VIDEO: Let’s protect our ABC Get-Up

There are just two weeks before the Budget is handed down by Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey, and it looks we’ll need to brace ourselves for some “tough decisions”.

Mr Hockey keeps telling everyday Australians – that’s people on Medicare, pensioners, rural Australians and families who depend on the services of the ABC – need to prepare to make sacrifices for a “better future”.¹

The future Mr Hockey is laying out benefits the super wealthy, the biggest polluters and even a new fleet of fighter jets that could fund the ABC for nine years.²

But as former PlaySchool presenter, Benita Collings, puts it:

“I don’t want to imagine an Australia without the ABC.”

Watch this video to hear from some of your favourite former ABC presenters about why so many Australians depend on our ABC:

Share the petition to help protect our ABC from funding cuts:

https://www.getup.org.au/protect-ourabc

This campaign is about more than just protecting a public broadcaster, it’s about protecting:

• Fair and accurate news and current affairs
• Quality children’s programming that’s free of advertising
• Up-to-date information for Australians living in rural areas in times of emergency
• Iconic and original Australian TV shows, which we’ve come to know and love

Over the next couple of weeks leading up to Budget day, GetUp members will ramp up the campaign to Protect our ABC. We’ll be showing up to be heard and hold our elected leaders to their promise to not cut funding to the ABC.

Our month-long budget campaign will culminate with a huge visual message, which will be displayed in Canberra on Budget day – coupled with online actions, where we’ll saturate social media with our individual messages of support for the ABC.

In the meantime, can you share the video and petition with everyone you know?

https://www.getup.org.au/protect-ourabc

Let’s make some noise,

Erin, Kelsey and Alycia, for the GetUp team

~ Sources ~

[1] Treasurer Joe Hockey warns of tougher means testing ahead of Commission of Audit’s release, ABC News, 24 April 2014
[2] Australia to buy 58 Joint Strike Fighters, Sydney Morning Herald, 22 April 2014