The Turnbull Government is desperately playing catch-up on mobile phone blackspot coverage and still ignoring pleas from across the Ballarat Electorate for urgent upgrades, Labor Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, said today.
“I am disappointed significant parts of the Ballarat electorate continue to endure unacceptable mobile phone coverage,” Ms King said in response to an announcement today by Mr Turnbull.
“I will continue to work towards securing site funding to ensure that all parts of the Ballarat electorate have adequate mobile phone coverage. Mr Turnbull’s announcement today changes nothing.
“It is important that regional areas like ours have a decent mobile phone service to improve safety and communication in the bushfire season.”
Ms King said she wrote to the Mobile Phone Black Spot Programme earlier this year highlighting the demands from across the electorate for upgrades.
“The programme’s own database shows there are many more areas of high bushfire risk within my electorate than I am allowed to nominate and all should be high priority.
“Instead of focusing on another batch of funding in marginal electorates, this Government should focus on funding upgrades according to fire risk.
“Mr Turnbull’s attempt at the 11th hour to make amends is an indictment on the Government’s attempt to play politics with black spot funding. It should be condemned for it.”