Multicultural Broadcasting Pioneer
Dunne went on to pioneer multicultural broadcasting in Australia as a Foundation Director of what went on to become the Special Broadcasting Service, as well as a presenter and a producer or radio and television for SBS.
In 1986, then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke delivered a "series of blows aimed at multiculturalism", including a decision to close the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs and proposed legislation that would merge SBS into the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Dunne was a vociferous opponent of both changes. She said at the time:
"I think there is going to be an uproar. There seems to be an undeclared Government change of policy about multiculturalism. Last week it was announced that the Institute of Multicultural Affairs would be closed. Now it is the SBS-ABC merger in spite of the fact that only six months ago the Government decided to let it be independent."
There was indeed an uproar, eventually leading the Prime Minister to call off the merger.
She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1999 for "service to multiculturalism, particularly through the promotion of Celtic culture, and to ethnic broadcasting".
Read more about this topic: Clare Dunne
Famous quotes containing the words broadcasting and/or pioneer:
“We spend all day broadcasting on the radio and TV telling people back home what’s happening here. And we learn what’s happening here by spending all day monitoring the radio and TV broadcasts from back home.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)
“Mead had studied for the ministry, but had lost his faith and took great delight in blasphemy. Capt. Charles H. Frady, pioneer missionary, held a meeting here and brought Mead back into the fold. He then became so devout that, one Sunday, when he happened upon a swimming party, he shot at the people in the river, and threatened to kill anyone he again caught desecrating the Sabbath.”
—For the State of Nebraska, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)