Telecommunications

MVA Telecommunications – Purpose

Like everyone in Australia, we are heavily and increasingly dependent on telecommunications for all aspects of our lives, our work, our recreation and our overall mental wellbeing. Further, we rely on telecommunications for our safety during fires and floods. Yet telecommunications in our valley are woeful. We are considered part of Greater Sydney, but we experience a huge digital divide in service and cost compared to NBN services available in Greater Sydney. The MVA’s Telecommunications subcommittee aims to ensure that our valley is not forgotten when it comes to Telecommunications. No one should be discriminated against because of where they live.

MVA Telecommunications Goals

Mobile Coverage

Secure reliable and fit for purpose mobile communication services for at least 90% of the residents of the Macdonald Valley

Broadband, Home Internet & Telephone

Ensure that Telstra meets its current legislated service obligations, which include maintaining its fixed wire and ADSL systems until every current subscriber can be offered an equivalent or better alternative at a similar or reduced cost

Telecommunications activities

  • Established direct contact with Telstra representatives to ensure vital telephone services are not lost during emergency situations. During the March 2022 floods, following calls made by the MVA, Telstra was here on the ground installing generators at the exchange and the mobile cell at Macdonald School that enabled the continuation of service once power was lost.
  • Actively representing to State, Federal and Local Government agencies to ensure Telco providers fulfil the grants awarded via the 2016 Black Spot Program and 2019 Black Summer bushfires. 
  • Pursuing Federal and State government to ensure that the Macdonald Valley benefits from budget announcements and initiatives for Telecommunications   https://www.alp.org.au/policies/better-connectivity-for-rural-and-regional-australia-plan
  • Where relevant provide submissions to The Regional Telecommunications Reviews. For example the 2021 review included an extract from the MVA’s submission emphasising the vital role telecommunications play during natural disasters like bushfires and floods. Further information on the review can be found here.
  • Membership to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation, to help ensure that the Macdonald Valley is not discriminated against when it comes to having reliable, fit for purpose telecommunications at a fair price.

ACCAN

In June 2022, the MVA became a member of the ACCAN – Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Australia’s peak body for consumer representation in communications. For more information, please visit www.accan.org.au. ACCAN has been really helpful in navigating the telecommunications industry and the various bodies involved and helping us address the issues we experience with telecommunications in the valley.
ACCAN is often contacted by the media, looking for case studies to substantiate their news stories. Since becoming a member of ACCAN, we have been approached by The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2GB, and A Current Affair.

Links to these can be found below.

The Guardian July 2022
Sydney Morning Herald Sept 2022
2GB Sept 2022 MVA Lewis Adey at 40:35 mins and Susan Templeman response at 1:03:22
A Current Affair Sept 2022

A very big thank you to everyone that turned up at the Pickled Wombat for the Current Affair program; we had a fantastic response with over 60 people attending, demonstrating the importance of telecommunications in our valley.

How can you help?

Susan Templeman’s office has offered to help escalate Telstra outages. If you experience an outage that is not getting resolved. Please email Susan at susan.templeman.mp@aph.gov.au with the following information

  1. Telstra Incident number
  2. Details of outages
  3. Account Name
  4. Account Address
  5. Contact details

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