Save our SBS!

Last week, Pauline Hanson stood up at the National Press Club and called for SBS to be scrapped. When an SBS journalist pushed back, she told him he'd "be out of a job."

SBS isn't just a television station. It's where Australia sees itself whole – news in 63 languages, the World Cup free to every community, stories that commercial media won't touch.

A few days ago, Socceroos star Awer Mabil sat down with SBS commentator David Basheer on the sidelines of the FIFA World Cup. Mabil was born to South Sudanese parents in a refugee camp in Kenya. Mid-conversation, he stopped to say something.

"I grew up watching SBS as a kid because it was free TV. You doing the world game – that's where I used to see all of my highlights from all over the world of football. So firstly, thank you. You gave me good memories as a kid."

That's what SBS does. For fifty years, it has told stories that commercial broadcasters wouldn't tell. It exists because some things matter more than profit.

That's exactly why Hanson wants it gone.

And SBS's funding is only guaranteed for the next two years. After that, any government could switch it off. We're calling on the government to guarantee SBS funding for the next five years, indexed to inflation – and put it beyond the reach of politicians who want it gone.

GetUp is planning a TV ad to air on SBS itself – right as millions of Australians are watching the World Cup – making the case for why it must be protected. But first, we need the government to hear from you.

Sign the petition now and tell the government: protect our SBS.