Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The countdown to the start of the fire danger season in Mayo and other bushfire prone areas of southern Australia has started. In a little over a month, my community will face the prospect of regular days of declared catastrophic conditions. Power will be deliberately switched off to protect high-risk areas from the danger of fires ignited by power lines. Under the NBN rollout, my community and others face a new risk: a communication blackout on weather conditions and fire emergency alerts. Households with a downgraded NBN fibre-to-the-node technology will lose their landline and internet service immediately. Residents relying on mobile phones will lose coverage after approximately four hours, when the batteries in towers go flat.

Last month, I introduced a telecommunications amendment bill in relation to mobile phones, to compel carriers to provide 24 hours of standby power to phone towers in high-risk bushfire areas. It is not much. I've written to every member with a high-risk area in their electorate and I've spoken with Senator Fifield, the Minister for Communications; Senator Nash, the Minister for Regional Communications; and the member for Whitlam, the opposition spokesperson for regional communications. I thank all three for their time. With a month to go until the start of the fire danger season, we need to address this critical gap in our communications. It cannot be underestimated. I urge the government to take up this legislation and I strongly encourage every MP in this House to show their support.