Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Connecting Victoria

Daniela DE MARTINO (Monbulk) (19:18): (838) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Government Services, and the action I seek is for the minister to join me in my electorate to visit some of the Connecting Victoria projects that the Allan Labor government is delivering for Monbulk. While the Commonwealth is responsible for telecommunications services in Australia, the Allan Labor government’s Connecting Victoria program is delivering mobile and broadband projects in places like my electorate of Monbulk, where consumers are currently being let down by the telcos.

Telecommunications is not a nice-to-have, it is essential, and no more so than when a serious weather event occurs or during bushfire season. We all rely on the mobile network to make calls during emergencies, but for far too long the companies have not ensured a continuity of service when power outages occur. It is incumbent upon them to provide an uninterrupted power supply.

Following the February storms, I started a petition calling on the telcos to power the towers. I would encourage people who want to see the mobile telecommunications companies build resilience into their towers to sign this petition via my website. They can also write to the federal Minister for Communications the Honourable Michelle Rowland and ask the federal government to compel the companies through legislation to provide that uninterrupted power supply.

In the meantime our Allan Labor government continues to step into an area to improve telecommunications resilience across the Dandenong Ranges. So far we have partnered with NBN Co, the Commonwealth government and local councils to establish NBN community wi-fi in Emerald, Kalorama, Monbulk, Olinda and The Patch. I would welcome the minister to join me and see the impact that these projects are having across the Dandenong Ranges.