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To: Darren Chester MP, Federal Member for Gippsland
Gippsland says save the ABC!
Dear Darren Chester MP,
We call on you to take a stand against further cuts to the ABC in the October federal budget!
The ABC keeps Gippsland informed, connected and safe.
But it's struggling due to decades of crippling government funding cuts. And with more on the horizon, the local services our communities rely on - like 100.7 FM Gippsland - could be at risk!
Mr Chester, we call on you to stand up for Gippsland and protect our ABC.
Why is this important?
The ABC keeps our country safe in times of crisis - whether bushfire or pandemic. It helps us stay informed with stories we can trust. It holds truth to power at a time when misinformation is on the rise. It engages our children across the country.
Locals from Sale to Mallacoota grew up with the ABC and depend on it daily, so it’s hard to imagine our lives without it. But years of budget cuts are pushing it to breaking point.
A massive $783 million will have been cut from the ABC’s budget over the period between 2014-2022, with some 250 jobs cut and programmes axed just this year.*
The October Budget is a crucial moment for the ABC. Reports in the media are suggesting further cuts are to be expected, pushing the ABC’s future into even more doubt.
We need to act now to save the ABC we love and rely on, before it’s too late.
* 'ABC loses $783m funding since 2014 when Coalition made its first cuts – report', The Guardian, 4 May 2020