Illawarra MP Stephen Jones has retained his spot as Labor's regional communications spokesman, following the weekend’s shadow cabinet reshuffle.
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Mr Jones also added the regional services, territories and local government portfolio to his list of responsibilities – with emphasis to be placed on closing the inequality gap between major cities and the regions.
The Member for Whitlam said living in the Illawarra meant he understood the importance of boosting the services available to regional communities.
The rollout of the NBN, mobile phone black spots and keeping regional media voices in Australia, via a “fit for the future” remodel of broadcasting regulations, were among the MP’s top communications priorities.
Mr Jones said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull “doesn’t understand the needs of regional communities” and the Parliament needed to deal with the big challenges they face.
Boosting economic growth and addressing high youth unemployment and a lack of infrastructure were among the challenges, he said.
The regional services, territories and local government position carries with it a policy and funding responsibility and covers areas such as the government’s National Stronger Regions Fund and RDA Illawarra.
“Commonwealth government’s a significant funder of local governments and the Commonwealth has cut back through the financial assistance grants,” he said.
“That’s a live issue, obviously forced mergers is also a live issue in NSW.” Asked about federal Labor’s stance on council amalgamations, Mr Jones said the party was “not opposed to rational changes to local government”.
“But you’ve got to be able to bring the community along and you’ve got to get the arrangements in place that are right, not only at a political level but, importantly, at the administrative level,” he said.
“I don't think the Baird government’s done that in NSW.”
Mr Jones will spend the next few weeks getting his head around the new role.
“I can be very certain that a focus will be looking at inequality that exists between the regions and the major cities, particularly when it comes to accessing government services,” he said.
As revealed on Friday, Cunningham MP Sharon Bird is out of the shadow ministry after she chose not to contest a ballot of Labor's NSW Right faction in Canberra.
Ms Bird had been Labor's vocational education spokeswoman – a position re-branded TAFE and vocational education in Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s weekend reshuffle and given to the Member for Adelaide, Kate Ellis.