8mmm (2015) s01e04 Episode Script

Episode 4

1 LOLA: Hey, you mob! I've been sitting down on my country, and I've been thinking about it now.
You know, olden time, our land, it been give us food, water and shelter .
.
and if we never had them, we would trade it with another tribe.
Our way, it been work for longest time, true? Might be there was couple of fight, but it been work pretty good.
Then them whitefella been come, and they been trade us freedom for ration.
Now we got to wait till government mob tell us what to do.
(Raps on hollow tank) But which government mob we got to ask? Stick around, you might learn it something.
Aaaahhhhh Look, I'm here I'm from the bush Don't be shy 'cause I'm black Listen to me Talking to you From the bush.
We got no water for our outstation.
~ Water pump been break it down.
~ What? You know, water, for drinking, make you lively one? You got to give it royalty, I got buy it water pump.
The royalty fund has been allocated.
All gone this year.
No! I got royalty.
I got lot of gas.
Mereenie field, that my country.
I never been touch my money.
Should be full up there.
Since the intervention, royalties are being administered differently.
The Minister has decided that royalties no longer go to individuals.
What, you mob going to steal it, my money too now? The money is still being spent in Aboriginal communities.
Which one? You tell me which community.
I'm got to go and get it my money back.
~ We're broke.
~ JESSIE: What's new? We can't pay our bills.
We need to freeze wages.
What? Still expecting us to work for rations? This is the 20th century, you know? JAMPAJINPA: It's the 21st century, you fool.
It's just until the department makes a decision on our operational grant, OK? You know what? Us blackies got to be on the grind, but I'd wager the pinkies going to be making the bread.
Hey! I work here for free.
Not dissin' you, sis.
You snug in with the mob.
Word.
You're quiet, Dave.
Just taking it all in - the captain, the rats, the sinking ship.
No.
8MMM's not going down on my watch, alright? They're not shutting us down.
Why they gotta do us like that? We the voice of the peeps.
I have a little left in my media-training fund.
That'll cover Milly's drinks for about a week.
Alright.
I got these bones and another fiddy phat chips in my crib.
Come on, you mob, show us some grain! That's it - crowdfunding! ~ What? ~ Well, back in old mate's day, telethons were the thizang, but we done upcycled it to crowdfunding.
~ Donations from the public.
~ We'll holla to the peeps.
8MMM is their crib.
They'll chuck a little cha-ching our way.
Ah, you'll never get the listeners to cough up.
A bit of phlegm, maybe.
I'll have five big ones by the end of the week.
Just watch.
'Your 8MMM.
' DJ Jampajinpa.
Halla! Live from the 8MMM studios.
This is your 8MMM.
8MMM's putting out an SOS to the peeps to front up with your coin so 8MMM can keep busting the beats! Welcome to 8MMM.
The training room is right in the back.
~ What are they doing here? ~ That's the footballers.
They're here for Koala's 'media training'.
~ Don't you mean sperm selection? ~ (Laughs) What's with Mount Kosciuszko? I don't have time to line up every day.
That's what you get paid for.
Not this week.
When was the last time you checked the mail? Today, obviously.
Urgh! Milly! WOMAN, ON RECORDING: Your call is important to us.
Please stay on the line.
What's that rubbish? I'm on hold, trying to get an answer about our operational grant.
Good luck with that.
What's this? It's my hours.
My car lease is due.
~ Were you at the meeting? ~ Yeah.
You didn't mean me.
You and me get paid, don't we? That doesn't sound particularly fair, Dave.
Listen, Jake, these people have survived 60,000 years on virtually nothing.
It's a proud tradition.
Alright? We're not as resilient.
We need our creature comforts.
Well, you might have to curb your high-flying lifestyle for a bit.
Listen, Jakey.
Jake! Love to help you out, but if you can't afford me, pay out my contract, I'll go elsewhere.
JAMPAJINPA: The man's trying to shut us down.
You hear him? 8MMM's putting out an SOS to the peeps.
We're asking the good folk to front up with your coin, so 8MMM can keep busting the beats! This is your 8MMM.
~ WOMAN, ON PHONE: Customer service.
~ Yeah, hello.
I'd like to get an extension on a power bill.
Have you got a legitimate reason? Our receptionist thinks collecting mail is beneath her.
Sounds like you need a new receptionist.
~ Yeah.
~ What's the business name? 8MMM Aboriginal Radio.
This appears to be your second notice.
I'm not surprised.
We've got a mountain of mail to open.
There's also a history of late payment, so your lazy receptionist is not exactly a legitimate excuse.
Well, I work for a blackfella organisation, and we are busted-arse broke.
Is that legitimate enough for you? ~ What are you doing? ~ I'm making hot dogs.
What's it look like I'm doing? WOMAN, ON RECORDING: Please stay on the line.
You are 32 in ~ I'm out of here.
~ Why? First you expect me to work for nothing, now I've got to sweat my hole out.
What are you I'm only staying for the air conditioning.
It's a luxury we can't afford right now.
Millions of people live without air conditioning.
Yeah, well, they must all be skinny-arses.
I'm suffering with rub-rub.
I'm red-raw.
No, that's fine! I believe you, OK? Isn't there something else you can do? ~ Yeah.
~ This is uncalled for.
That's just That is just wanton vandalism, Milly! Awesome.
Thank you.
Call me when the air conditioning's back on.
Oi! What's with the no air conditioning in 40-degree heat? ~ Why are the lights off? ~ It's Jessie's idea.
~ We're saving money.
~ Right.
You're on some kind of bloody power trip.
(Laughs) Yeah, literally.
~ 'You are 32 in the queue.
' ~ No, that's not funny.
KOALA: Um, welcome, everyone.
It's my first time.
Usually, Jessie does this.
So, this training course is about giving you confidence when speaking to the media, be it print, radio or television.
And to do that, you'll need to know what they'll expect from you .
.
and how to give them what they need without it seeming like it's been rehearsed.
Come on, fellas, keep it together.
It's really nothing to be anxious about.
That's what I'm here for, OK? You might think you just play football.
Actually, it's Sorry, I've got to go.
~ (Guys laugh) ~ What? Um I'm sorry.
What Was it that boring? No.
Not boring.
She's all sticky.
Her legs are sticking to the chair and she's fanning her downstairs.
And you saw? (All laugh) Should have been there, man.
~ (Knocks) ~ (Coughs) Ooh! Sorry to interrupt.
I was They can't even look at me! What did I do? Nah, nah, nah.
Nothing.
I have to get media training done tonight, otherwise we'll have to repay the grant, and Jessie will kill me.
Trippin'! What are you going to do? Hide? Hide from Jessie? Might work.
JESSIE: Hey, anybody seen Koala? ~ DAVE: It's not yours, you old bag.
~ JUDY: It's mine.
~ DAVE: It's not! ~ JUDY: It's my radio.
Why are you growling at me? ~ Give it here! It's not yours.
~ It's mine.
It's not yours! You let go, you stupid old bag.
~ Mine! ~ It's not! ~ Not yours! ~ It's not yours! ~ It's mine.
~ You shouldn't even be here in the first place.
~ It's not yours.
~ It's not yours! ~ It's mine.
~ Lola, can you explain to this old bag here she can't walk in and take whatever she wants? ~ Judy, you got no shame! ~ No.
Go on, get out! This is for workers only.
My record too.
That's not your radio! Yeah.
I'm only listening for your ears.
Yeah, you old bag.
Get out of here.
Hey, who's that? Look, I don't know it every blackfella! This place is a magnet for madness.
Give it here, Judy.
Paint atyene' emphle' we'hlbe'lhelenge' letjetje errengeme' atyene'aye! You're a mad one, Judy.
You're a real mad one.
~ Jakey? ~ Hm? ~ You've got to help me.
~ What? I need it flash, whitefella, got to take me flash government building.
I got to get it money, buy water pump.
You mean me? I'm sorry.
I can't, Lola.
I'm on hold, and if hang up, I'll lose my place in the queue.
~ Can you take Dave? ~ No! Dave not good one.
Dave is magnet for all the mad people.
Yep, I'll get my keys.
DAVE: I'm warning you, stop chasing me! MAN, ON PHONE: Thank you for waiting.
What can I help you with? Jesus! What are you doing? ~ Where's Koala? ~ No idea.
~ I'll leave you to it, then.
~ No, no, no, no, don't go! ~ How do I get him to stop chasing me? ~ Stop running.
What? You do know we give those away, right? Yeah.
Yeah, I do now.
Oi! Get out of here! Put those biscuits down.
Get out! Go on! Go on, get out of here! ~ Hi.
~ Hi.
What can I do for you? Uh I need a water pump and tank for outstation.
Lola would like to apply for some funding through the Water for Communities scheme for a water pump and tank for her husband's outstation.
Oh, that's what she meant.
I'm afraid there's no funding left to be buying assets.
What, you're telling me $5 million has already been spent? No, I'm telling you that there's no money to buy assets.
There is money to buy bottled water.
You're willing to fund the cost of bottled water, but not to fund long-term solutions, like water pumps and tanks? I don't make the rules.
There is money available for bottled water.
That's all you've got, out of $5 million? No.
We have a budget for public-awareness campaigns.
Oh, great(!) Well .
.
you might as well just be pouring money down the drain! Sir, if you aren't happy to talk to me in a reasonable manner, I'll have to ask you to leave.
Fine.
Don't worry, we're going.
Come on, Lola.
Like I needed flash whitefella get me kicked out.
~ Lola? ~ I can do that myself! Please feel free to take some water as you leave.
This is your 8MMM.
Come on, peeps! I know you're listening, so let's hear the coinage dropping.
Yeah, baby.
What are you wearing? Oh, girlfriend.
Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah.
That's real lovely.
Yes.
Show me.
~ Hey! ~ Put your trackie daks back on, love.
He'll have to call you back.
But Jampajinpa said this is our 8MMM! Get out! Go on! (Door shuts) DAVE: I've had another call from the car-lease company.
You're gonna have to wait, like everyone else.
No, no, no.
They're actually talking about repossessing my vehicle.
We've got staff who aren't being paid.
Your car is the least of our troubles.
If I don't get a car, I get something of equal value.
There you go.
What, water? That's your pay-off? That's $5 million worth.
JAMPAJINPA: 8MMM's putting out an SOS to the peeps.
We're asking the good folk to front up with your coin so 8MMM can keep busting the beats! Come on, you mob.
Go home already.
Turn the aircon on.
Good girl.
Go on, everyone out! ~ All of you, out! ~ We already paid our money.
Jampajinpa said - it's our 8MMM.
Hey, you've got to stop playing 'Your 8MMM'.
It's gonna cost us more than you'll ever raise.
It's on the up and up! $70? (Laughs) Hey, Marley, you was about to drop some coin.
Ain't that legit, bro? ~ $4? ~ What? It's not pay week.
Churchies aren't gonna save us.
Jessie, you've got to have a little more faith in the brother.
'Your 8MMM' isn't working.
There's people in here, they're overflowing the place, and they don't even work here! Give me that goldie.
What? Ah, nothing.
I guess it wasn't just an idle threat.
What? I asked for an extension to pay for the electricity bill, and the woman got all uppity, and, well, you know me.
~ Yeah.
~ What about the back-up generator? There's no fuel.
What a joke.
Hey! At least it got rid of all the ring-ins.
~ What? ~ How's the crowdfunding looking? It be illin', boss man! This brother, hardcore.
Boop, boop, boop! Well, I've no idea what that means, but it sounds promising.
Yeah, I wouldn't get too excited if I was you.
What? Any sign of the footballers? Why are you bugging me? I can't help you.
This is for you.
It won't be 'My 8MMM' for much longer.
(Strums gently) LOLA: Listen, Daryl - I got to use it my BasicsCard to buy it water tank and pump.
You get $250 a fortnight on your card, and you can only use that for essential household needs and expenses - ~ you know, the basic stuff.
~ Kwe? Water is a basic one, isn't it? Technically, maybe, but a pump sounds expensive.
No, him only $15,000.
~ Surely you can get that from somewhere else? ~ No.
You mob's intervention is a lot of money.
We all broke one now.
Look, Lola, even if you use all your BasicsCard allowances and paid back $250 a fortnight, that'll be That'll be 60 payments.
That's more than two years to pay it back.
Can't be.
Come on! Chuck in, chuck in! We got to buy it water pump and tank.
Nah, old man gone kangaroo shooting.
We need money for bullets.
You got BasicsCard for bullets.
BasicsCard rubbish one.
You can't buy bullets with BasicsCard.
$50? Pump is a lot of money! If that BasicsCard got $250, that's 60 BasicsCards.
If I give you mob $50 each for that BasicsCards .
.
that $3,000! Where I got to get that money? $50! Urgh! Why am I turning everything off when you're splashing out on stupid shit like bottled water? It was given away, OK? Meanwhile, they can't give a cent for Lola's water pump.
Yeah, well, no point putting money into a pump no-one's gonna see.
No.
That's what public-awareness campaigns are for.
I'm desperate to get our hands on some of this money.
Hey, who better to front their propaganda than Indigenous footballers? That might open the government's purse.
Faster than Koala's hairy legs, I reckon.
Jessie! That's a bit crass.
I mean, I take your point, but ~ Hey! ~ I asked for an extension.
Nicely, this time.
(Presenter speaks Aboriginal dialect on air) (Phone rings) WOMAN, ON PHONE: Hello.
Linda Wheetman.
Hey! 'Nother Mother.
Benji! You remember your white mum? Gee, I missed you.
Aw, come on, Mum.
I called you last week.
~ Mm-hmm.
~ Anyways, I need your help.
(Sighs) More money already? No, no, no.
Not for me, for the station, for 8MMM.
8MMM? Is the station in some sort of trouble? I mean, if there's Mum, they're not just my employer, right? They're the voice of my people.
~ (Sighs) ~ We need donations.
~ How much? ~ About $4,906.
It's a lot more than I'd expected, Benj, but OK.
But we won't tell your father.
Thanks, Mum! You da bomb.
Yep, yep! Woo-hoo! Woo! (Laughs) I've been looking for you.
What you looking for? Well, you know how Koala's been training them football mob? Mm.
Shorty must have been trippin' in the heat, 'cause brothers caught an eyeful and bailed.
Eh? She flashed her at the footballers! ~ What, them mob never like 'em? ~ No, they ran away.
(Laughs) What wrong with young people? Uh can you talk to her? Why I got to talk for her nyange? I ain't doing it! Must think I'm Superman or something.
Jeez.
(Remote bleeps) LOLA: Koala! Koala? Koala! Why you hiding? Oh, no good.
They all left and didn't come back.
Yeah.
Jampajinpa been telling me.
What do I do? ~ You got budget? ~ Yeah, about $3,500 left.
~ Why? ~ You need 'em cultural advisor, bring 'em footballer back.
$3,000 should be good money.
OK.
So how do I get them back? ~ Wear 'em trous'.
~ Trousers? Yep.
Proper cultural way.
But everyone's always told me to wear skirts.
No, no! You got to wear 'em trous'.
That's it? Anything else? Mm, bloomers might be good one too.
I can do that.
Well, you got 'em that $3,000 cash? Where your BasicsCard? ~ $50.
~ (Sighs) Come on, give me BasicsCard.
Yep.
Come on, Glenys, give me your BasicsCard.
Thank you.
~ You mob robber, true? ~ (All laugh) You mob can laugh.
You mob think you're funny with no water? Come on, give it.
MAN: Gets you strong! (Music plays, phones ring) One grand final! KOALA: This is practical media training.
~ We're here.
~ Koala! JAMPAJINPA: Right, chuck them footies around.
What do you like to drink? FOOTBALLERS: Water! ~ Yeah! What do you like to drink? ~ Water! LOLA: Hey, like I was telling you mob early part, now we got to ask a government mob for everything, and a lot of time, us blackfella, we been miss out.
But I been learn it something from that government humbug.
Sometime, we just got to bend 'em all the rules and do it our way.
Yeah, that's what I been learn.
Think about it.
This is 8MMM FM, Aboriginal radio in Aboriginal country.
Our staff are extremely responsible when it comes to alcohol.
Role models, in fact.
We at 8MMM would like to suggest that maybe we make Founders Day a dry event.
What's next? No happy hour? ~ Then no-one will have any human rights! ~ WOMAN: Hear, hear! You mob like to party all night? ~ JAMPAJINPA: Get off our land! ~ MEN: Yeah! LOLA: (Taps microphone) Hello? This thing on?
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