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5 min read

Update from our Impact Fund partners: May 2020

Profile of Georgia Mathews
Written by Georgia MathewsPosted on 1/5/2020

DEMOCRACY FOR SALE

Craig Reucassel has a message for the funders that contributed to the Impact Fund grant for the Democracy Project documentary he is directing.

Read more about this project here

PUBLIC INTEREST JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

A key recommendation from the Public Interest Journalism Initiative has been adopted into the recently announced media rescue package, with a $50 million investment in a new Public Interest News Gathering (PING) program.

“This package helps provide short-term relief, but more needs to be done and we stand ready to work with government to implement our remaining policy recommendations,” said PIJI Chairman Professor Allan Fels AO. 

AUSTRALIAN MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY

For the first time ever coral bleaching has struck all three regions of the coral reef.

AMCS has issued a press release saying that it’s all well to work on strengthening the reef’s capacity to deal with warming waters but what we really need to be focusing on is greenhouse gas emissions. Read the statement on coral bleaching from Terry Hughes and the ARC Centre of Excellence on coral reefs. Watch a short video on the bleaching here.

CLIMATE COUNCIL

Speaking of pressing environmental issues that persist, even as we are distracted by other crises, join the Climate Council’s online book club to participate in virtual discussions with prominent Councillors, experts, scientists and members of the community on the issues facing the climate movement as a whole and the books that investigate them. 

Next up on 27 May is the documentary film 2040 by Damon Gameau. We will be joined by Damon, actor Yael Stone and Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie. Click here to register. 

Disclosure: Eric Beecher, Chair of Australian Communities Foundation, is also on the Board of Public Interest Journalism Initiative.