By Daniela De Martino
In times of crisis, such as catastrophic weather events, the importance of reliable telecommunication services cannot be overstated.
It can be a matter of life or death. The storms of June and October 2021 highlighted the vulnerability of our mobile telecommunications network.
Inquiries and community consultations were held and commitments were made by Telstra to improve battery backup reserves.
The February Storms in the Dandenong Ranges have highlighted that these improvements have not taken place in our area and exposed, once again, significant vulnerabilities in our telecommunications infrastructure.
We have repeatedly found ourselves isolated during storm events.
Mobile towers, crucial for communication, have been rendered useless as power lines are torn down.
This leaves us disconnected and vulnerable, amplifying the already existing issue of black spots in the region.
Telecommunications providers need to do better.
At the same time Telstra boasted a one billion-dollar profit, residents in our community were left stranded without any means of communication.
As your local representative, I’m going to #TellTheTelcos to #PowerTheTowers.
From a State Government perspective we are doing what we can, but Telecommunications is ultimately a federally-regulated commercial industry.
Our Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gabrielle Williams, is advocating for improved Telco performance for consumers.
The Victorian Government has also implemented the $500 million Connecting Victoria program to bolster telecommunications infrastructure statewide.
In 2022, numerous telecommunications projects were announced for the Dandenong Ranges under the Connecting Victoria program.
These initiatives aim to enhance mobile and broadband connectivity, including NBN broadband upgrades in Monbulk and the installation of new mobile towers in various townships.
However, while government intervention is crucial, Victorian taxpayers can’t continue to plug the holes where others won’t step up.
Ensuring telecommunications resilience is the responsibility of telecommunications companies.
As your State Member of Parliament, I can’t compel the Telcos to lift their game but I can certainly make some noise.
These companies must prioritise people’s lives over profits.
They have an obligation to invest in robust infrastructure capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions and providing uninterrupted services to communities in need.
Telecommunications is an essential, indeed critical, service and it’s time they started acting like it.
As a local representative, I’m telling Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and TPG that it’s time to come to the table and win back our trust. Residents of the Dandenong Ranges, and indeed all Australians, deserve nothing less.
I invite you to sign the petition on my website at https://www.danielademartino.com.au/tell-the-telcos/
You are also welcome to share your thoughts on this matter by reaching out to me at daniela.demartino@parliament.vic.gov.au.
Together, let’s ensure that telecommunications can be a reliable lifeline for our communities when disaster strikes.
