Messages from the President
Daryl Regan
January 2024:
Louise Miller Frost, Julie Collins, Daryl Regan, Peter Callinan
ABC members attended a “ Politics in the Pub” organised by the Federal member for Boothby Louise Miller – Frost MHR with guest speaker Julie Collins Federal Minister for Housing and Small Business .The function was held on Monday 29th January at the Astor Hotel in Adelaide .The function was well attended with 68 people of which 10 were ABC Friend members and supporters
The Minister was pleased to hear that the appointment of Kim Williams as the New ABC Chair had been well received by our members and both Julie and Louise spoke in support of the ABC and were pleased to have the opportunity to have a photo taken.
June 2023: The diary is pretty full of political activity and one of our key projects is engaging with political organisations. The following is a snap shot of the activity in June July and August.
Firstly, ABC Friends SA/NT were invited to give a presentation to the Hagar Luncheon Group who 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.
The next Invitation was from the 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.
On 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).
On Wednesday 12th July we met with the 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.
ABC Friends SA/NT will be meeting Rebekha Sharkie on the 29th August at the Mayo electoral office in Mt Barker. We will also contact the Member for Sturt, James Stevens to arrange a meeting, in addition to the Greens and more Liberal Politicians.
Cheers, Daryl