Write a letter

Identify & contact your local member and Senators
Enter your postcode in the keyword search box on this page
https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members
The results will give their email address and a link to a page with their street address.

Australian Parliament
https://www.aph.gov.au/

Australian Electoral Commission (AEC)
https://aec.gov.au/

Write to your local member, Ministers, ABC Board and Management (Contact details below)

Click here to download a sample letter

Online petitions are easy to use. But sending your own letter has a great impact.

If you want to maintain an independent public broadcaster, then you must speak out.

Overwhelming public support in 1996 prevented the Mansfield Review from doing ‘the job’ on the ABC it was established to do. Many actions have influenced decision-makers since.

In your own words, let politicians know:

• Your appreciation of what the ABC brings to your life—through television, radio and online—is passionate.
• Your immovable belief that the ABC belongs to the people of Australia; that it must be well-resourced to be an independent, comprehensive and innovative broadcaster; and that it must maintain its high standard of news, current affairs, and quality Australian drama.
• Your commitment to the principle that independence can only be guaranteed if the ABC is fully funded by government.
• Your conviction, that ABC independence must not be compromised by government intervention or risked through advertising, sponsorship or commercial deals.
• Your understanding that the ABC is seriously underfunded. ABC base triennial funding be restored to its 1985/86 level in real terms and delivered in a manner that upholds the ABC’s independence.

Include some or all of the following points;

• According to surveys done over the last six years, 80% of Australians trust the ABC above all other media.

• Funding for the ABC has halved over the last thirty years. What was 8 cents per day for each Australian has now dropped to 4 cents a day.

• The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which examines complaints about television and radio content, conducted some 200 ABC investigations between the years 2012 and 2017. In all those investigations it found but one breach of impartiality and none of accuracy.

• As can be seen recently, Liberal Party members, commercial media owners and right wing extremists, want to privatise the ABC. These people do not understand the importance In a democracy of an independent public broadcaster which plays a vital role in courageous and accurate reporting and which commercial media would never take on.

• No other media organisation covers issues in depth, in science, religion, education, philosophy, the arts, and rural and regional matters, and so much more.

Seek the Chairman’s assurance that they will ensure the ABC flourishes as Australia’s truly independent national public broadcaster—independent of government influence and uncompromised by commercial activities.

Independence

Independence from government and business allows the ABC to scrutinise the activities of governments and other powerful forces, to report without fear or favour.

Independence enables the ABC to be innovative, and to be a comprehensive broadcaster catering for diverse interests. Unlike commercial broadcasters it is not restricted to providing only what advertisers will pay for.

You action is needed to ensure the ABC’s independence is not lost – through government interference or back-door commercialisation.

For details of your local federal senators and members: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members

Politicians

ABC Board

Members of the ABC Board can be contacted using the following details:

Tell Liberal & National politicians:

• I value the ABC.
• Our treasured national public broadcaster must be well funded and remain free from commercial influence and political interference.
• The ABC’s international broadcasting is important to build good relations with people in other countries.
• In cutting the ABC’s funding and shutting down Australia Network, the Coalition has broken its pre-election promise not to cut the ABC.
• Ask: What will the Government do to rebuild the ABC and address its broken promises?