Mobile coverage boost for the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury

Thursday, 21 April 2022

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 five projects in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury.

 

The new mobile sites in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury are:

  • A Optus site in Bullaburra;

  • A Telstra site in Bullaburra at Kalinda Road; and

  • A new Telstra site at Hawkesbury Heights, on Hawkesbury Road, near Hartfields Trail.

  • A TPG site at Boundary Road, Oakville 

  • A Optus site at Boundary Road, Oakville 

 

The investments complement the Morrison Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program (MSBP), 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.

 

Minister for Communications, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, 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. 

 

Liberal Senator for Western Sydney, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said Liberal for Macquarie Sarah Richards had advocated strongly to improve mobile coverage for residents.

 

“Sarah Richards has been working closely with the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury communities to achieve this outcome, including having Minister Fletcher meet with residents at Hawkesbury Heights earlier this year,” Senator Payne said.

 

“In May last year the Morrison Government made a commitment to fund new mobile sites in villages east of Linden, and through this funding package, we have delivered on that commitment.”

 

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.


 

Liberal for Macquarie Sarah Richards said she had fought hard to fix mobile black spots.


“Access to reliable telecommunications is crucial for our community, which is why I’ve consistently raised this issue directly with the Morrison Government,” Ms Richards said.

“Locals have been telling me about local black spots and this feedback has been passed on, including at the community forum I held in January about this issue with Minister Paul Fletcher.

 

“In addition to the government-funded towers at Megalong Valley and Yellow Rock, these new sites will bring a welcome boost to mobile phone coverage.”

 

In contrast to the Morrison Government’s strong record of building more than 1,000 mobile base stations across Australia, Labor did not build a single mobile base station during six years in office.

 

Only the Morrison Government will continue to deliver a better future for Macquarie, and this is part of our plan to build a strong economy and a stronger future.