Mobile Black Spot Program

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (15:34): I rise to address the much-needed matter of improved mobile telecommunications for our regions. The Adelaide Hills community rightfully has been calling for improved connectivity over a sustained period of time. I am thrilled to have secured a new tower to be built at Kuitpo as part of the latest round, round 5, of the Mobile Black Spot Program. In late April, the Minister for Regional Development, alongside the federal government, announced that $7.9 million would be invested in South Australia as part of this round and more than $900,000 of that will be contributed by the South Australian government.

Kuitpo is one of 12 base stations to be delivered in South Australia in the current round, round 5, and it is going to go a long way to continue to improve mobile coverage for our regional and remote communities. The proposed location of the Kuitpo tower is close to Brookman Road, between Meadows and Willunga. It is going to cover an area of five square kilometres. It will go all the way to Prospect Hill, a mountain bike area, and Kuitpo Forest, an area much frequented by people who are looking to get outdoors and enjoy that forest area. It has been identified as a public interest premise and it is going to make a particular contribution to the communities in that immediate vicinity.

I am proud to have long advocated for these kinds of improvements for the Hills. They are especially needed in my local area. As a candidate in 2017, and then after I was elected as member for Heysen in 2018, I advocated for towers including at Kuitpo and along the Long Valley Road, a well-known blackspot, also at Scott Creek, at Aldgate Valley and on the Macclesfield to Strathalbyn road. The last round, round 4 of the program, delivered a new tower for Gemmells on the Long Valley Road, one that is much needed, and I am very pleased that it has been announced. I am advised that the other locations in particular need have been added to the priority list.

Across South Australia, we have inherited a massive backlog of over 500 mobile blackspots. Unfortunately it reflects the previous Labor government's disinterest in this area, among so many other areas of disinterest in regional South Australia. It is another reason why, from regional South Australia's point of view, it has been good riddance to that old government and welcome to the Marshall Liberal government and its commitment to regional South Australia.

The federal government is ultimately responsible for determining the proposals and which ones are accepted, but it is a particular help to have a motivated Marshall Liberal government that is prepared to put money towards these much-needed regional towers. I understand that the Minister for Regional Development is already in discussions with telecommunications providers about further opportunities. I will be pleased to work with the minister and with providers to see that the needs of my community are addressed as best as possible. I welcome the news that the commonwealth is considering a round 5A to deploy those much-needed funds, with a focus on working out better ways of funding coverage through transport corridors and also disaster resilience, which will be of huge benefit to the Hills.

I am delighted to announce and share with this house the great news that sports grant funding is strongly alive and well in the Hills. We have very recently enjoyed the announcement, together with the Minister for Sport and Recreation, of an additional $490,000 to the Mount Lofty oval and the clubs that use that oval. Just last weekend, Scott Taylor, the President of Mount Lofty District Football Club, wrote a letter thanking the state government for that additional nearly $500,000 to go with the $500,000 already allocated, which will see dramatically improved sports facilities at Mount Lofty oval. It is a credit to everybody involved.