DIGITAL AND MOBILE INCLUSION FOR REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
PROVIDING METROPOLITAN CONNECTIVITY FOR THRIVING REGIONS
DON’T LEAVE RURAL COMMUNITIES BEHIND
IMPROVING REGIONAL DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY
WHAT’S THE NEED?
Resilient and stable mobile and data connection is vital to support regional Australia’s growth and transition into the digital economy.
Substandard mobile and digital connectivity across communities with low-density populations remains a significant issue for the Western Downs and much of regional Australia.
Unfortunately, telecommunications providers will only increase coverage when demand reaches a level to be financially attractive. Without suitable access to cost-effective telecommunications, communities are not able to retain and attract populations, further enhancing the disadvantage.
For regions like the Western Downs, low populated regions are home to substantial intensive agricultural operations and feedlots, the resources sector, and energy and renewable projects - all of which are major contributors to the Queensland economy.
We need a commitment by the State and Federal Governments to increase targeted funding for place-based solutions which will increase availability and bandwidth of the cellular network across regional Australia.
WHY IS IT SO CRITICAL?
Despite being the Energy Capital of Queensland and home to a billion-dollar agricultural sector, the Western Downs, like most of regional Australia, still experiences critical shortfalls in telecommunication and digital connectivity.
The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan identifies the Western Downs region as a pivotal location in the Southern Renewable Energy Zone, driving the first phase of development and the State’s energy transformation.
Connectivity is the crucial layer of infrastructure that supports the Western Downs economy and community, enabling population retention, business development and attraction, telehealth, remote working and education, and social inclusion.
Rural residents and businesses across the Western Downs face issues when it comes to mobile and internet access, reliability, and speed. Cost is also a common
issue with connectivity options in the region, especially outside of the larger townships (such as the costs to install a phone booster, data caps, and upfront plus ongoing costs of starlink).
Many regional areas do not have the population to make it attractive for telecommunications providers to install new infrastructure, however, many of these areas have multi-million-dollar industries such as intensive agriculture, energy, and manufacturing.
Regional resilience can be improved through an expanded NBN rollout, additional mobile towers, subsidies for residential and business microcells, domestic roaming, infrastructure sharing, and investigating alternative technologies as a backup.
Western Downs Regional Council is advocating for State and Federal funding opportunities in addition to the Blackspot Funding for regional Australia.
PUTTING LIVES & LIVEABILITY AT RISK
Sustained critical shortfalls in mobile and broadband technology are putting the lives and liveability of our Western Downs communities at extreme risk.
In 2023, the Western Downs experienced two catastrophic bushfire disasters, one of which was the largest bushfire event in Queensland’s history.
Ours is a region prone to major flooding, bushfires and extreme weather events and unaddressed connectivity shortfalls prohibit residents in our region from receiving lifesaving emergency communications and warnings.
During times of life-threatening regional disaster, due to poor connectivity in rural and remote Western Downs, residents rely on the courage of our emergency personnel to brave rising flood waters and escalating walls of flame to deliver critical warnings and evacuation information door to door.
In the modern world, this is simply not good enough.
THE MISSING LINK
INVESTMENT IN REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY
Improved digital connectivity has never been a more significant issue for regional Australians.
Poor connectivity is crippling regional Australia. Despite being home to more than nine million people and around one-third of the national workforce, most of Regional Australia does not have adequate digital and cellular networks to work, live, learn or communicate effectively.
A resilient and stable mobile and data connection is essential to support regional Australia’s growth and ensure Western Downs businesses and producers can compete locally, nationally, and internationally.
THE ASK:
Increased State and Federal targeted funding for placebased solutions to increase the availability and bandwidth of the cellular network across Regional Australia.
THE WESTERN DOWNS - POWERING, CLOTHING & FEEDING AUSTRALIA
Business grade connectivity is a prerequisite for rural and remote businesses and projects to run day-to-day operations and improve productivity to facilitate business growth. Increasingly, our remote agricultural, resource and energy producers need to reach new worldwide markets to enhance business capacity and growth.
Industry-leading technological advances, particularly in the agriculture, intensive agriculture,
manufacturing, resources and energy industries, are currently limited due to poor coverage in the Western Downs including:
Virtual Fencing
Drone Site & Herd Monitoring
Animal Tracking Devices
Water Monitoring, Livestock Welfare & Feed Management Tech
Remote Workforce OHS Tracking
Logistics & Freight Tracking
Tourism & Wayfinding Tech
CONTACT US
For more information on Western Downs Regional Council’s advocacy for improved digital and mobile connectivity for Regional Australia, please contact:
ANDREW SMITH Mayor
Western Downs Regional Council 0438 755 896 andrew.smith@wdrc.qld.gov.au
JODIE TAYLOR Chief Executive Officer
Western Downs Regional Council 0407 961 496
jodie.taylor@wdrc.qld.gov.au