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Commentary

An Open Letter on the ABC

by •
ABR Arts • 20 July 2018
Commentary

An Open Letter on the ABC

by •
ABR Arts • 20 July 2018

ABR 40 YEARS logo red

Supporting the ABC

ABR shares many Australians’ concerns about the health and viability of the ABC. The threats are myriad and sustained. Funding cuts, political interference, and frequent taunts from News Corp have weakened the organisation. Recently, the Liberal Party’s Federal Council voted to privatise the organisation. This would surely spell the beginning of the end for the national broadcaster. We take things for granted in the Lucky Country, but can we really be sure that the ABC will be around in 2028 to celebrate its centenary – searching, unfettered, well resourced? More and more people think not and have begun to lobby government. ABR supports them wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, one hundred writers, artists, commentators, and public figures have signed our open letter in support of the ABC.

Peter Rose, Editor and CEO, Australian Book Review

Open Letter

We strongly support the ABC and oppose any measures – privatisation, political interference, funding cuts – that would undermine the national broadcaster.

Phillip Adams AO
Louise Adler AM
Dennis Altman AM
Brook Andrew
Robyn Archer AO
Neil Armfield AO
Alan Atkinson
Amy Baillieu
Kate Baillieu
John Bell AO
Neal Blewett AC
Frank Bongiorno
Helen Brack
Katharine Brisbane AM
Peter Burch AM
Julian Burnside AO QC
Roger Butler
David Carment AM
Steven Carroll
J.M. Coetzee
Paul Collins
Peter Craven
Jim Davidson AM
Glyn Davis AC
Sarah Day
Michelle de Kretser
Brett Dean
Robert Dessaix
Ian Dickson
Ian Donaldson
Helen Ennis
Gareth Evans AC QC
Ronald Farren-Price AM
Sheila Fitzpatrick
Tim Flannery
Rae Frances
Morag Fraser AM
Anna Funder
Helen Garner
Michael Gawenda AM
Max Gillies AM
Andrea Goldsmith
Anna Goldsworthy
Kerryn Goldsworthy
Colin Golvan AM QC
Lisa Gorton
Jonathan Green
Kate Grenville AO
Gavan Griffith AO QC
Tom Griffiths AO
Gideon Haigh
Fiona Hall AO
Rodney Hall AM
Marieke Hardy
Margaret Harris
Lindy Hume
Frank Jackson AO
Mary Lou Jelbart
Gail Jones
Barry Jones AC
John Kinsella
Ellen Koshland
Mike Ladd
Marilyn Lake AO
Sam Lake AO
Susan Lever
Ranald Macdonald
Stuart Macintyre AO
Kim Mahood
Robert Manne
Christopher Menz
Alex Miller
Frank Moorhouse AM
Michael Morley
Brenda Niall AO
Kerry O’Brien
Geoff Page
Judith Pugh
Ron Radford AM
Henry Reynolds
Judith Rodriguez AM
Peter Rose
Mark Rubbo OAM
Leo Schofield AM
Julianne Schultz AM
Kim Scott
Robert Sessions AM
Thomas Shapcott AO
Michael Shmith
Beejay Silcox
Peter Singer AC
Fiona Stanley AC
Richard Tognetti AO
Peter Tregear
Susan Varga
Richard Walsh
Elizabeth Webby AM
Kim Williams AM
Kip Williams
Lyn Williams AM
Michael Williams
Robyn Williams AM
Jacinda Woodhead
Susan Wyndham
William Yang

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Comments (21)

  • Thanks so much for this important letter -- I hope it will be heard.
    Posted by Judith Bishop
    23 July 2018
  • What will happen to Classic FM if the ABC is privatised? We have already lost so many good programmes due to ( I presume) lack of funding. Ihave spent many hours listening to wonderful music on this amazing station and in the process learned so much about music, composers and performers. The interviews are interesting and often stimulating. Our politicians need to realise that there is more to Auntie than political comment. The depth and breadth of what is available to the average Australian is a credit to this very special organisation.
    Posted by Daphne Gillooly
    23 July 2018
  • The ABC is Australia's voice. Don't meddle with democracy just because she says something you don't like.
    Posted by Bruce Pascoe
    23 July 2018
  • The assault on the public broadcasters, especially the ABC is a direct attack on the very substance of our democracy, not to mention our nation's entire culture of arts and sciences. Please add my voice to your letter
    Posted by Peter Watson
    23 July 2018
  • Ditto, I care for the ABC. For all of its flaws, including the occasional stray into the self-referential, it is a critical Australian institution; informing us, buttressing our culture and sustaining our regional areas. No doubt signing this will lead to being labeled a “luvvie”, whatever that really means, but consider that a new badge of honour. Add me to the list.
    Posted by David Epstein d
    23 July 2018
  • A strong democracy needs an objective, honest media, beholden to no one. There have been so many enquiries and reviews into the ABC over numerous years, all indicating that, despite the onslaught from some quarters, the ABC's objectivity and accuracy is intact.
    Please retain this wonderful resource our nation has had for 90 years.
    Posted by Marcia Maher
    23 July 2018
  • I add my voice to your letter.
    Ted Witham
    Posted by Edward Witham
    23 July 2018
  • Thanks, I would have signed.
    Posted by Tony Kevin
    23 July 2018
  • I consider the ABC's value as a public broadcaster to be unique in the modern world, and any attempt to diminish its many voices constitutes cultural vandalism.
    Posted by Ian McFarlane
    23 July 2018
  • I offer my name as a signatory to your Open Letter.
    John Bryson AM
    Posted by John Bryson
    23 July 2018

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