Thousands rally in Sydney against ABC cuts

Thousands rally in Sydney against ABC cuts

Thousands of Sydney protesters rally against ABC funding cuts

By Mandie Sami, staff

Updated
about 8 hours agoSat 22 Nov 2014, 8:46pm

Photo:
Protesters have gathered outside Sydney's Town Hall to speak out against the $254 million funding cuts to the ABC. (ABC: Anne Barker)

Related Story:
Significant ABC job losses expected following budget cut: Mark Scott

Related Story:
Opponents of ABC funding cuts rally in Brisbane

Map:
Sydney 2000

Thousands of people have gathered at Sydney's Town
Hall to protest against government funding cuts to Australia's public
broadcasters.

It is one in a series of public demonstrations
scheduled to take place across the country in response to the Federal
Government's decision to cut $50 million a year from the ABC's budget
over the next five years.

The rally in Sydney was attended by
thousands, including Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek, Greens
Senator Scott Ludlam and the ABC's Quentin Dempster.

Photo:
Sydney protesters angered by the Government's announced cuts chanted: 'No ifs, no buts, no ABC cuts!'. (ABC: Mandie Sami)

"We are not alone because this is happening
in every city ... people are organising to challenge and confront, and
ultimately defeat, the people who brought us these cuts," Senator Ludlam
said at the protest.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed this week that $254 million would be cut from the ABC's federal funding over the five-year period.

There
will be significant job losses at the ABC in the wake of the budget
cut, the national broadcaster's chief executive Mark Scott has
confirmed.

Mr Scott said he will detail the number of redundancies during an all-staff address on Monday.

The Government said the ABC should be able to find savings by implementing efficiencies.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the cuts were part of an agenda to undermine the public broadcaster.

"This
is a clear case that Tony Abbott is going after his political critics
because he just doesn't like people who disagree with Tony Abbott's
narrow view of the world," Mr Shorten said.

Photo:
Protesters gathered outside Sydney's Town Hall in support of the
ABC following announced budget cuts to the public broadcaster. (ABC: Mandie Sami)

Topics:
federal-government,
abc,
broadcasting,
activism-and-lobbying,
budget,
sydney-2000

First posted
yesterday at 4:09pmSat 22 Nov 2014, 4:09pm

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