Communities in regional Australia are being put at risk by a dodgy funding deal by the Albanese Government to dish out mobile black spot grants to favoured Labor electorates.
Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman has revealed that Labor has hand-picked ALP seats in the latest round of the Improving Mobile Coverage Round funding.
Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan, said he was appalled that residents in Wannon are now being put at risk by being excluded from Labor’s list of favoured electorates for upgrades to mobile coverage.
Residents in bushfire-prone areas such as Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Lorne and Lakaput will be so disappointed with their towns being excluded when previously they had been designated as areas of concern due to the high bushfire risk.
Towns including Bessiebelle, Cudgee, Framlingham, Grassmere, Hawkesdale, Nullawarre, Willatook, and Woorndoo will also be disenchanted as their towns with identified poor coverage have also been excluded from Labor’s list.
“When you have farmers and local businesses struggling to get produce to market or when you have regional areas at risk of being hit by a natural disaster, you need the best mobile coverage you can get,” Mr Tehan said.
“Labor has ignored regional electorates under threat of fires and floods, or which have a strong case for mobile funding, and instead just directed money to Labor seats.
“It is critical for ongoing investment in Wannon to improve mobile coverage, but instead, Labor has robbed the regions in a black spot grants grab.
Mr Coleman said 74 per cent of $40 million in grants are going to Labor electorates despite the ALP holding only 33 per cent of regional seats.
“The Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, has chosen Labor seats for special benefit, with 40 out of 54 locations directed to her colleague’s seats,” Mr Coleman said.
“The Coalition won nearly two-thirds of regional seats at the 2022 election, but only a fifth of successful grant recipients are in Coalition electorates.
“We’re seeing a blatant example of the Government using the mobile black spot fund as a piggy bank for ALP seats for what is clearly a political exercise to benefit Labor MPs.
“This is a shameful misuse of taxpayer funds in the mobile black spot program that is hurting local communities in regional areas.”
“Communities in regional Australia can ill-afford Labor’s hand-picked list of special favoured areas when it’s regional Australia that relies on new investment in black spot funding.”
