In August I attended the Labor party’s federal conference to lobby in support of the ABC. Along with my colleagues from ABC Friends Queensland I spoke to conference delegates from all states and territories.

Ross McDowell, President Queensland branch of ABC Friends, Wayne Swan, National President, Australian Labor party, and Cassandra Parkinson, National President, ABC Friends, at the 2023 ALP National Conference.

The biennial conference is Labor’s peak policy body. My aim was to remind delegates that times are still tough at the ABC. 

The government increased the ABC’s funding in 2022 – but it wasn’t nearly enough to reverse the damage wrought by 10 years of cuts. And it certainly wasn’t enough to address the challenges of digitisation. And so, yet again, the ABC has robbed Peter to pay Paul. In June it axed another 120 jobs – on top of more than 1,000 job losses over the past 10 years.

ABC real operational funding, 1983–84 to 2025-6 ($ millions, 1983–84 dollars)

Analysis by Michael Ward

The response from conference delegates was terrific. Overwhelmingly, they wanted to hear about the challenges faced by the ABC. And to a person, they agreed that the ABC needs more funding. 

See an extract from the ALP platform on the ABC here.

Our task is to persuade the government that it must do more. Much more.

Over coming weeks ABC Friends will renew our campaign to restore the ABC. I’m under no illusions about the size of the task ahead of us. This isn’t a short sharp campaign we’re talking about but a sustained effort that will continue through to the next election. 

I hope you’ll join us.

Cassandra Parkinson
President