"Keeping Australian stories on TV"

Australia has a Federal election coming up in September. The government is in trouble in the polls. The Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy has suddenly offered to slash the fees of the major TV networks by 50%. That's almost $150million a year. In return for... what? 

In the old days, it would have been called it a "sweetener," but that's probably out of date now.

It had been mooted previously by the government that they would be increasing the levels of Australian drama, documentaries and children’s entertainment on Australian television. Apparently that's about to go in the opposite direction, following an additional offer to the networks of even “greater flexibility” in those areas.

Desperate politicians. Powerful media interests. Too bad for the bunnies caught in the crossfire; to wit, the creators of Australian television content.

In a time of rampant cultural imperialism, a small group of Australians are struggling to defend the status quo, led by the ghost of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.

What's that, Skip?

You want people to hop along to this link and sign a petition? But aren't petitions ineffective?

You're right, Skip. Petitions are no more ineffective than a Gillard government. Either way, it's probably better than doing nothing.