Planned Activities
October 12-13, 2023: National Committee Meeting in Sydney. Two committee members from each state organisation will attend.
March 2-7, 2024:
Adelaide Writers Week. Working in conjunction with ABC Friends Victoia we plan to have a presence at Adelaide Writers Week 2024.
Ongoing:
New Generation Initiative: This is an important ongoing project researched and initiated by ABC Friends Victoria. Our plan is to work with ABCF Vic to extend the range of this initiative.
Past events
Monday 18th September: Three committee members (Peter Vandeleur, Judy Gonda and Lachlan White visited Rebekha Sharkie the federal member for Mayo. Rebeka is the co-convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of the ABC and is s strong supporter of the ABC. Rebekha was generous with her time to discuss the key issues of independence and secure funding. Parliamentary Friends of the ABC has approximately 15 members and it is a formal organisation figned off by the speaker of the house.
Tuesday September 12, 2023:
ABC Friends SA/NT Annual General Meeting held at Mitcham Library and via Zoom. Committee details have been updated on the About Us page.
Wednesday 12th July: Waite ALP Sub branch at Belair Hotel. Peter Vandeleur (Vice-President SA/NT Branch) and Judy Gonda (Secretary SA/NT Branch) gave a presentation about ABC Friends to about 25 members (they have about 125 members in total). The invitation came as a result of the Hagar Luncheon presentation. Waite has the largest ALP membership in the Boothby electorate.
Wednesday night 5th July: A community forum of 156 people was held at Belair Hotel with guest speakers, the Premier Peter Malinauskas and the Treasurer Stephen Mulligan. During question time ABC Friends SA/NT was given the opportunity to address the Premier about the Premier’s open letter to the ABC. The audience was strongly in support of the letter. The Premier wishes to have further contact with ABC Friends and we have been given access to the Premier through the Adviser of Community Engagement in the Office of the Premier (see photo below).
Friday 16 June Hagar Luncheon Groupwho meet once a month. The membership is currently 78 and members include 3 current ALP members of the Federal Parliament, 4 Current ALP members of SA State Parliament, 3 former Ministers in the Hawke and Keating Governments, (the highest ranked being John Dawkins, Former Treasurer), members who were in Unions or long-term members of the ALP, and the current Lord Mayor of Adelaide. The Luncheon was held days after the ABC 5- year plan was released and the position of Political Editor was abolished. There was lively debate and concern expressed for the future of the ABC which all members present (32) connected with.
Wednesday 21st Jun3 ALP Boothby Federal Electorate Council which also meets monthly and as luck would have it, it was also the same day the Premier sent an open letter to the ABC Chair and Managing Director lamenting the loss of SA Sunday night news. There was strong support for the retention of local news and for the open letter from the Premier. There was also good support also from the 50 members of ABC Friends SA/NT present.
Friday February 3, 2023: Meeting with Phoebe Bowden, Press Secretary to Senator Penny Wong. Good support. Advised she would brief Penny on our meeting.
Tuesday February 28, 2023: Meeting with Senator Simon Birmingham Daryl Regan, Peter Vandeleur, Judy Gonda
Tuesday January 24, 2023: Meeting with Louise Miller-Frost, the Federal member for Boothby. Daryl Regar, Peter Vandeleur and Judy Gonda. Louise is a strong supporter of the ABC
Lachlan White, Peter Vandeleur, Rebekha Sharkie and Judy Gonda
Judy Gonda and Peter Vandeleur at the Waite ALP sub-branch meeting
Daryl Regin with Peter Malinauskas Premier of South Australia