The Hon Paul Fletcher MP
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
Senator the Hon Jane Hume
Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy
Minister for Women’s Economic Security
Senator for Victoria
The Morrison Government is improving connectivity for Australians living on the urban fringes of our major cities, today announcing $28.2 million for 66 successful projects to improve mobile coverage, competition and address blackspots, including eleven projects in Flinders.
The investments complement the Coalition’s highly successful Mobile Black Spot Program, which is improving mobile coverage and competition across regional and remote Australia by building more than 1,200 mobile base stations in regional and remote areas, with over 1,000 already built.
The Minister for Communications, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP said, said the Morrison Government is committed to improving mobile connectivity for people living in outer urban areas as part of its plan for a strong economy and a stronger future for Australia.
“Improving coverage on the urban fringe will help communities access vital information during emergencies, seek help if needed and stay in touch with loved ones,” Minister Fletcher said.
Senator for Victoria, the Hon Jane Hume said “Today I am pleased to announce we are building eleven new mobile sites to improve coverage for people living in Flinders.
“Since the Coalition came to Government we have dramatically improved mobile phone coverage across a Victoria and I am delighted to be able to add Flinders to that list.
“It is great to see investment like this being put into the community, helping to improve communications for a more reliable service”.
Liberal Candidate for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie said “Building on recent announcements to upgrade the NBN, this investment will immediately improve many of the blackspots across the Peninsula, including some of our most built-up residential areas.”
“People depend on mobile reception for work, social connection and during emergencies. These upgrades ensure we have better mobile reception whilst increasing access for businesses and people who work from home.”
The new mobile sites 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 Andrew Beach
- A new Optus site and a new TPG site at Tootgarook Reserve
- A new TPG site at Tuerong
The 66 successful projects were selected through a competitive assessment, with funding awarded based on the coverage outcomes provided by each solution, under a grants program that was first announced in the 2021-22 Budget as part of the Digital Economy Strategy.
Eligibility for future funding will be expanded beyond our major capital cities to include the urban fringe of other major urban areas including Geelong, Wollongong, Gosford, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Townsville, Cairns, Darwin and Canberra.
The investments complement the Coalition’s highly successful Mobile Black Spot Program, which is improving mobile coverage and competition across regional and remote Australia by building more than 1,200 mobile base stations, with over 1,000 already built.
In contrast to the Morrison Government’s record of building more than 1000 mobile base stations across Australia, Labor did build a single mobile base station during six years in office.
Only the Morrison Government will continue to deliver a better future for Flinders, and this is part of our plan to build a strong economy and a stronger future.
