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RICK

Round 2: Mobile Black Spot Program
Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson MP has announced 30 new or upgraded mobile phone towers will be built in the electorate under Round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.
The new towers will complement the 56 base stations allocated to O’Connor under Round 1 of the programme, which are currently being built across the electorate.
The total investment in WA under Round 2 will be $72.8 million, with the Federal Government’s contribution of $21.8 million leveraging matching funding from the WA Government and nearly $30 million from network providers Telstra and Optus.
Mr Wilson, who recently tabled a petition in Parliament calling for Triple Zero access in all parts of remote Australia on behalf of Kojonup’s Katharine Marsh, said the Federal Government was committed to eliminating black spots throughout rural and remote Australia.
“Communications is one of the most important issues for many people in O’Connor, given the sporadic nature of mobile coverage throughout the electorate,” he said.
“I have to drive to the highest point at my family’s farm near Katanning to get a signal, so I certainly sympathise with my constituents who live in areas where reception is patchy at best.
“Stories of people like Katharine Marsh, whose partner tragically died after a vehicle accident in an area with no mobile access, remind us all how vital it is to continually improve our communications network.
“86 towers across the first two rounds is a great result but there’s more work to be done, so I’ll be working to secure more base stations under Round 3 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.”
The locations for round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Program were selected following an appeal to the public to nominate black spots.
These locations were entered into the national map which was provided to mobile network providers to assist them to develop funding applications.
Locations for Round 2 Towers in O’Connor by region:
Great Southern:
Albany-Lake Grace Road
Cheviot Hills Road
Martinup Road
Mount Lindesay Road
Needilup
Shamrock Road
Tone Road
West Tambellup
Yeriminup Road
Goldfields-Esperance
Alexander Bay campground
Broad Arrow
Cape Le Grand (Lucky Bay campground)
Daniell Siding
Harms Lake
Ilkurlka Roadhouse
Mount Ney
Ora Banda
South Cascade
Tjirrkarli
Tjuntjuntjara
South West
Greater Beedelup National Park
Maranup
Warren National Park
Winnejup
Wheatbelt
Aldersyde
Bulyee
Holt Rock
Piesseville
Tincurrin
Wogerlin Hill