The Prime Minister yesterday confirmed he is passing the buck on the River Murray, contrary to his pre-election assurance that the buck would stop with him. Senator Simon Birmingham said Mr Rudd’s refusal to engage himself in negotiations with Victoria over national management of the river was a breach of faith with South…
Poor network coverage, conflicting advice from Telstra on handsets and poor levels of service are among key concerns South Australians have with making the transition to Telstra’s Next G network, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. Senator Birmingham invited South Australians to report their experiences and concerns, following the Communications Minister’s decision in January…
Thousands of megalitres of water are being wasted in South Australia because the Rann Labor Government’s commitment to valuable water conservation projects had all but evaporated, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It follows confirmation overnight, under questioning from Senator Birmingham in Senate Estimates hearings, that major water projects earmarked for South Australia had…
The proposed Mandatory Renewable Energy Targets (MRET) scheme should include clean coal technologies such as carbon storage, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. Senator Birmingham has written to Professor Ross Garnaut urging him to consider the role of carbon sequestration as part of his review into the effects of climate change on the Australian…
Using the State Budget as a media shield, the South Australian Branch of the Labor Party will today execute one of their own, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said today. First-term Senator Linda Kirk is set to lose her endorsement in favour of factional and union boss Don Farrell at a preselection being cynically…
Waste management will be the subject of a parliamentary inquiry, after the Senate passed a motion moved by Senator Simon Birmingham this morning. The move comes as the federal and state governments claim to be working towards a phase-out of single-use plastic bags by 2009, but with the Rudd Government flip flopping on…
Unions have given further indications they expect to get their way if a Rudd Labor Government is elected, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It follows Kevin Rudd failing to stand up to the unions, allowing Right faction powerbroker and union heavyweight Don Farrell to be pre-selected on Thursday at first spot on the…
The Communications Minister must heed the concerns of regional consumers in South Australia and elsewhere and put on hold Telstra’s planned CDMA network switch off, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. “Poor network coverage, conflicting advice from Telstra on handsets and poor levels of service are all among concerns related to me by South…
A Federal Labor MP’s attempts to claim credit for driving a water plan being held up by the Rann Government were laughable, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. In his latest newsletter, Labor MP Steve Georganas says he “…has ignited State Government interest in a water plan that would provide as much as…
Senator Simon Birmingham today called for ongoing monitoring of the impact on rural and regional Australians of Telstra switching off its CDMA mobile phone network later this month. It follows today’s decision by the Communications Minister to allow closure of the network on 28 April, on the basis that Telstra had met the…