Australia’s national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), has announced it will issue a cease and desist letter to the rightwing populist party One Nation. The legal action follows the party’s publication of a cartoon depicting the globally popular children’s character Bluey ramming politicians with a car.
Hugh Marks, the managing director of the ABC, disclosed the matter during Senate estimates on Tuesday. He stated that the broadcaster became aware of the potential intellectual property breach last week and has since sought legal advice regarding the unauthorized use of the character.
Marks described the depiction of Bluey in the cartoon as “shocking and disrespectful.” He confirmed to the Senate committee that the ABC intends to enforce its rights, stating, “We will be taking further action, I can assure you.”
The controversy centers on the specific imagery in the One Nation cartoon, which shows the beloved character repeatedly using an SUV to strike at political figures. The ABC views this usage as a violation of its intellectual property rights associated with the Bluey brand.
Bluey is a widely recognized animated series in Australia, known for its focus on family dynamics and child development. The broadcaster’s response highlights its commitment to protecting the commercial and creative assets of its flagship children’s programming.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
