The National Farmers’ Federation has called for commitments from all sides of politics to bridge the digital divide for rural and regional Australians in this election.
NFF President David Jochinke said that while significant investment has been made in recent years, there’s still a long way to go to fix rural and regional connectivity problems.
“Whether it’s calling for help in an emergency, coordinating logistics during harvest, or simply staying connected with loved ones – bush connectivity is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline,” Mr Jochinke said.
“Reliable connectivity is critical to keeping people outside major population centres safe and connected, both in times of natural disasters, and in daily farm life.”
Cotton and grain grower Dan Skerman’s experience shows that the recent 3G network shutdown left many rural Australians without a basic mobile phone service.
Mr Skerman, who farms 20 minutes outside of Dalby, said poor connectivity was affecting his business’s productivity.
“We already struggled before they turned 3G off,” Mr Skerman said.
“One of the main ways we can gain efficiency these days is through good communications but it’s hard when you can’t talk to people.
“It’s definitely frustrating when you are trying to organise and run a farm.”
Mr Jochinke said rural, regional and remote constituents deserved reliable and resilient connectivity, and he acknowledged productive discussions with telecommunication providers, but it’s time for the Federal Government to step up.
“This election, we’ve put all parties on notice: rural voters are tired of buffering, dropouts and excuses. They want solutions, they want to be connected” Mr Jochinke said.
The NFF, with the guidance of its member farming organisations, has compiled a list of actions that would continue to improve bush connectivity.
Mr Jochinke called on all political parties to commit to a range of measures, including a commitment to implementing the recommendations of the 2024 Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee.
These include improved mobile coverage across rural and remote Australia, additional support for the Regional Tech Hub to help consumers troubleshoot tech issues, and developing a National Regional Telecommunications Strategy.
A major ask is the delivery of $20 million annually for further rounds of the On-Farm Connectivity Program to drive uptake of digital tools that improve productivity, safety, and sustainability on Australian farms.
