Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to raise issues facing the tiny community of Windy Harbour, in my electorate of Forrest. Windy Harbour is a holiday settlement situated on just 190 hectares of crown reserve land, surrounded by the D’Entrecasteaux National Park, and it is located on the extreme south coast of Western Australia. Approximately 220 cottages have been developed on individual leases since the early 1900s. Leasehold tenure, seasonal occupation, a strong community spirit and social ties have generated a settlement of unique character.

Fishing has always been and still is a major recreational activity at Windy Harbour and is one of the principal reasons for the establishment of the settlement. The settlement is the only two-wheel drive access to the south coast between Augusta and Walpole and it provides visitors with spectacular scenery and safe harbour on the rugged coastline as well as rewarding fishing. However, the Southern Ocean provides not only some wonderful fishing for the thousands of visitors each year but also some treacherous waters. Community volunteers provide a critical sea rescue service. However, this lifesaving service is compromised by the lack of mobile phone coverage. There is a Telstra tower in the settlement providing limited landlines but no mobile coverage. Sea rescue emergencies are dependent on good communications. There is one land based public phone, but it is out of action for up to 40 per cent of the time. It has no door and it is subject to wind and salt damage. It takes cards and coins but often will take neither cards nor coins, as it is often not working. It is a highly unreliable source of communications.

The Windy Harbour Sea Rescue Group have sent a letter to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy, but have had no response on this issue. The group have a very simple request. They really need the provision of funding for the upgrading of the Telstra tower that is close by, to provide lifesaving mobile coverage for the sea rescue group, the community and thousands of visitors. The sea rescue group do not want a tragedy to force action on this issue. Let us face it: those thousands of visitors do not understand local conditions in all weathers. So we need a program under the government that will provide funding for the upgrade. I call on the minister to respond to the Windy Harbour Sea Rescue Group immediately and to provide the necessary funding to upgrade the Telstra tower for mobile coverage.