House debates

Wednesday, 7 September 2022

Statements by Members

McEwen Electorate: Telecommunications

1:55 pm

Photo of Rob MitchellRob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

After nine years of neglect by the hopeless mob over there, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition yesterday finally acknowledged one of the sad results of their inaction and useless time in office, raising the lack of mobile services in the Macedon Ranges and its effect on people's businesses. Well, surprise surprise! What? She couldn't get onto real estate.com in the middle of the day? This was after nine years of Labor and the community banging down their doors and trying to get them to invest in mobile coverage.

It's a conversion on the road to Macedon by the failing member for Farrer, but a conversion that is nine years too late. Not after floods, not after fire and not after storms would they listen. They deliberately ignored their own guidelines so that they could feather the nest of the member for New England and other Liberal-National members with their dodgy Mobile Black Spot Program. And what did Labor do in its first 90 days? We have already funded a new tower in Gisborne South, we are delivering a new tower in Mernda and we will deliver the tower in Woodend.

What a difference 90 days makes, compared to the nine years of hopelessness, mismanagement, neglect and rorts that they were covered with. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has kicked more own goals than Richard Dunne from Manchester City! This is a government that is actually getting on with the job of delivering, and that's why the people of the Macedon Ranges are happy to have a government that's on their side, not a government that has done everything to fight against them like they had under that lot over there.