Letter to The Age - June Factor

July 19, 1996

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

There is one positive by-product of the socially and politically ill-conceived attempt by the Federal Government to hobble and diminish the ABC: the thousands of people across Australia who are insisting on joining Friends of the ABC.

Despite the compliments paid to Friends in the government's election policy statement on the ABC, Senator Alston has as yet not found the time or interest to contact us. We visited him - on our initiative - in Canberra in mid-June. He was polite but dismissive of our arguments. Perhaps we are as dispensible as the commitments made by the government to the maintenance of ABC funding and the continuing prohibition of advertising and sponsorship on the ABC.

The inquiry the government plans to set up, under a person with no known experience or commitment to national broadcasting, raises further questions:

• who will determine the terms of reference for the inquiry?
• what will it cost?
• will it take place in public, or in camera?

Our members in their hundreds are ringing and telling us they do not want the ABC dismembered. They no longer trust the government to act as a careful and disinterested custodian of our internationally respected, independant national broadcaster. Many are saying, with Ross Warneke (The Age Green Guide 18/7), that Senator Alston has betrayed the people's trust, and must resign.

(Dr) June Factor
President, Friends of the ABC (Vic.)