Brett Whiteley (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Inadequate mobile phone coverage remains a significant issue for Australians living, working and travelling in regional and remote areas of the country, particularly in the electorate of Braddon. That is why at the 2013 election, after seven years of inaction by the previous Labor government, the coalition committed $100 million for a mobile phone black spot program. Under this program, local communities around the country may be nominated for funding to assist telecommunications companies to provide mobile phone coverage in their area.

One community seeking such assistance under this program is Sisters Beach. I have spoken about the importance of mobile phone coverage to the Sisters Beach community previously in this House. In that speech I highlighted that Sisters Beach is located inside a national park with just one road in and one road out. That presents serious safety issues for both residents and emergency services, particularly in the bushfire season. The area is also a popular tourist destination, with many thousands of visitors each summer. Since that speech, residents and visitors of Sisters Beach have again signalled their support for mobile phone coverage by signing a petition seeking funding under the program. This petition is certified as meeting the requirements of the Petitions Committee, and in a moment I will table the petition. One hundred and sixty-six people signed the petition. This is a tremendous sign of local community support for Sisters Beach to be included in the coalition's $100 million mobile phone program. I commend Jono Vincent and the Sisters Beach Community Association for initiating and promoting this petition.

But mobile coverage difficulties do not stop with Sisters Beach. Since the election, I have been contacted by people throughout the electorate, seeking information about how their communities can be considered in the program. I have been contacted via Facebook by residents along the west coast, whose mobile phones drop in and out of range. I have been contacted via email from people in the centre of Devonport, who have reported similar problems. When people visit my office, they regularly say, 'I can't leave you my mobile number because I don't get a signal at home.'

During a recent visit to Braddon, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, Paul Fletcher, visited not only Sisters Beach but also Gunns Plains. Gunns Plains, equally, has a capacity to draw thousands of people each year to its area, to both its caves and the Wings Wildlife Park.

I look forward to continuing to promote these areas for Black Spot Programme funding. I understand that the process will continue to roll on in the years ahead. I look forward to representing my electorate in these areas. I now table the petition.

The petition read as follows

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of residents and visitors of Sisters Beach on the North-West Coast of Tasmania draws to the attention of the House, the lack of mobile phone coverage at Sisters Beach and the risk this poses to residents and visitors during the fire season and in case of emergency.

We therefore ask the House to consider allocating funding under the Liberal Coalition's $100 million Mobile Phone Black Spot funding program to the Sisters Beach community to ensure all residents and visitors have access to essential services.

from 166 citizens

Petition received.