The ABC has threatened legal action against Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party over its use of beloved children’s character Bluey in a series of controversial political cartoons, describing the depiction as “shocking and disrespectful”.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks confirmed during a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday that the broadcaster would issue a cease-and-desist letter demanding the removal of a cartoon featuring the famous blue heeler running over Australian politicians.
The 2024 animation, titled The State of Melbourne, forms part of One Nation’s Please Explain cartoon series and has attracted more than 1.3 million views on YouTube.
In the three-minute video, Bluey is depicted driving an SUV into former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Another scene shows Andrews behind the wheel, with Albanese in the passenger seat, deliberately running over Bluey and wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin before placing their bodies in the boot of the vehicle.
Marks told senators he had become aware of the potential copyright infringement last week and had sought legal advice.
“It’s not a parody of any Bluey work, it’s not a minor use of the [intellectual property]. In my view, it is an infringement of the intellectual property,” he said.
“I think it’s a blatant use.”
He also condemned the treatment of a character adored by millions of children around the world.
“It’s a shocking use of Australia’s most loved character,” Marks said, describing the animation as disrespectful to Australian children.
The ABC has contacted BBC Studios, which distributes Bluey internationally, and Brisbane-based animation company Ludo Studio, which created the enormously successful children’s series.
Marks said One Nation had not sought permission to use the character and indicated the broadcaster would pursue further action, potentially including a claim for damages.
“We will be taking further action. I can assure you,” he said.
The controversy has taken on added significance following the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines on October 19, when she was struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in northern Victoria and suffered catastrophic injuries, including the loss of both legs.
Labor senator Varun Ghosh, who raised the cartoon during the hearing, described its use of Bluey as “heinous”, particularly in light of the recent tragedy.
However, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce defended the party’s cartoons as political satire, arguing that critics were becoming overly sensitive.
“You get to a point where you are sanitising beyond satire and you are starting to put restrictions on us,” Joyce told ABC television on Tuesday.
“You’ve got to have some form of tolerance.”
The dispute is the latest controversy surrounding One Nation’s animated political commentary.
Hanson has previously apologised for a cartoon mocking independent senator Jacqui Lambie’s medical condition, while Joyce apologised for another episode that labelled Liberal MP and former SAS soldier Andrew Hastie a “traitor”.
The party’s use of Bluey also attracted controversy in 2024 when Robert Irwin threatened legal action over a separate cartoon featuring his likeness alongside the children’s character.
Despite demands from Irwin’s lawyers, One Nation refused to remove that video.
While Australian copyright law allows certain uses of protected material for parody and satire, Marks argued that One Nation’s depiction went beyond those protections.
The ABC’s proposed legal action now raises the prospect of a courtroom battle over whether Australia’s most famous cartoon dog can be used to make a political point.
For a character whose biggest adventures usually involve family games and trips to the park, it’s a rather unexpected turn of events.
