Minister for Regional Communications Bridget McKenzie has today confirmed

the Government has no plans to re-establish the vital shortwave radio service in

Northern Australia.

During Senate Question Time, Minister McKenzie was asked if she stood by

her statement that the ABCs decision to shut down the service following

repeated budget cuts from the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government was

wrong and ill advised.

Minister McKenzie stood by her comments today, but blamed the ABC for the

decision without accepting responsibility for $254 million in Government cuts to

the national broadcasters budget.

They do not understand what it means to live out in the regions. They

think everybody is has this amazing connectivity and it's an appalling

decision. I stand by my comments

They need to reinstate it. They need to revisit the decision.

Senator Bridget McKenzie, Senate Question Time, 29 November 2018

Quite clearly Minister McKenzie and her Government seem content to lay all

the blame on the ABC for the end of this vital service, without owning the fact

that they have slashed hundreds of millions from the national broadcaster.

The Government is also acknowledging the need for this service, but is making

no effort to get it back up and running.

Labor is committed to fixing this issue, and has committed $2 million to reestablishing

the service used by hundreds of thousands of people across the

most remote parts of Australia.

While this Government has stopped governing, Labor is continuing to look for

solutions to the problems facing Regional Australians.