Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the coalition government's $385 million Mobile Black Spot Program, which is delivering improved mobile coverage for residents in the electorate of Macquarie—indeed, across the entire nation. Last year, four mobile black spot locations in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains were announced as being successful under round 1 of the program: Colo Heights, Kurrajong, Mount Tomah and Webbs Creek. The total package for the electorate was $3.45 million.

I am excited to announce that the first of these for mobile black spot towers, in Colo Heights, has been switched on and residents have already noticed a significant improvement in coverage. I received a phone call last week from Colo Heights resident Cathy Jones, who spoke about the benefits of the tower and thanked me for advocating for it. Ms Jones said that before the tower was switched on she would only receive one bar of service on her mobile phone and would often have to climb a steep hill. Now Ms Jones has four bars regardless of where she is in the house and has also noticed an improvement in her wireless internet coverage, for which she no longer needs an external antenna. That is great news. Ms Jones mentioned that she spoke with a resident on the same road who lives on 100 acres and now has improved coverage that extends well beyond a pine plantation on his property. While benefitting residents in their homes and on their properties, the mobile tower at Colo Heights will also play a huge role in providing coverage for motorists along both the Putty Road and Bells Line of Road, which are major transport routes. In previous years, lives have been lost as a result of there being no mobile communication, sadly. The second of the towers, at Kurrajong, is due to be switched on at the end of this year.

This government understands the importance of mobile coverage in regional and remote areas of Australia. The electorate of Macquarie is important in the history of the Mobile Black Spot Program, as it was here, along the Putty Road at Colo Heights during the 2013 federal election, that the commitment was announced. The Mobile Black Spot Program will improve mobile coverage along major transport routes in small communities in locations prone to experiencing natural disasters, as my community is. With the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains being a disaster prone area with long stretches of road, the announcement of the program has been a welcome relief for many families and individuals.

I would also like to thank the community for working alongside me, particularly the Rural Fire Service in both the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains, Mount Wilson Progress Association, and of course I could not go without mentioning Clint Jones, a duck farmer who fought alongside me for this mobile coverage. I will continue to advocate further communication needs across the electorate. These towers will provide new, upgraded coverage to some 3,000 mobile black spots across Australia as nominated by the public. That of course was from round 1. (Time expired)