 19-20 bushfire emergency the Peregian fires came to less than 1km from our back fence. Information on the Fire Service webpage was deeply confusing as areas were often mis-described. This meant we needed a reliable & up-to-date service to keep us informed. We found that in ABC Local Radio and ABC News 24 TV. Their information was accurate & timely and allowed us to make clear decisions about the level of threat our area was facing. Unlike commercial outlets media conferences were screened in full, not just 20-second sound bites. This in itself provided us with invaluable information. We would not have been as informed as we were during this threat to life & property that was posed by these enormous bushfires if it had not been for the ABC. It is not just a media service. The ABC is an essential service. During normal times it entertains & informs & educates. During times of crisis it is a rock-solid source of reliable information. Adam W NT 4562 The ABC had been my primary and most trusted source of news and current affairs during this very tumultuous year. I really don’t see any alternatives to the ABC for the very important role that it plays. Adji R VIC 870 The ABC to me this year is no different to any other year . Since my childhood the ABC has been a television station that I trust to be truthful and unbiased . And no more so than now in a world of corporatisation and privatisation is it reassuring to know there is an outlet that delivers consistently on reflecting our common values . This is an important aspect of building solidarity and reinforcing community spirit . These important concepts can’t be entrusted to the free market as it has no vested interest in ensuring their protection . As funny as the shows are and always have been , perhaps a little less BBC but definitely no more USA content and Canada and NZ is ok if we must align ourselves with English speakers . Afterall we must become a republic soon , it is inevitable and necessary . The ABC and SBS are my only two stations . Ruin them and I won’t be engaged with television media at all . Adrian Barry 11-03-1965 Adrian B NSW 3444 I have found the ABC to be invaluable in this year of catastrophes. I was feeding drought stricken cattle in January during the bush fires. I was driving to our farm at Braidwood twice a week at times to put out feed and ensure water was available to the stock. ABC local radio kept me informed and alert to the changing conditions and kept me safe.