Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Many people in my electorate are very pleased by the Treasurer and Minister Rowland's announcement about addressing the deficiencies in NBN and mobile phone coverage. Hasluck is situated in the foothills of the Perth hills, and connectivity is a major concern not just for businesses and residents but because we live in a bushfire prone area. To that end, the NBN emergency management awareness campaign was a very welcome announcement this week. But more work is needed, particularly on connectivity and on coordination between the service providers.

The Hills' black spots are an ongoing problem. The audit on mobile coverage that was announced last month will help to address and prioritise those areas that are needing targeted attention. The Swan Valley has a low-density population, but it's actually a major tourist destination, hosting tens of thousands of people every week. They need reliable NBN. The Swan Valley Strategic Leadership Group, led by Graeme Yukich, and the Swan Valley Tourism Alliance, led by Jon Jessop, have stressed for some 10 years now the vital need for access to reliable infrastructure to support their business, the community and their customers, so it's great to be part of a government that is now committed to improving the NBN and also the mobile connectivity in the Peri-Urban Mobile Program. Some $2.4 billion of investment over the next four years— (Time expired)