The decision by the ABC to end short wave services to the Northern Territory has been described today as short-sighted and another example of the Corporation ignoring Regional Australia.
National’s Senator Bridget McKenzie held talks in Darwin this afternoon with the NT Cattlemen’s Association about the issue.
“This is of vital concern for Territorians, with the decision made to axe the service without any consultation locally.
“I would have thought that the ABC would have asked Territorians their views before making this decision as it will have significant impact in remote and indigenous communities in the NT.
“I met with the NT Cattlemen’s Association on the issue this afternoon and they are appalled at the ABC move”.
Senator McKenzie introduced the Australian Broadcasting Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill into the Senate in September 2015 because of a lack of services by the ABC to regional areas.
“The intent of the Bill is to ensure that as the public broadcaster, the ABC considers the needs and interests of rural and regional Australians when making decisions regarding its operations and that is clearly not happening in the Territory,” Senator McKenzie said.
“I am in the Darwin as part of a Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and I have had many opportunities to speak with local people about this very hot issue here.
“It is clearly wrong and ill-advised but for what end? It saves the ABC very little money and snubs the corporation’s bureaucratic nose yet again at people who don’t live in the capital cities,” Senator McKenzie said.
“I have spoken with ABC Managing Director Michelle Guthrie today about this issue as well as taking it up with the Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield and others.
“I urge all Territorians affected by the ABC’s decision to end shortwave radio transmission to write to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications and make their concerns heard.”
The Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications can be contacted on (02) 6277 3526 or via email at ec.sen@aph.gov.au