To: 

Mr Kim Williams AM, ABC Chair

Ms Christine Zeitz, SBC Acting Chair

CC/- The Hon Anika Wells MP, Minister for Communications 

CC/- Ms. Melissa McIntosh MP, Shadow Minister for Communications

We, the undersigned members of the Australian public, write to express serious concern regarding the ongoing failure of Australia’s publicly funded national broadcasters, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), to provide coverage of peaceful Iranian pro-democracy protests taking place across Australia.

ABC and SBS are funded by Australian taxpayers and carry statutory obligations to provide fair, accurate, and impartial news coverage, to reflect the diversity of the Australian community, and to report on lawful civic engagement and democratic expression occurring within Australia.

For more than a month, thousands of Iranian-Australians and their supporters have gathered peacefully in major cities across Australia to express solidarity with the people of Iran and to call for dignity, freedom, and respect for human life. These demonstrations have been lawful, non-violent, and clearly in the public interest. To date, however, they have received little to no coverage by Australia’s public broadcasters. By way of example, here is a link to an Instagram post documenting one peaceful protest in Sydney, estimated to have been attended by at least 10,000 people: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUOENOdEadH/?igsh=MTIxNDRjYzhmbXdnNg==

As of the date of this petition, this absence of coverage remains unaddressed, despite the continuing and evolving nature of events both within Iran and among Australian communities responding to them.

We therefore look to ABC and SBS to remedy this omission and to ensure appropriate, timely, and proportionate coverage of the nationwide protests scheduled for 14 February 2026, as well as related peaceful civic actions that follow.

Fourteen February has been marked internationally as a global day of action and solidarity with the Iranian people, with cities around the world finding meaningful ways to reflect this moment. It is a day centred on compassion, remembrance, and hope, a reminder to those who are suffering that they have not been forgotten. In Australia, this day will be marked by peaceful public gatherings that clearly warrant coverage by publicly funded national broadcasters. Coverage on this date should form part of a broader, ongoing engagement with an issue of sustained public significance, rather than a one-off or symbolic moment of attention.

The lack of reporting on Iranian pro-democracy protests stands in stark contrast to the extensive coverage routinely afforded to other international political movements and diaspora-led demonstrations within Australia. This disparity raises serious questions about editorial consistency, proportionality, and equitable representation.

As publicly funded national broadcasters, ABC and SBS are expected to:

Provide fair, balanced, and impartial coverage of matters of public interest
Represent the voices and concerns of Australia’s diverse communities
Report on peaceful civic participation and democratic expression within Australia
This responsibility necessarily entails consistent and ongoing coverage of matters of profound public interest, particularly where events are unfolding and communities continue to mobilise peacefully over time.

The continued exclusion of Iranian-Australian pro-democracy protests from news and current-affairs coverage falls short of these responsibilities.

Accordingly, we call on ABC and SBS to:

Acknowledge and remedy the absence of coverage of Iranian pro-democracy protests to date
Ensure fair and timely coverage of the nationwide protests on 14 February 2026
Provide accurate, proportionate, and ongoing representation of Iranian-Australian voices advocating peaceful democratic change as events continue to evolve
This petition does not seek endorsement of any political position. It seeks equitable coverage, editorial consistency, and adherence to the obligations that accompany public funding in a democratic society.

Public broadcasters must not overlook peaceful expressions of solidarity, compassion, and democratic aspiration. To do so is to exclude a community whose voices deserve to be seen and heard.