17 December 2013

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has called on Hume residents to speak up on poor mobile phone coverage and make submisisons to a Federal Discussion Paper released today.

“I urge local chambers of commerce, small business owners, community groups and organisations, emergency service workers, individuals driving on local roads with mobile black spots, councils, mums and dads, students, to all have their say,” Mr Taylor said.

“The new Government wants to hear about specific problems with mobile phone coverage, so that it can structure its regional mobile coverage programme. It’s the first step in meeting our commitment to invest $100 million to improve mobile phone services.

“I have been talking about this from early on in my election campaign. When I did 70 village visits across the electorate - to places like Bigga, Wamboin, the villages around Goulburn, Rugby, Wyangala and Woodstock, Murringo - I realised how important this issue is for Hume.

“Lives can literally depend on accessing a mobile network in an emergency. And the impediments to small business productivity are well known.” 

“The Discussion Paper is an opportunity for residents of Hume to have a direct say and help make sure that we get our fair share of the money,” he said.

The Discussion Paper is available from the Department of Communications’ website at http://www.communications.gov.au/mobile_services/mobile_coverage_programme  

The closing date for submissions is 5:00pm 28 February 2014.