Filling the portfolio responsibilities of former leader Michael McCormack last week, Barnaby Joyce has taken on Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development which includes being the senior minister to Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher. In regional communications, Mark Coulton has been dumped for Senator Bridget McKenzie, who takes on a title of Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education and as Minister for Drought and Emergency Management. “She will have a clear focus on service delivery in regional Australia and be responsible for the continued work developing Australia’s disaster management capability,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at the weekend. McKenzie, a Joyce backer, left the ministry after the sports rorts affair, which involved community sporting grants being granted due to being in marginal electorates, rather than being assessed as needed. In a statement after being dropped and having his pay packet diminished, Coulton said he was “eternally grateful to Michael for bestowing upon me the honour of being a minister”. “The bespoke modern broadband projects we’re delivering through the Regional Connectivity Program will set many small towns and villages in good stead, enabling people in those communities to grow their business, access education and importantly connect with family and friends,” Coulton said. “More than 1,220 areas across the country will or already have a new phone tower as a result of our Mobile Black Spot Program to keep them better connected.”

NBN invites all governments to participate in AU$300m regional co-investment fundBudget 2021: Regional Connectivity Program gets second round and extra AU$130m potGovernment picks 81 regional sites to fund through AU$90 million programTelstra puts AU$200m over four years aside for regional co-investmentNSW government dedicates AU$28m to assist with bushfire technology research