As foreshadowed in our post on 18 February, the ABC Perth team broadcast from Forrest Place on Monday 23 February from 5 am to 6 pm. Our Past President Bobbie Mackley and I went down to observe. Nadia Mitsopoulos was handling proceedings with her usual aplomb; all the coffee had gone but there were some rumballs left. The bystanders ranged from devoted ABC supporters to wandering tourists and various eccentrics.
That night, the ABC held drinks in Studio 620 in the ABC Centre in East Perth to celebrate the completion of a long process. Mark Gibson was MC, and Danielle Benda (Radio Perth Manager), ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks, and WA Premier Roger Cook all spoke. Since almost all of our WA Committee were present, we were delighted when Hugh Marks referred to us as some of his favourite people! He also said he hoped the ABC would produce more programs in WA, and announced a new detective series to be shot in Fremantle, starring Tasma Walton. There will be more staff in WA.
Premier Cook said that, since he drives up and down the Kwinana Freeway regularly, he was really looking forward to good sound without the interference from the railway running down the centre of the Freeway! We were lucky enough to get a group photo with the Premier, Hugh Marks, and Bobbie Mackley. Perhaps the WA Governor, Chris Dawson, had left by then?
Thanks to the ABC for a fun night.