The Sir Vincent Fairfax Oration last week became a rallying cry for the future of Australian culture as Kim Williams AM, chair of the ABC, highlighted the central role of the ABC in shaping and preserving the nation’s identity.
Addressing an audience of leaders, thinkers and emerging fellows at Sydney’s Alpha Events, Williams championed the national broadcaster as a cornerstone of Australian democracy and cultural life.
“Successful nations don’t lose interest in themselves; they are continuously curious and optimistic about what they can achieve today and what they may become tomorrow,” Williams declared.
“We must have Australian stories and Australian narratives and Australian accents and Australian settings and Australian history populating audio and video on the screens of Australia… and elsewhere.” This, he argued, is precisely where the ABC plays an irreplaceable role.
A Mirror to the Nation
From its investigative documentaries to its dramas and entertainment, the ABC, as praised by Williams, helps Australians see themselves—and each other—with compassion and honesty.
“The ABC performs reliably as the mirror, camera, and microphone to the nation, revealing and explaining our grand institutions—the parliaments, the courts, the regulators and so forth—to the people in compelling, frank and accessible ways that invigorate transparency and liberate knowledge, understanding and accountability,” he explained.
“By creating drama and comedy, and entertainment that is distinctively Australian and helps us see ourselves and each other with compassion and affection. But not only that. Through great story-telling we have a way to see ourselves with more objective, critical eyes. That challenges us to reflect upon our society and consider how we can make it better”.
The ABC’s Role in Democracy and Diversity
For Williams, the ABC’s importance goes beyond cultural output—it is a critical pillar of Australia’s democratic framework. He described the broadcaster as a vital platform for fostering shared understanding across a diverse and dispersed nation.
“By sharing the stories of Australia’s cities and regions, the outback and the bush, [the ABC] enables a shared understanding of national problems and opens pathways to solutions that work for people locally, regionally, and nationally,” he explained.
In what he described as a “fractured media landscape”, Williams acknowledged the challenges facing the ABC. With misinformation and disinformation on the rise, honesty with the Australian public has never been more critical.
“Independent, impartial news and current affairs remain at the heart of what the ABC does, with correspondents around the globe and across the nation dedicated to bringing facts and truth to all Australians,” he said.
“And yes, that means being honest with the Australian public when the ABC makes mistakes”.
A Call for Investment
Williams’s Oration was not without a call to action. He made an impassioned plea for greater investment in the ABC to ensure its future as a robust cultural institution.
“All the evidence tells me that the ABC, with proper investment, is one of Australia’s essential democratic assets and must be funded commensurate with its role. There must be greater investment in Australian journalism too as part of a campaign to replace disinformation with facts and truth,” Williams explained.
He warned against complacency, citing Yale historian Timothy Snyder’s work on the fragility of democracy.
“In these dangerous times, it’s not enough to assume democracy is permanent and take it for granted. Positive action is needed to nurture and reinforce and protect it”.
“As a nation, we must keep investing in our civic and cultural institutions. We must keep backing ourselves: our culture, our art forms, our stories and our democracy,” said Williams.
“We must remain curious and optimistic. We must build leaders ready for tomorrow. That is the pathway to a peaceful and prosperous future, and Cranlana is playing its invaluable part”.
As the Sir Vincent Fairfax Oration concluded, Williams left no doubt about the ABC’s importance in Australia’s cultural and democratic life. “The ABC is one of Australia’s great civic institutions, and through it, we can see creativity in the past, possibility in the present, and liberty in the future,” he said.
For Williams, the ABC isn’t just part of Australia’s story—it is the storyteller that ensures the nation’s voice remains heard.
