Federal Member for Bowman, Henry Pike, has slammed the Albanese Labor Government for failing to invest in mobile reception upgrades for the Redlands community, despite the urgent need for improvements across the region as homes and businesses increasingly rely on technological connectivity.
Since being elected, Mr. Pike has been on a mission to tackle the persistent mobile reception issues plaguing the Redlands' mainland suburbs and islands. With the support of thousands of local residents, he has mapped the worst mobile blackspots and secured commitments from service providers for 40 upgrades across the area.
Upgrades from service providers across the Redlands
“We’ve had some great wins with upgrades that service the Redlands community, but it’s not nearly enough,” said Mr. Pike. “We’ve done our part working with telcos, but when it comes to federal support, the Government has let us down.”
In the past, federal government programs have supported vital mobile infrastructure projects to give Australians the best service.
Mr. Pike criticised the Albanese Government for their decision to cancel the Mobile Black Spot Program and failure to allocate any funding for the Redlands in the latest round of the Peri-Urban Mobile Program.
“We ticked every box for the Peri-Urban Mobile Program — yet, we were completely ignored,” Mr. Pike said. “The Government’s decision to overlook the Redlands is very disappointing, but not surprising. It’s another example of their blatant disregard for communities on the fringes of our major cities that are struggling in many areas, including poor mobile reception.”
With federal funding for mobile infrastructure drying up, Mr. Pike is pushing within the Liberal party room to commit to re-establishing these critical programs if re-elected next year.
“This isn’t just about phone calls or internet access — it’s about ensuring the safety and connectivity of our residents,” he continued. “We simply cannot afford to leave locals struggling with poor reception that might stop them from getting the help they need in an emergency because of government neglect.”
The 40 upgrades secured so far have been driven by Mr. Pike’s office working with Redlands residents to highlight problem areas and advocate for improvements.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Redlands community, we’ve shown what’s possible when we come together to fix local issues,” Mr. Pike said. “But we need the Government to step up to meet us halfway.”