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Year in a Minute: 1984

Band Aid Recording Session

Jill Sinclair, Paul Young, Bob Geldof, Bono, and Simon Le Bon in the control room during the recording of the Band Aid charity single 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' at Sarm West studios, London. (Photo by Chris Malone/Getty Images) Credit: Chris Malone/Getty Images

SBS celebrating 50 Years. This is a Year in a Minute 1984.


I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in 5 minutes.
Ronald Regan

While Reagan quipped about communists,

Big Brother was watching, George Orwell’s 1984 predictions, CCTV tracking our movements begin to appear.

7 dies as bikies clash in Sydney’s Milperra.

Mass graves from military rule discovered in Argentina.

23 thousand dead when gas leaks from a Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.

Band Aid asked…

Do they know it’s Christmas time at all…

For famine gripped Ethiopia.

Advance Australia Fair becomes our national anthem,

And a jar of Vegemite, is the first product electronically scanned at the checkout.

- SBS celebrating 50 years.

- This is a year in a minute, 1984.

- I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in 5 minutes.

- While Reagan quipped about communists, Big Brother was watching. George Orwell's 1984.

- Predictions, CCTV tracking our movements begin to appear. 7 die as bikies clash in Sydney's Milpea. Mass graves from military rule discovered in Argentina. 23,000 dead when gas leaks from a Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. Band Aid asked,

- For famine gripped Ethiopia. Advance Australia Fair becomes our national anthem, and a jar of Vegemite is the first product electronically scanned at the checkout. I'm Anton Enis for SBS's 50th anniversary. That was 1984.

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