Australia’s ABC Challenges One Nation Over Bluey Political Cartoon

(MENAFN) Australia’s national broadcaster ABC plans to require the right-wing populist One Nation party to take down a violent political animation featuring Bluey, the widely recognized children’s character, the broadcaster said Tuesday.

ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks criticized the video, calling it "a shocking use of Australia's most loved character" and "disrespectful to the children of Australia."

During a Senate estimates hearing, Marks said the broadcaster had obtained legal advice after becoming aware of the animation last week. He added that ABC would issue a cease-and-desist letter to the party.

“We will be taking further action, I can assure you,” Marks said.

The three-minute animation, titled The State of Melbourne, was published in 2024 as part of an animated series called Please Explain, created by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.

The video portrays former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as caricatures riding in an SUV that strikes Bluey and Australian conservationist and television presenter Robert Irwin.

The characters then place the victims’ bodies in the vehicle’s trunk. In a later scene, Bluey takes control of the SUV and deliberately runs into cartoon portrayals of Andrews, Albanese and Irwin in retaliation.

Marks said One Nation had not obtained authorization to use the Bluey character. He also disputed whether the animation could be considered a parody of the original children’s program.

MENAFN28102026000045017640ID1111877241