Despite a long-standing campaign for better coverage, Beveridge residents have missed out on the first round of federal government funding for new mobile phone base stations.
The federal government has teamed up with state and territory governments and telecommunications companies to build and upgrade almost 500 mobile phone towers to provide better coverage for rural and outer metropolitan areas.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the recipients of the first funding round last Thursday. In the federal seat of McEwen, the towns of Broadford, St Andrews and Kinglake West made the list, but to the dismay of locals, Beveridge did not.
McEwen MP Rob Mitchell said Beveridge would receive absolutely no benefits from the three new towers.
“They talk about the towers having a range of about 36 kilometres, but that’s line of sight, without mountains, trees and valleys in the way,” Mr Mitchell said.
“I think they’ve got a good reason to be furious because they were played.”
One-hundred-and-ten new mobile phone base stations are scheduled to be built around Victoria.
In a joint statement with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Mr Turnbull said successful locations were chosen after a competitive selection process, which had also involved mobile network operators.
A state government spokesman said the Victorian government and Telstra analysed about 2000 sites as part of the site selection process.
The first base stations will be built this year, and all 110 towers are due to be completed within three years.
The combined federal, state and private sector funding allocated to the program is $385 million.
Better Beveridge Group president Greg Heffernan said the town’s misfortune was only to be expected as it had “some” mobile phone coverage. “There are areas in Victoria without any, so there are priorities ahead of us,” Mr Heffernan said. “So long as we’re in the queue … and it’s obvious we are.”
He said fixing internet coverage was more of an issue in Beveridge than mobile black spots.
“That’s our real gripe. What I’d like to know is whether the NBN will be timely and fix all of our problems,” he said.
Round two funding for the black spot program was also announced last week, with $60 million allocated.
