Kununoppin and Grass Valley are the latest towns to benefit from new phone towers, thanks to the Royalties for Regions-funded Regional Telecommunications Project (RTP).
Local Member Hon Mia Davies said she was delighted Kununoppin and Grass Valley residents now had access to improved mobile phone coverage and high-speed wireless broadband.
She said the tower upgrades were delivered through the State Government’s $85 million RTP program, in partnership with Telstra.
Ms Davies and Member for the Agricultural Region Hon Martin Aldridge MLC attended the local announcements, where new towers had been installed.
“Through Royalties for Regions people living and working in the Kununoppin and Grass Valley communities now have improved access to mobile telephone coverage and high-speed wireless broadband,” Ms Davies said.
The two new towers were activated in July and August and provide reliable mobile coverage to the two Central Wheatbelt towns and their surrounds.
“I’m pleased Martin and I have been able to work with the community to deliver on these two sites, as both had been raised as a priority many times,” Ms Davies said.
“The Kununoppin community were particularly active in lobbying me for funds, triggered by a serious accident in an area out of range that hindered an emergency response.
“The volunteers are now saying they get double the response to a call out, a great result for the community and our hard working emergency service workers.”
Member for the Agricultural Region Hon Martin Aldridge MLC said it was imperative mobile voice and data services were expanded in our regions to improve service delivery and support the growth and prosperity of regional communities, and to minimise the gap between regional and city services.
As a former career firefighter and now emergency services volunteer, Mr Aldridge is also acutely aware of the need for high quality communications services in the event of a bushfire or other emergency.
Under the initiative 266 towers will be provided. For more information, please visit www.commerce.wa.gov.au/regionaltelecommunications.
For media enquiries please contact Mia Davies on 08 9041 1702 (Merredin office), 08 9622 2871 (Northam office) or email mia.davies@mp.wa.gov.au.
Member for Central Wheatbelt Mia Davies MLA (left) and Member for the Agricultural Region Hon Martin Aldridge MLC (Back, centre) test the reception at Kununoppin with shire and local community representatives, after the installation of a new telecommunications tower.
