Opposition calls for mobile black-spot investigation

A Labor scheme to fix mobile phone blackouts could be investigated after revelations that 74 per cent of federal seats targeted by the program are held by the ALP.

The Opposition has accused Communications Minister Michelle Rowland of ‘personally’ choosing Labor electorates for grants. Picture: Gary Ramage

A Labor scheme to fix mobile phone blackouts could be investigated by the auditor-general after revelations that 74 per cent of federal seats targeted by the program are held by the ALP.

The Opposition has written to Auditor-General Grant Hehir demanding a probe into the “impossible” and “politically designed” blackspot policy.

The letter comes after The Australian and Sky News revealed earlier this month that under the most recent round of grants for the government’s Mobile Black Spot Program – collectively worth $40m – 40 of 54 grants were allocated to Labor-held electorates.

On Wednesday, the opposition communications spokesperson David Coleman wrote to the Australian National Audit Office’s auditor general to request a “full investigation into [the program round’s] design and administration”.

“It is impossible to argue that 74 per cent of the need for mobile coverage in regional Australia is in Labor electorates,” he wrote.

“It is clear, in my view, that [the program round] was designed for political purposes and represents a misuse of taxpayer funds.”

The letter said that none of the 54 locations to receive funding were chosen on departmental advice and were instead “personally chosen” by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland.

“If communities were not on the list chosen by the minister, they were precluded from applying,” he wrote. “There are many communities in regional Australia that are in great need of improved mobile coverage.”

Mr Coleman drew attention to the allocation in NSW.

“Of the 27 locations chosen by the minister in New South Wales, all 27 were in Labor electorates,” he wrote. “In this context, I note that the minister is also the president of the Labor Party in New South Wales.”

Ms Rowland, when contacted for comment, did not dispute Mr Coleman’s letter.

“The Improving Mobile Coverage Round (IMCR) fulfils election commitments the then-Opposition and now government took to the 2022 federal election,” she said.

The Mobile Black Spot Program is a cross-jurisdictional, industry-involved initiative designed to invest in telecommunications infrastructure to improve mobile coverage and competition across the country, where service gaps exist mostly in regional areas.

Mr Coleman, when the revelations were first made, recalled Labor’s response to the former Coalition government’s sports grants programs..

“The politically biased nature of the list is particularly hypo­critical given Labor’s criticism of grants programs under the ­Coalition government,” the oppostion communications spokesman said.

“Rather than allowing communities to apply based on their need for improved coverage, the government only allowed 54 specific locations to apply for the funding.”