Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister, Senator McKenzie. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Liberals and the Nationals in government are delivering for regional Australia to provide confidence for small business and families for a stronger future in 2022?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Davey, for your question and your strong advocacy for the regions. The Liberal and National government are the only government that can deliver for regional Australia, because, after all, we're the most in touch with the millions of Australians who actually live and work in these beautiful parts of our nation. Many of us from both the Liberal Party and the Nationals actually live and raise our families in these regions—not, I must say, the Greens, who do their very best every single day in this place to shut down sustainable, best-practice rural industries like forestry, or the Labor Party, who continually turn their backs on blue-collar workers who are slogging it out in our mining, resources and manufacturing industries. It is the Liberals and Nationals who have the track record of delivering for regional Australia, and we'll continue to do so.

Based on the current and previous investments that our government have made, we'll be providing over $100 billion to the regions to 2030. Over 2021 we've delivered a multitude of programs that have supported regional Australia, in the infrastructure, telecommunications, health, education, agriculture, tourism and resources sectors. We're supporting local businesses to create jobs. More than 2½ thousand Australians have been employed in constructing the Inland Rail alone, which has seen more than 400 companies across the nation share in over $2.2 billion worth of contracts for supplying. And we haven't stopped there. We're about getting people, produce and products to where they are needed. The success of the regions that we're currently experiencing and which accelerated under COVID-19 didn't just happen. It took hard work and on-the-ground leadership. It's a direct result of the entrepreneurial spirit and drive of the local people, infrastructure investment and government policy to connect regional Australia to enable our products to reach markets across the globe. And we wouldn't have all got through this year had it not been for our farmers, truckies, doctors, nurses, community pharmacists, teachers and emergency service personnel. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Davey, a supplementary question?

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, too, acknowledge that we got through the year on the back of regional industries. What is the government doing to ensure that those living in rural and regional Australia will have access to quality 21st century telecommunications?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Davey, as part of the Liberal-National government's wider regionalisation agenda, we want to see people living and working out in the regions, especially across northern Australia. To do that, they actually have to have access to 21st century telecommunications, particularly the types of telecommunications that are taken for granted by those people living in cities. Our government wants to make that transition easy by increasing their digital experience. Connectivity helps regional businesses grow, creating jobs. It helps people in regional Australia to work remotely. It dissolves the distance.

Today I was pleased to launch the second round of the Regional Connectivity Program that supports unique, place-based connectivity solutions to the tune of $112 million—$45 million of that will also be quarantined for projects to unlock that potential of northern Australia. It was great to stand and make that announcement with a champion for northern Australia, Matt Canavan. Under round 1 of the program, we saw— (Time expired)

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are too many good things to say, Senator McKenzie! Given the high-risk weather season that is currently upon us, how is our government ensuring that telecommunications in regional and rural Australia are adequate and resilient in times of need to keep people safe and connected?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I would like to thank the thousands of first responders and volunteers who do so much for Australia and Australians at our times of need. Without them, we would be in a very, very different place. Right now, we have the floods in New South Wales. First responders have received over 5,000 calls and have assisted in over 140 rescues through this period.

We know that increased connectivity can save lives. Because of our Mobile Black Spot Program alone, which we've rolled out since coming to government, nearly 68,000 calls have been made by regional Australians to triple 0—calls that otherwise wouldn't have been able to be made. That's real evidence that we're helping save lives and livelihoods. Our government is delivering over $37 million to prevent, mitigate and manage telecommunications outages in natural disasters through our STAND program that extends the battery back-up to our Mobile Black Spot Program. Better communications for our rural and country fire service depots and evacuation centres is one way we can say thank you to our first responders. (Time expired)