Joint media release
Shadow Minister for Communications and Digital Safety, Senator for Victoria, Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson
Shadow Minister for Regional Communications, Dr Anne Webster MP
The Coalition is calling for a Senate inquiry into the government’s flawed commitment to deliver universal mobile coverage which is big on promises but short on delivery.
Australians, particularly those living in regional, rural, and remote Australia, deserve to have their say on the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 currently before the House of Representatives.
A Senate inquiry will allow key stakeholders to make public submissions and give evidence about the importance of mobile connectivity to all Australians, no matter their postcode.
The Coalition when in government consistently invested in mobile black spot programs, regional connectivity and communications infrastructure which improves resilience.
Expanding mobile coverage is vital, but Labor’s proposed legislation raises serious unanswered questions which demand proper scrutiny.
The bill is riddled with uncertainty, placing a vague and uncertain obligation on telecommunications carriers to provide “reasonable access” to outdoor mobile connectivity on an “equitable basis”.
It relies on the delivery of satellite-based technologies which are not yet deployed at scale in Australia, creating affordability risks for consumers which need to be fully investigated.
The bill does not consider how mandatory mobile roaming could improve connectivity in regional areas including temporary emergency roaming during major outages and natural disasters.
The proposed laws also fail to address the fact that many mobile handsets will not be compatible with satellite technology.
Given Labor’s record botched record – whether it be the triple zero fiasco or the botched 3G shutdown – Australians are entitled to demand this reform be thoroughly examined including potential amendments to the bill.