Ross Hart (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to tell you about the opening of the Blue Tier extension to the mountain bike trails in north-east Tasmania, trails which straddle the electorates of Bass and Lyons and will host a leg of the mountain bike Enduro World Series in April 2017. It is a credit to cooperation between Dorset and Break O'Day municipalities and successive governments Labor and Liberal that these world-class trails have been delivered, creating a different Tasmanian tourism experience. This trail event will bring thousands of riders, families and spectators to the area over several days and will be broadcast to the world.

While it was fantastic to attend the launch on 7 October, it was difficult to share the excitement of that event because of the absence of mobile phone and internet coverage in the area. The Weldborough and Derby areas rely entirely on basic phone lines and satellite internet for their communications services, with patchy mobile coverage at best from one operator. Whilst the organisers may enjoy specific improvements for the event, it is highly unlikely that the coalition government's Mobile Black Spot Program or National Broadband Network fixed wireless rollout will provide improved services to the wider area in time for the event next year. This means that participants and spectators will be unable to share their positive experiences of Tasmania with the world, let alone emergency calls. Adequate and competitive telco services are not just a luxury but a necessity, particularly in tourist hotspots and especially when celebrating world-class events like this.

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