Extract from The Guardian
The ABC has remained steadfast in its decision to scrap the shortwave
radio service, despite pleadings from federal Labor politicians in a
meeting with the managing director, Michelle Guthrie.
Federal senator and cabinet minister Nigel Scullion has joined the calls for ABC to reverse its “city-centric” decision and maintain the service.
Shortly before Christmas the ABC announced it would cease transmitting through the shortwave radio service across the Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, and parts of the Pacific, where people often can’t pick up AM or FM stations.
The decision came as a shock to many, particularly outback residents and workers, who claimed there was no consultation carried out and no consideration of the technological and emotional impact it would have on people for whom shortwave was their only connection to the outside world.
NT Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Northern Territory MP Warren Snowdon have vocally lobbied against the decision over the past few weeks.
On Wednesday McCarthy and the acting shadow communications minister, Mark Dreyfus, met with Guthrie, and McCarthy told Guardian Australia there was no change in the ABC’s plans.
“It was certainly a good meeting in terms of being able to thrash out the concerns of the people of the Northern Territory and stakeholders, but in terms of the outcome, it certainly wasn’t a positive outcome,” she said. “The ABC has disappointingly continued to forget about the people of the Northern Territory and those concerns.
“They’re still going ahead with the decision to remove the shortwave at the end of the month due to contractual issues. Michelle Guthrie is keen to come to the Northern Territory but clearly not until after the removal of shortwave.”
McCarthy would not detail what the “contractual issues” were, and referred questions to the ABC, but said: “the board has made the decision based on that, in terms of their financial situation”.
The ABC has been contacted with questions.
McCarthy said it was apparent Guthrie had not received appropriate community consultation.
“What I pointed out was that it was incredibly disappointing that the ABC hadn’t followed due process, and had failed to alert the people of the NT in a responsible and fair manner.”
The ABC has said listeners will be able to receive the local broadcast through other technologies such as AM/FM radio, online streaming, and satellite TV. However a number of remote workers and residents have said that doesn’t help when they are on the move all day, something McCarthy said she didn’t think those in the ABC meeting realised.
“For people who live on cattle stations, for truckies, for fishermen and women who have to work on the sea, there was really no deep comprehension of the serious and profound impact this will have,” she said.
The Country Liberal senator for the Northern Territory, Nigel Scullion, said he was “deeply concerned” about the decision, which he said the ABC made by itself with no input from the Coalition government.
“I have written to the ABC’s board asking it to reconsider its decision and have spoken to senior management in strong terms to express my concerns about the lack of consultation undertaken by the ABC in the NT before making this decision, and the implications it has for Territorians in emergency situations,” he told Guardian Australia.
Scullion said he shared concerns expressed about the “serious implications for the safety and emotional wellbeing of people living and working in remote parts of the territory” if the service was scrapped at the end of the month.
“There is still time for the Sydney-based city-centric ABC to reverse this decision that was made without proper regard for the impact on remote Territorians.”
McCarthy welcomed Scullion’s support, and called for him to urge cabinet to specifically reinvest in the shortwave service.
The ABC has not responded to repeated requests for comment, but pointed Guardian Australia back to its original media release.
Federal senator and cabinet minister Nigel Scullion has joined the calls for ABC to reverse its “city-centric” decision and maintain the service.
Shortly before Christmas the ABC announced it would cease transmitting through the shortwave radio service across the Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, and parts of the Pacific, where people often can’t pick up AM or FM stations.
The decision came as a shock to many, particularly outback residents and workers, who claimed there was no consultation carried out and no consideration of the technological and emotional impact it would have on people for whom shortwave was their only connection to the outside world.
NT Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Northern Territory MP Warren Snowdon have vocally lobbied against the decision over the past few weeks.
On Wednesday McCarthy and the acting shadow communications minister, Mark Dreyfus, met with Guthrie, and McCarthy told Guardian Australia there was no change in the ABC’s plans.
“It was certainly a good meeting in terms of being able to thrash out the concerns of the people of the Northern Territory and stakeholders, but in terms of the outcome, it certainly wasn’t a positive outcome,” she said. “The ABC has disappointingly continued to forget about the people of the Northern Territory and those concerns.
“They’re still going ahead with the decision to remove the shortwave at the end of the month due to contractual issues. Michelle Guthrie is keen to come to the Northern Territory but clearly not until after the removal of shortwave.”
McCarthy would not detail what the “contractual issues” were, and referred questions to the ABC, but said: “the board has made the decision based on that, in terms of their financial situation”.
The ABC has been contacted with questions.
McCarthy said it was apparent Guthrie had not received appropriate community consultation.
“What I pointed out was that it was incredibly disappointing that the ABC hadn’t followed due process, and had failed to alert the people of the NT in a responsible and fair manner.”
The ABC has said listeners will be able to receive the local broadcast through other technologies such as AM/FM radio, online streaming, and satellite TV. However a number of remote workers and residents have said that doesn’t help when they are on the move all day, something McCarthy said she didn’t think those in the ABC meeting realised.
“For people who live on cattle stations, for truckies, for fishermen and women who have to work on the sea, there was really no deep comprehension of the serious and profound impact this will have,” she said.
The Country Liberal senator for the Northern Territory, Nigel Scullion, said he was “deeply concerned” about the decision, which he said the ABC made by itself with no input from the Coalition government.
“I have written to the ABC’s board asking it to reconsider its decision and have spoken to senior management in strong terms to express my concerns about the lack of consultation undertaken by the ABC in the NT before making this decision, and the implications it has for Territorians in emergency situations,” he told Guardian Australia.
Scullion said he shared concerns expressed about the “serious implications for the safety and emotional wellbeing of people living and working in remote parts of the territory” if the service was scrapped at the end of the month.
“There is still time for the Sydney-based city-centric ABC to reverse this decision that was made without proper regard for the impact on remote Territorians.”
McCarthy welcomed Scullion’s support, and called for him to urge cabinet to specifically reinvest in the shortwave service.
The ABC has not responded to repeated requests for comment, but pointed Guardian Australia back to its original media release.
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