Zoe McKenzie MP
Federal Member for Flinders
Senator the Hon. Sarah Henderson
Senator for Victoria
Shadow Minister for Communications
MEDIA RELEASE
4 August 2022
Labor must confirm timelines of mobile phone upgrades to the Mornington Peninsula
Federal Member for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, is calling on the Albanese Government to confirm when new mobile phone upgrades for Flinders will be delivered.
In a big win for the people of Flinders, the Labor government has agreed to match the Coalition’s commitment to round 1 of the Peri-Urban Mobile Program (PUMP) which is funding 66 new or upgraded mobile phone base stations including eleven projects in the Flinders electorate.
“Despite the Coalition government announcing improved mobile connectivity in eight locations across Flinders, local residents suffered considerable uncertainty because of Labor’s failure to commit to the PUMP program before the election,” Ms McKenzie said.
“It was only after advocacy from Coalition MPs including myself that Labor announced it would honour the Coalition’s delivery of the PUMP program. It is disappointing that Labor did not initially see the merits of improving mobile coverage in peri-urban areas including in on the Mornington Peninsula,” Ms McKenzie said.
“The people of Flinders deserve to know when these mobile coverage upgrades will be switched on. With small businesses, families and students increasingly reliant on mobile connectivity, the Labor government must ensure that work on these projects gets underway as soon as possible,” Ms McKenzie said.
The 11 new mobile upgrade projects in Flinders are:
- A new TPG site at Main Ridge;
- A new TPG site at Merricks North;
- A new Optus site and a new TPG site at Mt Martha Esplanade;
- A new Optus site and a new TPG site at Rye South;
- A new TPG site at Sorrento North;
- A new TPG site at St Andrews Beach;
- A new Optus site and a new TPG site at Tootgarook Reserve; and
- A new TPG site at Tuerong.
“I have written to the Minister Communications seeking update on these projects and advocating for their immediate delivery,” Ms McKenzie said.
Shadow Minister for Communications, Sarah Henderson, said: “I congratulate Zoe on her strong advocacy for the people of Flinders. From Sorrento North to St Andrews Beach to Mt Martha, mobile connectivity is critical infrastructure for local communities.”
“The Albanese Government must now provide the people of Flinders with all relevant information including when work will commence, the date that each site will be switched on and precisely how mobile coverage will be improved in these communities.”
“Labor must also honour the Coalition’s announcement of $78.5 million for round 2 of PUMP which extends the program to peri-urban areas in major regional cities including Geelong, Wollongong, Gosford, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Townsville, Cairns, Darwin and Canberra,” Senator Henderson said.
“Labor has a very poor record of delivering mobile communications infrastructure. While our government’s Mobile Black Spot Program delivered more than 1000 mobile base stations across Australia for instance, Labor when in last in government failed to deliver any funding for mobile communications,” Senator Henderson concluded.
-ENDS-
