FARM groups have welcomed the Coalition government’s announcement of round two of the mobile blackspots program saying it can help to curb the digital divide between urban and rural telecommunications users.
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The $60 million second round of the program will see 1400 black spots around Australia addressed through 266 new base stations, the government says.
However, Labor Shadow Regional Communications Minister Stephen Jones has accused the government of politicising the program and going slow in building and delivering new mobile towers.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and Regional Communications Minister Fiona Nash announced the new funding round last week in Canberra.
Mr Turnbull said when the Coalition first came into government in 2013, it committed to fixing mobile black spots around Australia, with the first round of the program seeing 499 new base stations committed around Australia.
He said the $60m second round would see $220m of government money committed to addressing 1400 black spots with 266 new base stations.
“Our $60m of government money is leveraging $213m in total from the telecommunication companies,” he said.
“So this is a great win for regional and rural Australia and it is ensuring that all Australians have access to good mobile reception.”
Senator Nash said the Coalition wanted to help build strong and sustainable rural and regional communities “so that our children and our grandchildren either want to stay in those communities or come back to those communities”.
“When we invest in regional communities, it gives them confidence and it’s that confidence that allows them to be strong into the future,” she said.
“I am so proud to be part of a Coalition that is delivering this greater mobile phone coverage - $60 million under round two.
“We are seeing 266 new base stations; we are seeing new and improved mobile phone coverage for 6300 homes and businesses and across 17,700 square kilometres of regional Australia.
“We are seeing mobile phone coverage for 1900 kilometres of the major road routes and we are delivering 1400 black spots fixed under this Coalition government.
“Under Labor they fixed none.”
Senator Fifield said rounds one and two of the program would see 765 new or upgraded mobile base stations built nation-wide to address 4400 mobile black spots while 32,000 homes and businesses would have coverage of about 86,000 square kilometres.
“In terms of the dollars, $160m of Commonwealth investment will be leveraged to about $620m in total when you take into account the state government contributions, local government contributions, community contributions and also those from the telco’s themselves,” he said.
“This is important for businesses and it is important for their customers – it is important also for natural disasters and in times of emergencies.
“This is a terrific program, good news for regional Australia and it is just in absolute stark contrast to our predecessors who over six years did not spend a single dollar on mobile black spot coverage.”
The spread of new and upgraded base stations in round two includes; NSW (39), Victoria (32), Queensland (76), WA (78), SA (20), Tasmania (6) and NT (15).
The Coalition government claimed it had covered 4400 mobile black spots under the program, 765 phone towers and 86,300kms of new handheld coverage compared to zero for the Opposition, in each category.
Mr Jones said Labor fully supported the program to improve mobile phone coverage in regional Australia.
But he said the Turnbull government was failing to deliver on its promises with just 28 out of 499 base stations from round one, in operation, more than a year after being announced.
He said the Turnbull government was shown to be playing politics in round one of the program with 80pc of funded base stations located in Liberal and Nationals electorates.
“Sadly this has continued under the second round of funding announced today with only 11pc of funded base stations going to Labor electorates,” he said.
Mr Jones highlighted a report by the Australian National Audit Office released in September this year that said criteria used to assess the merits of proposed base stations did not sufficiently target funding toward the expansion of coverage where none previously existed.
“In government Labor sought to address some of the mobile blackspots issues through the rollout of the NBN, which would enable the co-location of equipment on newly installed infrastructure,” he said.
“This would have been a more cost-effective approach that would have delivered greater competition in regional Australia and a faster deployment of mobile services.
“We must do more to help regional communities when it comes to mobile black spots; this is infrastructure that people rely on.”
The National Farmers Federation President Fiona Simson said her group backed the mobile blackspots program given that many members continued to endure a lack of mobile network coverage, or no coverage at all.
Ms Simson said the announcement by the Coalition last week was a positive step to improve the situation and “one that we sincerely welcome”.
She said it came after the NFF announced also last week that it had joined with other like-minded advocacy groups to end the data drought by forming the Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition.
“The mobile blackspots program represents the type of co-investment model that is needed to further mobile coverage in the bush,” she said while urging a commitment beyond the $60 round three of the program.
“Our members include some of the most innovative businesses and individuals in Australia.
“Yet we remain locked out of future economic growth and prosperity through the digital divide which is undermining Australia’s productivity.
“Without leadership and change, Australia risks growing and entrenching the digital divide between urban and rural telecommunications users.
“We risk undermining the opportunities presented by digital innovation to the farming community and rural Australia as a whole.”
Independent Victorian regional MP Cathy McGowan also welcomed the announcement saying effective telecommunications lobbying had led to “another great result” for mobile phone black spots in her Indi electorate, with eight more base stations in round two taking the total to 38.
“While this is a welcome announcement, there is still work to be done,” she said.
“There will be continued lobbying to the government for commitment to further mobile blackspot funding and improvements to digital equity through nbn.”