Welcome to our News Email - Checking the Pulse - providing you with useful and informative ABC Friends SA/NT News bites. Below you will find links to interesting reads/webinars, online events coming up and ABC TV productions you may enjoy.

Informative update from Our ABC - what would we do without Our ABC! 

• ABC adds to Emergency Broadcasting in readiness for 2021/2022 season

  The ability to access a wide range of emergency information in one source and a post-disaster podcast series produced in partnership with Australian Red Cross and Melbourne University are part of a suite of new ABC content that will help Australians prepare for emergencies this summer.

  The ABC's Emergency website now features a unique interactive incident map  that aggregates information from key emergency and support services including rural and regional fire services, state emergency services and the Bureau of Meteorology, allowing users to check emergency events in their locality as well as in other locations around the country.

  Complementing its emergency broadcasting services, the ABC has launched a new 15-part podcast series After the Disaster which helps people navigate the aftermath of a disaster and the challenges they face.  

Informative Reads

• Democracy in decline: Australia's slide into "competitive authoritarianism" - a sobering read from Lucy Hamilton here 

• Lisa Millar - co-host of ABC TV's News Breakfast has released her memoir book - Daring to Fly sharing the story of conquering fear and finding joy - a girl from country Queensland who found a way to see (and report on) trauma and horror, while still holding on to joy. Listen to her podcast reliving some stories from the book here 

• And an article that I think we all relate to written by former ABC staffer Bill Bunbury OAM - My ABC, Your ABC here

Interesting ABC Programmes to look out for 

• 8.30pm 19th October - Big Deal - Christiaan Van Vuuren presents a look at Australia's billion-dollar political lobbying industry - why we should care and how we can safeguard our democracy from being sold to the highest bidder. More details here 

Dates to put in your Diary

• 12pm midday - 3rd November is a webinar discussion Covering COVID - the media in the age of the pandemic that is free but you must register for here  and includes ABC's Dr Norman Swan, Physician and Journalist and cosponsored by ABC Friends ACT. 

By the way - checkout our new T-Shirt - Your ABC - Trusted  Valued Endangered at our Friends (Merchandise) Shop here

On behalf of your ABCF SA/NT 2021-22 Committee

Sue Pinnock - President

Sandra Coopman - Secretary 

Mihir Makwana - Treasurer

Nick Carroll, Roselie Copley, Andrew Johnston, John Pezy, Shelley Pezy, Daryl Regan and Richard Ruffin - Committee Members