The CRA Board was at Parliament House on Wednesday night to remind Canberra of the importance and influence of commercial radio. 
 
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten addressed the group. 
 
With Senator Fifield revealing he’d wanted to work in commercial radio as his first career choice and spent some time with 2UE when he finished University and thought it was great, but John Conde told him: “young man don’t go into radio, do something useful with your life.”
 
Broadcaster Ray Hadley was the evening’s host and at one stage was gently heckled by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie asking him to hurry up so she could get a selfie with him.
 
Hadley reportedly replied with “Pipe down, love, you can get your photo later”.
 
To which she replied “I am not a love, I’m a Senator”.
 
At the event Communications Minister Fifield mentioned that he has given to go ahead to ACMA to begin considering AM to FM conversions in some regional markets, a strange development given that, on the same day, the superior transmission technology digital radio, moved a step closer to beign introduced in regional areas, with the Second Reading of the Digital Radio Amendment Bill progressing through the Senate.

There was also an ABC Showcase on the same night at Parliament House, some guests had attended both.  Bill Shorten quipped that he had ONLY gone to the commercial radio event.
 
The community radio sector has also been in Canberra this week meeting with MPs to lobby for digital radio progress and for sector funding. 
 
By the way Senator McKenzie got her selfie.