If you support the ABC, you can let politicians know by writing to your MP.
It’s vital that your letter, whether sent by post or email, be in your own words, and express your own thoughts. Letters like this are much more effective than letters cut and pasted from the websites or emails of pressure groups.
Personal and passionate letters are fine. Angry or rude letters are not – they tend to get chucked in the bin.
If you don’t have the name or address of your MP, see IDENTIFYING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE below.
What to ask for
First, tell your MP that you support a strong, well-funded ABC – and, in no more than a sentence or two, why.
Next, ask your MP to support certain commitments, if their party gains government. Decide your own priorities, but ABC Alumni’s are as follows:
1. A guarantee that all ABC services, TV, radio or online [including ABC iView] will remain free-to-air and free-to-access. No advertising, no subscription fees
2. The ABC’s budget to be indexed to inflation. [Indexation was removed in the 2016 budget when Scott Morrison was Treasurer] And, over time, the restoration of the 10% cut to the ABC’s operational budget imposed since the 2014 Abbott budget.
3. The current three-year funding agreements to be replaced by five-year agreements, to enable to ABC to plan ahead. [The ALP has already committed to 5-year terms.}
4. ABC Board of Directors to be chosen from a shortlist submitted by a non-partisan panel, in accordance with the ABC Act. No more captain’s picks and ministerial mates.
For more ideas and facts about the ABC, have a look at this document (LINK TO ‘VOTE FOR THE ABC’ DOC COMING SOON) and this one (LINK TO ‘FACTS AND TALKING POINTS’ document).
Ask for a reply
Make it clear that you expect a reply – and that the reply, or lack of one, may determine how you vote.
Identifying your representative
Federal: search for your postcode here.
Send us a copy
If you’re sending your letter by email, please put abcalumniaustralia@gmail.com in the blind copy (‘bcc’) space.
If you get a reply, please copy that to us too.
Do it now
It’s one thing to mean to write to your MP. It’s another to actually do it.
The best time is right now.
Get to it!