COMMUNICATIONS Minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised Member for Hume Angus Taylor for his strong advocacy to fix mobile phone blackspots in and around the electorate.
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Minister Turnbull congratulated Mr Taylor on being a “very powerful advocate for fixing mobile phone black spots.”
Responding to a question from Mr Taylor on March 25, Mr Turnbull said there were a total of 139 nominations from Hume to the Government’s call for submissions last year on mobile black spots.
A total of 1822 nominations of blackspots were received from across NSW. Approximately 6000 were received across Australia.
“For the people of Hume - improved mobile coverage means farmers can sell their crops on the futures markets while sitting on the tractor; it means a quicker response to car accidents or bushfires; tourism operators can attract more guests; children can research school assignments online or adults can study at university online; and people don’t miss out on business or social calls or texts,” Minister Turnbull said.
“And yet under Labor, not a single dollar was spent in six years by the federal government to improve mobile coverage in the bush.
“Now the big development that has occurred just last weekend was that the Baird Liberal National government of New South Wales has committed another $25 million to go together with the $100 million committed by the Abbott Liberal National government to fix blackspots.
“So, that $25 million will obviously be devoted to New South Wales where there are a nominated 1822 mobile phone blackspots.
“In terms of the work that we are doing in the honourable member’s electorate of Hume with the NBN, that too is moving apace.
“The fixed wireless network has already covered 3,600 premises in his electorate, with towers being activated in Cowra, Monteagle, Mt Weedallion, Murringo and around Young.
“Work is beginning on more fixed wireless towers covering an additional 1,500 premises over the next 18 months and another 27,000 where work in the towns will begin on the fixed line deployment. So we’re working on both fronts.
“We’re getting the NBN built sooner, cheaper and more affordably but we are also addressing the single biggest concern in rural and regional Australia which is mobile phone blackspots.”
Mr Taylor thanked the Minister for his comments and said he looked forward to hearing news in coming months about proposed locations for new mobile phone towers in blackspots in Hume.
