ABC to Take Legal Action Over One Nation Party’s Use of Bluey in Cartoon

Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, has announced plans to send a cease and desist letter to the rightwing populist party One Nation. The legal action follows the party's use of the children's television character Bluey in a political cartoon.

Senate Estimates Disclosure

The dispute came to light during a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday, after Western Australian Labor senator Varun Ghosh asked whether the ABC had sought legal advice regarding the 2024 cartoon titled *State of Melbourne*. The video has accumulated 1.3 million views on YouTube.

ABC managing director Hugh Marks informed senators that he became aware of the potential intellectual property breach last week and sought legal advice.

• Marks stated the use is a clear breach of intellectual property and described it as shocking and disrespectful.
• He confirmed that Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party did not seek permission to use the character.
• The ABC has been in contact with international distributor BBC Studios and Brisbane-based creators Ludo.

The animation depicts depictions of politicians and public figures, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, alongside the animated character.

Additional ABC Matters Discussed

During the Tuesday hearings, senators also received evidence regarding other organizational updates:

• Former news director Justin Stevens received a termination payout of $353,230 after being asked not to work out his notice period.
• Simon Robinson, a Reuters executive, replaced Stevens last month.
• ABC leadership addressed the removal of several *Four Corners* programs produced by former reporter Mahmood Fazal due to concerns regarding anonymous sources and editorial reviews.

BBC Studios, Ludo, and One Nation have been approached for comment regarding the intellectual property dispute. Readers can verify official announcements through the Australian Parliament’s official broadcast records and statements published by the ABC.