George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Wang, the government has announced, as I am sure you are aware, that in rolling out the NBN there will be 499 communications towers erected across Australia in coming years to cover black spots.

I am advised by Senator Fifield, who has, as you know, portfolio responsibility for this matter, that several of those towers will be in the Esperance region. When those towers are erected, they will address the problem of mobile coverage in that area, which among all the other beneficial effects, Senator Wang, will of course be of utility in bushfires situations to enable people to communicate telephonically with each other in circumstances where, perhaps at the moment, they are not able to do so.