Over the past few months, ABC Friends Queensland has been out in force—championing media freedom, celebrating our national broadcaster, and connecting with the community.
Peter Greste: Fighting for Press Freedom
On 9 May, thanks to our Sunshine Coast Branch, nearly 300 ABC Friends members and supporters gathered at Nambour Cinema for a special screening of The Correspondent, the new film about award-winning journalist Peter Greste’s extraordinary story.
Even more special—Peter himself joined us for the night, taking part in a fascinating Q&A. The film, based on his memoir The First Casualty, follows his 400-day imprisonment in Egypt in 2013–14, after being convicted on baseless terrorism charges in a widely discredited trial. Despite global outrage, Peter remains officially a “convicted terrorist”—a stark reminder of why press freedom matters.
A Brisbane boy who spent more than two decades reporting for the ABC, BBC, Reuters, and Al Jazeera, Peter is now Professor of Journalism at Macquarie University and founder of the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom. Their work on an Australian Media Freedom Act mirrors our own platform’s call for independent, fearless journalism and strong legal protections for public interest reporting.
It was a powerful evening—both a celebration of Peter’s courage and a reminder of the ABC’s crucial role in keeping Australians informed, no matter the obstacles.
ABC Open Day: Our ABC in Action
Fast forward to 19 July, when our Brisbane Branch hosted a stall at the ABC’s hugely popular Open Day at Southbank. The queues stretched down the street as thousands of Queenslanders came to meet their favourite ABC personalities—Costa from Gardening Australia, weather presenters Jenny Woodward and Nate Byrne, and broadcaster Steve Austin among them.
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While waiting in line, people told us why they love the ABC: “The lack of ads.” “It’s OUR local news.” “We trust the ABC’s news.” “Balanced reporting.” “Shows that feature real Australians.” |
That trust and connection are exactly what our platform stands for—a strong, independent public broadcaster that belongs to all Australians.
Our Friends T-shirts, bookmarks, and new ABC Friends caps were hot items, but the real joy came from talking to people who care deeply about protecting the ABC.
Events like these remind us that while the ABC is facing increasing political and commercial pressures, its place in Australian life is strong—because Australians make it strong.
Want to help keep our ABC fearless, independent, and free from political interference? Join ABC Friends today and be part of the movement defending public broadcasting for future generations.