Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) | Hansard source

I will ignore the interjections! No doubt they were excellent applications—not just by the Independent member for Indi, who is also a good friend of mine.

The member for Wide Bay sits behind me too. He, as much as anybody, understands the importance of good communications not just because of his advocacy for his electorate but because his electorate takes in Noosa. That's important. The number of visitors who go there each summer is incredible. As a former police officer, he would well understand the importance of good communications and good mobile phone technology in a time of emergency and crisis.

This bill is something that the Minister for Communications promised would be in the House by the end of 2022. It is now 2024. I get the fact that she is busy. I understand the fact that this is largely an uncontroversial bill. But I do impress upon the minister—and she understands this because she not only is the communications minister but also communicate with other members—the importance of continuing the investment in regional Australia. This is not just for regional Australia and rural Australia but for remote Australia. I know we went through a complete referendum process last year for a voice to parliament. I'll tell you what's more important than a voice to parliament in remote communities in, particularly, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. I'll throw in South Australia, western New South Wales and even Queensland. Why stop there? What's important is getting Aboriginal communities to be able to have a voice on the phone that can be heard because there's technology there and they can be connected to the outside world. If ever there was importance for a voice for those communities, it's through mobile phone technology.

The bill is important. The bill is supported. Again, I'm pleased that the minister has seen fit to come in and listen to the contributions. That's not always done by government ministers. I know this minister has knowledge across the brief, and I appreciate her for that. I appreciate the work that she is doing. Again, it's so important that regional Australia is front and centre of absolutely anything to do with communications, because regional Australia is where the action in the economy is.

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