Eden-Monaro loves the ABC - GetUp!
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Eden-Monaro loves the ABC
$783 million. That is how much will be cut from the ABC’s budget from 2014-2022, and the
impact these cuts are already having is devastating. Well over 1,000 jobs have been axed,
our beloved shows are being canned and the ABC is functioning with its lowest budget
since cuts began in 1996.
Recently, the ABC announced another 250 people will lose their jobs. The emergency broadcasting
team will be restructured. Programming cuts will include the flagship 7.45am news bulletin being
cancelled, and fewer episodes of Foreign Correspondent and Australian Story. And that’s just the
tip of the iceberg.
In the days and weeks to come, we will get a bleak picture of the impact of the Government’s cuts
to the ABC. We can be certain that more journalists will lose their jobs, more programs will suffer
and more news won’t be covered.
GetUp recently conducted polling and focus groups with Eden-Monaro constituents, as well as
a survey to GetUp’s 6,000 Eden-Monaro members. The results are clear: for the people of Eden-
Monaro, these cuts are disastrous.
Bushfires
The ABC has proved itself irreplaceable in times of crisis for the constituents of Eden-
Monaro. Throughout the summer, ABC Radio was a go-to for information that:
• Reassured them: many had the local ABC Radio on ‘almost every hour of the day’,
• Was trustworthy: several instances were cited in which other media channels ‘got it
wrong’ in terms of where the fires were and in which direction they were moving, and
• Fostered a sense of shared support: the ABC was felt to be the only media outlet that
told real stories of different community members’ struggles and loss.
85% of constituents polled were affected by the bushfire crisis in some way. 72% agree
or strongly agree that the ABC was a critical service for providing reliable and up-to-date
information during the bushfire crisis. 69.8% would like the ABC to receive more funding,
or have the $783m in cuts restored.
People
reflected
that:
Eden-Monaro constituent and GetUp member
Shaynee showing her support for the ABC.
“It was a scary time. We didn’t know where the fires were and one day it just turned black at
4pm. TV just didn’t have the access to give us the most up to date info so we kept the ABC
radio on all day and night.”
“Evacuated 4 times but were totally spared. Horror and insight into climate change impacts - double
horror!! The ABC was absolutely invaluable and I do want to see this brought out in the campaign in
Eden-Monaro.”
“We need the ABC in order to stay safe over the summer. I’d be devastated and scared if they weren’t
able to provide the same high-quality reporting in future emergencies… and there will be them”
Coronavirus
People in the electorate of Eden-Monaro turned to the ABC for reliable, trustworthy news when
the pandemic hit. For some, it was the only source they fully relied on to give them crucial
information they needed to stay safe. Constituents reflected that:
“When you’re in a rural area like me, it can be hard to know what’s going on in the rest of the world. We
had the ABC radio on all day so we would know what it was safe to do, where it was safe to go.”
“With covid definitely... the first couple of weeks were crucial, when it started affecting everything…”
Everyday Life
The community in Eden Monaro hold the ABC in high regard. They access it frequently, trust
the content it delivers, and know that it represents ‘the best of Australia’. They named three key
areas in particular:
1. Trust. They love that news, investigative pieces and current affairs are presented objectively
and impartially. Parents know kids programming is appropriate, trustworthy and educative:
“I can use the ABC as a babysitter
– the kids can sit in front of it and it never causes any stress or shows them something inappropriate”
2. Regional coverage. Eden-Monaro is an area that rarely sees itself represented in the national
media (apart from in an emergency), so ABC Radio’s regional focus means the world to them:
“Outside the little local radio stations,
ABC South East is the only place in which we hear about what’s going on around here.”
3. Jobs. Retirees in particular were concerned that ‘young kids out of university’ had limited
career prospects in the area, and that the ABC plays an important role in providing them with
job opportunities:
“It used to be that young journalists would cut their teeth at the local ABC station,
and then be able to take those skills and that experience wherever they wanted to go.”
Recommendations
People in Eden-Monaro expect a local representative who will stand up for their community
and their ABC. We are calling on every candidate to commit to:
Cuts restored:
That the cuts to the ABC’s operational funding since 2013 be restored in full in the
October 2020 federal budget.
Commit to funding requests:
The Government commits to fully funding the ABC’s original request for additional
money to support newsgathering and digital distribution.
Provide additional funding:
The Government provides the ABC with additional, untied funding in the October 2020
budget, to allow the ABC to restore its innovative capacity and invest in new programs
and services, as determined by the management of the ABC.
Extend funding period:
That the Government extend the ABC’s funding period from three to five years.
Reinstated contract:
That Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reinstate the contract for the ABC to
deliver international broadcasting services.
Abide by legislation:
That the Government and Opposition commit to abiding by the legislation that governs
merit-based appointments to the ABC Board.
The impact of cuts to the
ABC will be felt across
the country. But for the
constituents of Eden-Monaro
in particular, they will have
severe consequences. The
electorate depends on a fully
funded ABC in times of crisis
and in everyday life.
Sources
Polling was produced by uComms - a survey was conducted of 879 residents across New South Wales Federal electorate of
Eden-Monaro on the night of 20th May 2020. Focus groups were conducted by The Source on 18th June 2020 with 1 x group of
retirees and 1 x group of young families with kids under 5 at home. Survey was conducted in mid May 2020 by GetUp and sent to
6,000 Eden-Monaro constituents.You can also read
