Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion moved by the member for Mallee regarding telecommunications. I couldn't agree more with the member; communication remains essential to rural and regional communities. For too many electorates such as mine, the digital revolution has been less of a revolution and more of a passive-aggressive email—at least, it would be if email were available. The lack of mobile and internet coverage across regional and remote communities is stymieing opportunity, creating negative health outcomes, making education harder to deliver and creating a safety issue on remote roads and for women fleeing DV scenarios. In too many communities, the second you are 800 metres out of town, the coverage drops out. In the trips I take up the cape, I know when I'm approaching town again as my phone starts pinging. Whilst I personally enjoy a few hours of solitude as I drive through my electorate, my enjoyment does not outweigh other people's safety or opportunity.

These problems are not new. Connectivity has always been an issue for Leichhardt. In fact, 97 per cent of the electorate of Leichhardt is without coverage. The cape is one of the great bucket list experiences traversed by tens of thousands of grey nomads yearly, and there is no mobile connection for them to call for help should something happen halfway between Coen and Weipa. There are a lot of very big animals on that road, especially at dawn and dusk, and, frankly, they are pretty cocky and do not necessarily yield to cars. A couple of years ago, I was caught on the wrong side of the river as the monsoon set in, with no coverage and not enough fuel to get back where I came from. With no coverage, I couldn't call for help. The road behind me was already cut off, so nobody was coming. I had to make some decisions that day that I would prefer not to have to make again.

Even between Cairns and Babinda, Cairns and Mareeba or Cairns and Port Douglas, reception drops out in certain places. These are major communities all within an hour of the 15th largest city in the country. Country people know where the coverage ends almost to the exact bend on the road. For too long, people from the bush have been forced to accept substandard reception with no choice of providers. I used to actually enjoy it when, in a past life, my managers would join me on some cape trips and their phones would stop working because they were with the wrong telco that had no footprint in the Torres Strait or the cape.

For all the complaints about Labor not caring about the regions, I do feel obliged to remind the member and all those opposite that we are taking action to improve communication access. Those opposite had 10 years to act and delivered very little, but Labor has been working since day one of government to help regional areas. While the coalition put connectivity for regional areas into the too-hard basket, those of us in government know the hard work must be done to help connect regional Australia. They beat about the bush, but when the time comes to actually take a stand, nothing happens. I guess we could take a look at the mess of the NBN to know they are either unwilling or unable to improve connectivity. A decade—that's how long they had to get this done. My daughter Sienna was five when they came to power, and now she's driving and about to finish high school. It's like a song stuck on repeat. Of course the regions matter. But you would think, instead of just saying it over and over again, those opposite would rather take action and actually get help to the regions. You bet I'll be working to deliver better connectivity to my region.

In fact, in one term and three months of the Albanese government, Labor has delivered more than those 10 years did. There is free community wi-fi in Pormpuraaw, Kowanyama and Hope Vale, improving education and health outcomes. The macro base cell station at Kuranda is being built right now. I was very proud to become part of an Albanese Labor government which, prior to the last election, committed to bringing coverage to all of Leichhardt. Not bits; not just the towns—all. And that's not to mention the millions invested in black-spot funding, improving the NBN or better protecting phone and internet customers. Children living in the bush have the same right to education, health, security and safety—and this is what connectivity can bring.

You'd think that's what those opposite might want to focus on, but instead they're intent on driving us straight towards a climate crisis with more expensive power and fewer regional jobs. The former member for Leichhardt was a warrior for his, and now, my electorate. He was repaid with indifference from the leadership of the LNP, as opportunity after opportunity slipped us by, and they took the regions for granted. But not us—we will meet the problem where it lies, invest in these communities and give them a chance to thrive. Communication in the bush has always been a challenge, but it appears only one side wants to act on it.

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