Austar United

The Bell Shakespeare Company

For the eighth year in a row AUSTAR has proudly brought Shakespeare to regional Australia, through its sponsorship of the Bell Shakespeare company and its visits to a number of regional markets.
Tying in with our AUSTAR for schools education program, high school students around the country entered writing competitions to win trips to the local theatre with their classmates. In October, we held our fourth ‘Stage for Life’ programme, bringing two regional students from Roxby Downs, SA and Grafton, NSW to Sydney for a week of intensive theatre and television production workshops with Bell Shakespeare and a number of AUSTAR’s channels.

Charity Support

AUSTAR maintains its commitment to three nominated charities – Jeans for Genes, Camp Quality and the Australian Red Cross.

Jeans for Genes

Jeans for Genes is a charity which contributes funds towards the Children’s Medical Research Institute for research into genetic defects in children. Since 1998, AUSTAR has raised over $60,000 through company fundraising and matching activities.

Camp Quality

Camp Quality is committed to bringing hope and happiness to every child living with cancer in Australia. AUSTAR donated more than $15,000 in 2009, sending 10 children to recreational camp. Our total contribution since 2005 is $75,000.

Australian Red Cross

The Australian Red Cross plays a critical role in support of our communities, and therefore we support them. A number of AUSTAR employees now take part in Telecross volunteering, and in 2009 we raised $25,000 and gifts for the Red Cross Christmas drive, as well as for natural disaster recovery early in the year.