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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-04-13 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Mobile Black Spot Program

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Science and Information Economy questions about blackspot phone towers.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I am sure the minister would be aware but, for the chamber's benefit, the federal government has committed some $160 million over two rounds as part of the Mobile Black Spot Program. Applications for round 2 opened on 26 February this year and will close on 14 June. In round 1, every state government contributed funds to the program to ensure their state received additional phone towers under this program, with the exception of South Australia.

As a result, South Australia only received 11 out of the possible 499 phone towers—approximately 2 per cent of the towers on offer. Other states contributed funds in addition to the $100 million the federal government program included. For members' benefit, New South Wales contributed $24 million for 144 upgrades; Victoria, $21 million for 110 upgrades; Queensland, $10 million for 68 upgrades; Tasmania, $350,000 for 31 upgrades—certainly value for money there—and Western Australia, some $32 million for about 11 towers (although we did not have an exact figure).

My question to the minister is: why has the South Australian government not committed funding to this program when every other state in the nation has?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: I know what you think about the regions—nothing. You've got a minister for the regions.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway, do you want to answer your own question?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Mr President, can you keep control of the backbench? I have asked this minister a question, not a failed retired minister.

The PRESIDENT: First of all, I think it is a bit rude. Secondly, you are the one I can hear. You are the one who has the voice, so you are the one who gets my attention. Let the honourable minister answer your question.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable member for his questions about the Mobile Black Spot Program that was completed in June 2015. I can inform the honourable member that, yes, in recent weeks the guidelines were out for round 2. The South Australian government has been consulting with organisations such as RDAs, local governments and state government agencies, and I have consulted with a number of members, state and federal, about mobile blackspots.

We are in the process of undertaking further analysis to determine a priority list that will be discussed with telecommunications companies that will then bid to the commonwealth, I think, by mid-June this year on further mobile blackspots. As the honourable member pointed out, 11 sites were chosen in South Australia under round 1. These locations will receive new mobile blackspot coverage.

In my role as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, I particularly welcome the locations of six locations in the very remote APY lands in the Far North of the state that will improve services. Of course, the commonwealth has ultimate responsibility for telecommunications matters, and commercial mobile network operators are responsible for the operation of mobile networks and their customers. We will continue the consultation process we have started with RDAs and the feedback we have had from regional communities about round 2.

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