Cassandra Parkinson is the National President of ABC Friends in Australia, a position she has held since August 2022. She is a prominent advocate for public broadcasting, campaigning for increased ABC funding, independent board appointments, and the restoration of high-quality services, particularly in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election.
Cassandra Parkinson
News
What future for Indigenous programming at the ABC?
The ABC plans to scrap its dedicated Indigenous department, raising concerns over the loss of independent decision-making for First Nations program makers. ABC Friends National President Cassandra Parkinson responds.
The news bargaining incentive: good news for public interest journalism
The news bargaining incentive has passed into law, requiring tech giants to pay for news content or face a levy. ABC Friends welcomes this as a crucial step for public interest journalism and Australian democracy.
The Special Envoy and the Royal Commission
Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism called for external oversight of ABC and SBS editorial coverage. ABC Friends argues this is a direct attack on editorial independence and the public's right to know.
ABC Friends makes a splash at the ALP Conference
ABC Friends made its presence felt at the ALP National Conference in Adelaide, hosting a stall and a panel event on public interest journalism with Peter Greste, Quentin Dempster, Lenore Taylor and Rod Sims.
There’s a new campaign to shut down the ABC. It mustn’t succeed.
A coordinated campaign to shut down the ABC is gaining ground, from Advance to One Nation to Sky News. Cassandra Parkinson writes about why we must fight back now.
The threats to the ABC are intensifying – we need your support
Democracy is under threat worldwide — and so is press freedom. Australia needs a fearless, independent ABC more than ever. But a new lobby is working to defund it. Help us fight back.