Yarrabah’s unreliable phone system puts lives at risk as politician and telcos fail to act
A community 11km south of Cairns waits for state and federal politicians and big telcos to act and commit to installing a fibre optic cable to overcome their unreliable phone system.
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A new purpose-built health facility which opened in Yarrabah less than 18 months ago is sitting empty as the town’s atrocious connectivity means GPs cannot rely on it to conduct telehealth sessions.
Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (GYHSAC) clinical team are furious the new general practice clinic at 6 Workshop Rd, Yarrabah, which officially opened in November 2021, cannot be used for telehealth due to poor internet reception.
It’s a recurring nightmare for Yarrabah residents as the town’s third world mobile coverage is patchy at best and life-threatening at worst.
Currently the telecommunications link between Cairns and Yarrabah is delivered via pencil beam from Cairns, bouncing off of Green Island and fed into community via copper wire and mobile connectivity.
GYHSAC executive director Suzanne Andrews said staff use telehealth extensively, connecting to specialists and allied health in Cairns, Townsville or Brisbane so their patients don’t need to leave the community unnecessarily to access essential services.
GYHSAC Director of Clinical Services Dr Jason King said the situation was critical and must be fixed immediately.
“What price do we place upon patient safety and care?” he said.
“The current third world telecommunications situation in Yarrabah severely compromises the delivery of patient services.
“In one week alone, prior to the federal election, our health service suffered five Code Browns, due to a failing telecommunications system that compromised our service.”
Federal Member of Kennedy, Bob Katter agreed.
Mr Katter said his office had written to the Federal Indigenous Affairs and Communications Ministers on multiple occasions, requesting that towns including Yarrabah be included in funding programs that would improve and increase infrastructure for these communities.
He said he had been advised in Yarrabah’s case, the communication infrastructure was ageing which was leading to dropouts.
Mr Katter said he had also written to Telstra, to advise of Yarrabah’s issues and said in June 2022, Telstra responded stating it was awaiting “the announcement of future rounds of the Federal Government’s Regional Connectivity Program”.
Mr Katter said he would continue to lobby the Government on behalf of communities like Yarrabah.
Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said as Yarrabah was Australia’s largest mainland Aboriginal community, “we have an obligation to ensure that equitable access to critical infrastructure is available”.
“Without basic utilities, the community cannot pursue or achieve health, education or employment outcomes.” he said.
“Whist telecommunications is a function of the Commonwealth Government, I am working with council and my colleagues to progress the broader needs of the community, including visiting Canberra with Mayor Ross Andrews and a delegation from the Yarrabah Leaders Forum”.
Originally published as Yarrabah’s unreliable phone system puts lives at risk as politician and telcos fail to act
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