Australian broadcaster tells rightwing populist One Nation party to stop using Bluey in political cartoons - The Independent

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Australia’s national broadcaster has called on the rightwing One Nation party to stop featuring Bluey after a “shocking and disrespectful” cartoon saw the children’s television character running over politicians.

The ABC has demanded that One Nation remove the cartoons from its platforms, with managing director Hugh Marks saying the broadcaster is considering legal action over the unauthorised use of the character, according to The Guardian.

“I would imagine that it’s a breach of intellectual property and a cease-and-desist letter should be issued,” he said at a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Tuesday.

The main video at the centre of the row, The State of Melbourne, was released in 2024 as part of One Nation’s Please Explain series.

It shows Bluey driving an SUV into a cartoon version of former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, as well as television presenter Robert Irwin.

In another scene, Andrews and Albanese are in the car when they run over Bluey and Irwin, before putting their bodies in the boot.

“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, number one,” Marks told the committee.

“But it’s also a shocking use of Australia’s most loved character. In fact, probably the globally most loved character in a video that is both shocking and disrespectful to the children of Australia who love that character so much.”

Created by Brisbane-based Ludo Studio, Bluey follows a blue heeler puppy who turns everyday family life into imaginative games with her younger sister Bingo, and their parents, Bandit and Chilli.

The series has become a global hit, reaching audiences in more than 180 markets. It recorded 7.2 million views across BBC platforms in the second quarter of 2025, making it the country’s most-watched children’s show during that period.

Its books have sold 45 million copies in 29 languages, while its stage production Bluey’s Big Play has toured 13 countries and attracted more than 2.5 million people worldwide. Bluey has also won more than 65 awards, including BAFTAs and Emmys.

An ABC spokesperson said on Wednesday that the broadcaster was “very concerned by the unauthorised use of a children’s character and national icon like Bluey in the various ways it has been used for One Nation’s political purposes”, according to ABC News.

“In the meantime, the ABC considers the relevant cartoons should be immediately removed from One Nation’s platforms and no further use should occur,” the spokesperson said.

The ABC does not own the intellectual property rights to Bluey, and the BBC holds the rights to distribute it internationally.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson denied to ABC News that the cartoons breached intellectual property rights.

The Independent has reached out to Ludo Studios and One Nation for comment.

The video is two years old, but the scene has drawn attention after the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines, who lost both legs after being hit by a car outside her electorate office in northern Victoria on 19 October. A 43-year-old man has been charged over the incident with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury.

Western Australian Labor senator Varun Ghosh described the scene during Tuesday’s hearing, saying: “(Bluey) is shown driving an SUV, running over former Premier Daniel Andrews and then reversing over him a number of times.”

He added: “I appreciate it was published two years ago, but it has a particular poignance in the last week.”

Australia’s communications minister Anika Wells said the ABC was justified in raising concerns about the cartoons. Speaking to ABC Radio National, she described Bluey as one of Australia’s best-known exports and said: “Satire is one thing. Scrutiny is important.”