The Victorian Government has submitted its recommendations to the Federal Government’s Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC), calling for a national strategy to ‘fix the significant gaps’ in access to broadband and mobile telecommunications in Victoria’s regional and rural areas.

 

The independent review is tasked with advising the Federal Government on the state of regional and rural telecommunications in Australia, ultimately informing any future policy development. 

 

"Victoria's rural and regional areas are disproportionately affected by problems including; mobile and broadband coverage blackspots, a lack of telecommunication service competition, and low uptake of services,” State Minister for Telecommunications Gordon Rich-Phillips said in making the submission.

 

"The Victorian Government has concerns the NBN alone does not address all telecommunications services that are critical for regional and rural Victoria, and our submission emphasises the importance of fixing mobile network coverage and quality – something that the NBN policy does not cover.”

 

The submission recommends the Commonwealth Government:

  • develop a high quality broadband rollout strategy;
  • improves mobile phone coverage; and
  • supports development of the digital economy in rural and regional areas to drive productivity and social improvements.

 

More information on the RTIRC can be found here.

 

Victoria’s submission can be found here.