Welcome to the
Friends of the ABC (Western Australia) web site.
On our site you will find out about our activities, as well as information on our ABC.
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Last Updated 20th April, 2012
Autumn 2012 Local Update
JOIN FRIENDS OF THE ABC!
The Friends of the ABC has grown considerably since it was started around 30 years ago,
but we must keep on growing if we are to carry out our mission of preserving the independence of the ABC and obtaining the funding to keep it operational.
The Friends are as varied in their interests and concerns as the ABC's programs. Some of us are more concerned about one facet of programming or policy than another, but we are united in our desire to keep our ABC safe from budget-chopping, news-diluting, censorship and general meddling. We do not oppose change, but we do oppose tinkering with something that works well just because someone has found a new set of spanners.
The Friends see two major threats to the ABC: (l) Lack of adequate funding and (2) attempts to interfere with its independence. The Rudd Labor Government has made a number of commitments in relation to the ABC: adequate funding on a triennial basis; maintaining the independence of the ABC; introduction of a new process for board appointments; appointments to the board based on merit, and restoration of the staff-elected director. It is now over six months since the election of the Rudd government and it is timely to ask questions about progress on implementation of these commitments.
What can you do?
- WRITE to Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, the PrimeMinister and your Federal Member of Parliament. Tell them how important the ABC is to you and ask them for an update on progress towards implementation of their commitments.
- JOIN the Friends of the ABC and increase the volume of our voice.
- RECRUIT others to write letters.
You can download a membership form and also get further information from our website, www.abcfriendswa.net or contact me, Meg Durston, President, Friends of the ABC (WA) fabcwa1@hotmail.com.