Apr
24
2021
Securing the future of our regional communities with better phone coverage and faster internet
The Tasmanian Liberals are the strongest supporters of our regional communities, and our plan to secure King Island’s future will ensure the community can continue to thrive.
The Government has been building better digital infrastructure across the State, to keep Tasmanians connected and help businesses sell their goods and services across the world. That is why we will increase investment in the digital economy by an additional $8.5 million, as part of our Science and Technology election policy.
The King Island telecommunications upgrade will be truly transformative for the island, delivering better mobile coverage and faster data speeds to support superior health services, education and emergency management for residents, as well as helping business grow and assisting visitors to the Island with the latest communications technology.
We welcome the announcement by Federal Minister for Communications, Paul Fletcher, that the Commonwealth will contribute $5.4 million towards the King Island telecommunications upgrade.
Combined with a $1 million contribution by a re-elected majority Gutwein Liberal Government, the upgrade will be delivered in partnership with the King Island Council and Telstra.
The project will:
- Upgrade connectivity between key sites on the island through the installation of a new 37km optical fibre backbone;
- Significantly strengthen the microwave transmission link between Victoria and King Island, increasing capacity by more than six-fold; and
- Construct new 4G sites at Naracoopa and Yambacoona and upgrade existing mobile network facilities at Gentle Annie, Grassy, Currie and Cape Wickham.
This commitment comes on top of our $300,000 commitment to transition nine regional school sites from limited bandwidth fixed wireless to high speed optical fibre connections.
Schools that will be upgraded include: Andrews Creek (Wesley Vale) Primary; Bagdad Primary; Dunalley Primary; Forest Primary; Glen Huon Primary; Molesworth Primary; Tasman District High / OAC; Yolla District High; and Sheffield High.
As part of our commitment to building the digital infrastructure that Tasmania needs for our future, we will also undertake a full review of digital infrastructure coverage gaps in the state.