State to expand mobile coverage

THE Geelong region will get four new mobile phone towers as part of a Labor state government project to improve coverage across regional Victoria.

The towers, in Kennett River, Teesdale, Cape Clear and Haddon North are among 25 being built across 15 local government areas in the partnership with Optus.

They are all scheduled to be finished by the end of next year.

Labor says it has prioritised new mobile towers for communities in bushfire-prone areas by consulting with the Emergency Management Commissioner.

Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford said community safety was her government’s number one priority.

“We’ve worked closely with Emergency Management Victoria to ensure our regional communities in these areas have mobile access.”

Optus vice president of regulatory and public affairs Andrew Sheridan sad the co-investment was fantastic for Victoria.

“Earlier this year Optus demonstrated its commitment to regional Australia by announcing a $1 billion investment to improve mobile coverage outside of metro areas and this announcement supports that commitment.”

Meanwhile, both state and federal Labor have criticised the federal Coalition’s decisions on what towers to build under the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP).

Earlier this month, Corangamite Liberal member Sarah Henderson said the MBSP was funding 18 mobile base stations across her electorate, with Gellibrand and Kawarren the most recent communities to receive better coverage.

However, state Labor says Victoria is being shortchanged in the MBSP’s third round, with only 19 of the 125 towers to be built in Victoria.

Federal Shadow Minister for Regional Communications Stephen Jones said 80 per cent of the locations announced in rounds one and two of the MBSP were in Liberal or National party electorates.

“Critical locations in areas of Victoria, particularly bushfire-prone areas, have missed out.”

Ms Henderson said Labor did not spend anything on fixing mobile black spots in regional Australia, despite being in government for six years.