Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hughes for that question and for her commitment to everybody in rural and regional Australia and particularly in New South Wales. The Morrison-McCormack government remains absolutely committed to improving mobile phone coverage in rural and regional areas of Australia. Mobile phone coverage, as those on this side of the chamber absolutely get, is vital to people living, working and also travelling across regional and remote Australia. That's why this government has committed $380 million in our Mobile Black Spot Program. The first five rounds of the program have generated in private, government and community investment, $836 million, which is funded over 1,200 mobile base stations right across our nation. Of that, over 880 of these base stations have been activated, delivering real benefits now to regional and rural communities right across our nation. Today, there are 580 Telstra base stations that have enabled over 44,000 triple 0 emergency calls.

The next round of the Mobile Black Spot Program is focused on testing different program designs to expand and also to improve regional and remote coverage. Our record stands in the starkest possible contrast to the record of those opposite who did not build a single black spot tower in their six years in government. Only a Morrison and McCormack government can deliver improved connectivity for regional and rural Australians.