Last Friday two 93-year-old Taree citizens, Bill and Val, with their son Trevor, stood proudly holding their small home-made signs protesting against the cuts to the budget of the ABC.
It was the first time they had joined a demonstration which showed us 50 other noisy demonstrators who had gathered outside the Taree office of Dr David Gillespie the Federal member for Lyne, just how much the ABC is valued by regional and country people.
We tend to sit in our lounges thinking what difference would a single person make complaining to the government about their unfair treatment of the ABC.
What these two old folk showed me was why it was worthwhile, to be standing on a Friday morning while a cold wind blew up Victoria Street, supporting our national broadcaster. The only sadness was that our local member was “out in the electorate” we were told and not able to meet with us and discuss our concerns.
