Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'll address the member for Barker's comments there. As the chair of Tasmania's black spot panel, I take a particular interest in road safety, and I'm quite dismayed, quite frankly, to see this issue being politicised by the member for Barker. The road safety national strategy draft form was released after two years under the former government when we came to government, and to see it being used in this partisan manner by the member for Barker is really beyond words.

In my electorate of Lyons, as in rural and regional electorates across Australia, one of the biggest issues facing communities is access to affordable and reliable internet and telecommunications. Since the election, the Albanese government has been getting on with the job of improving telecommunications across Lyons. Last year a dedicated round of Mobile Black Spot Program funding invested $40 million into addressing known mobile communications issues at 54 target locations, including Sheffield, Ansons Bay and Tea Tree. More recently, I was very pleased to announce the completion of new macro cell base stations in Murdunna and Pyengana, providing new and improved mobile coverage to these communities and surrounding areas. These stations will deliver safety and social benefits to those living in, working in and travelling through the regions and will enhance protections during emergencies and natural disasters.

The growing use of video streaming and more people working and studying than ever before means access to fast reliable and affordable broadband has never been more important. Indeed, the former Rudd government understood the importance to regional Australia because the original NBN plan, before it was busted up by the Morrison-Abbott-Turnbull governments, had a focus on regional Australia. That's why we put the NBN first—fibre to the home, fibre to the premises—across regional communities. The Liberals came to power 2013, tore that up, focused on the cities instead, left the regions behind and grew the digital divide.

Since we have come back to government, we are intent, under the Minister for Communications, on fixing this. The Albanese government is committed to improving the NBN to give Australians access to 21st century communications infrastructure, no matter where they live. We are investing $2.4 billion to expand full-fibre NBN to an additional 1.5 million premises; 660,000 of them are in regional areas. That is in addition to our $480 million grant to upgrade the fixed wireless network, to upgrade the Liberals and Nationals' promise never delivered. I see the minister for regional Australia here nodding her head. She, too, like me, is a regional MP who understands the importance of regional communications. Across the NBN—satellite, fixed-line and fixed-wireless networks—our government is delivering for the millions of Australians who live outside capitals, including the 7,500 households in Lyons, using satellite broadband, many of whom now have access to uncapped satellite broadband. They can contact the NBN for information on that. My question to the minister on the matter is: Please outline how the government's $480 million investment to upgrade NBN fixed wireless services will improve connectivity in regional areas.

Just before I finish, from the arts section of the megaportfolio, I was pleased to see on the weekend the Bay of Fires Winter Festival. It was held on the East Coast, up in the north-east. A major prize winner was Robyn Harman for Grummet Island. Many thanks to the volunteers, sponsors, partners, including Break O'Day Council, for that festival. This goes of course to the importance of regional arts under the Australian government's Revive program.

The people's choice award went to Jan Clement—congratulations, Jan, for Time Stands Still. The major prize people's choice award went to Britt Fazey. Anita Denholm created the wonderful Gazing Out Across the Track of Time and Tides or better known as the Lady of the Bay sculpture, which now takes pride of place on Georges Bay on the multi-user track up there in St Helens. This just goes to the strength of regional arts across my electorate—the East Coast, Northern Midlands, the Deloraine Crafts Fair, the South-East Arts community, Spring Bay down there in Orford and Triabunna. In the Southern Midlands, I will hand back an art work and they will get a new one on their rent scheme. They are looking forward to that in a few weeks. Plus there is a great live music culture. My question is just how important are regional arts to Revive?

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