Kevin Rudd needs to urgently set a date for a meeting with the states on saving the Murray-Darling Basin, Senator Simon Birmingham said today Senator Birmingham said with the Murray-Darling left off of this week’s COAG meeting agenda, Mr Rudd needs to immediately set another date to bring the states into line and…
DetailsSenator Simon Birmingham wants to hear from South Australians having difficulty with the transition from the soon to be closed CDMA mobile phone network to Telstra’s Next G network. It follows Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s decision today to push back by three months to 28 April the switch off of the CDMA network.…
DetailsOn the first anniversary of the ambitious $10 billion plan to take national control of the Murray-Darling Basin, Senator Simon Birmingham has called on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to get on with the job of resolving the management of the Murray before it’s too late. Senator Birmingham said the stubborn and recalcitrant approach…
DetailsToday’s announcement of a new water sharing deal for the River Murray further highlights the lack of progress in achieving long term solutions for the Murray-Darling Basin. Senator Simon Birmingham said that long term progress on the National Plan for Water Security, launched more than a year ago and blocked by Victoria’s Labor…
DetailsSenator Simon Birmingham today called on Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to publicly confirm he will not unnecessarily delay signing off on a business plan to deliver a new high speed wireless broadband network to rural Australia. Optus and Elders joint venture OPEL’s business plan for building its wholesale broadband network in regional and…
DetailsSenator Simon Birmingham has called on the Member for Wakefield, Nick Champion, to speak for himself and not try to put words into the mouths of others. Responding to a press release issued by Mr Champion, Senator Birmingham said that Mr Champion needed to be careful his party’s industrial relations reforms don’t sell…
DetailsA truly independent panel must be appointed to select future Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Board members, Senator Simon Birmingham today. A so-called “independent panel” is planned to provide Communications Minister Stephen Conroy with a shortlist for board vacancies as part of Labor’s election policies, a scheme similar to the BBC’s board appointment process.…
DetailsSenator Simon Birmingham today expressed disappointment at revelations the Rudd Labor Government had broken election commitments in relation to the National Plan for Water Security to the tune of at least $85 million. Water Minister Penny Wong today told a Senate Additional Estimates committee that despite an election commitment to bring forward to…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsRevelations in Senate Estimates show that Youth Minister Kate Ellis is at odds with her Department in no less than three areas over the review into voluntary student unionism. Senator Simon Birmingham said Ms Ellis and officials today contradicted each other on: 1. the timing of when the report into VSU was provided…
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