I rise today to speak about an issue that affects residents right across the Redlands every day: unreliable mobile phone coverage. In an age where Australians rely on their phones for work, business, education, emergency information and staying connected with loved ones, too many people in my community still experience black spots, dropped calls and patchy service. Since being elected, I've fought to ensure that mobile coverage in my community of the Redlands is upgraded from patchy black spots to strong and secure coverage. Working with telcos has resulted in 44 local telecommunications infrastructure upgrades to the local mobile network. Those upgrades have made a real difference, and I'm proud of what has been achieved, but I'm not going to pretend that the job is done.

Whether it's residents on the Bay Islands, families in suburban neighbourhoods or local businesses trying to stay connected, there are still far too many areas where mobile service is unreliable or unavailable. For many people poor coverage is frustrating, but in an emergency it is far more serious. When Tropical Cyclone Alfred hit my community in March last year, mobile networks across the Redlands collapsed, cutting off emergency communications from people needing it most.

I regularly hear from residents who tell me they have to move around their property to find a signal, drive down the street or deal with calls dropping out altogether. Small-business owners rely on mobile connectivity to process payments, manage bookings and stay in touch with customers. Parents want confidence that they can contact their children, and elderly residents want to know that they can reach out for help when they need it. Those are not unreasonable expectations. In a modern country like Australia, people should not have to wonder whether they will have service when they need it the most. Reliable mobile coverage is no longer a luxury; it is an essential service that underpins safety, economic activity and community connection.

That's why I'm so pleased that the coalition has secured amendments to the government's universal outdoor mobile obligation legislation to ensure that the ACCC examines domestic mobile roaming alongside new mobile network reliability standards and legislated temporary disaster roaming arrangements. These are practical measures that could make a real difference to telecommunications outcomes across regional Australia and on our urban fringe.

For communities like the Redlands, reliability matters. During severe weather, natural disasters or other emergencies, people need the confidence that they can contact family, receive critical information and reach emergency services when required. Redlanders deserve mobile services they can rely on whether they are at home, at work, on the islands or travelling through our community. I will continue advocating for the infrastructure investment and policy reforms needed to improve coverage across the Redlands because when my constituents pick up their phone, especially in an emergency, it should simply work.