Media release - Littleproud and McIntosh - Coalition to set stronger expectations for telecommunications providers

THE HON DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP
LEADER OF THE NATIONALS

MELISSA McINTOSH MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS

1 MAY 2025

A Dutton-Littleproud Coalition Government will set new, stronger expectations for telecommunications providers to deliver reliable mobile and internet service coverage and standards in regional, rural and remote Australia.

In its first 12 months, the Coalition Government will develop a framework to reform and modernise universal service obligations for telecommunications providers, including:

• Setting minimum broadband and voice service speeds of at least 25Mbs for fixed lines and wireless services, consistent with the minimum service speed requirements for NBN Co. as the national provider;
• Ensuring mobile tower infrastructure is covered by broadened basic service requirements and better defining minimum output requirements of mobile towers as a basis for service levels required;
• Set minimum repair timeframes for all infrastructure, particularly mobile towers, to ensure services are maintained, remain safe and all outages are repaired within reasonable timeframes with penalties applied should minimum service standards not be met.

A Coalition Government will establish a $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund to deliver secure and sustainable long-term funding to tackle challenges that hold back regional communities and invest in building the long-term economic foundations of regional Australia.

The Coalition has identified initial key priorities of the Regional Australia Future Fund, which includes improving regional mobile and internet services for communities in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Leader of The Nationals, David Littleproud, said it was time to modernise universal service obligations in regional Australia to reflect the reliance on mobile infrastructure and coverage to communities.

“Mobile coverage and reliability simply isn’t good enough in regional Australia. We need a common sense approach to fix it and provide country communities with the services they deserve,” Mr Littleproud said.

“New emerging technology like satellites will play an increasingly important role but as a first principal we need to get the technology we rely on right now up to expectations.”

Shadow Minister for Communications, Melissa McIntosh, said the Coalition would work closely with telecommunications providers to ensure that all Australians receive adequate voice, mobile and internet services.

“In contrast, the Albanese Government has shown no interest in improving telecommunications, particularly for regional, rural and remote communities, demonstrated by their sparse funding commitments,” Ms McIntosh said.

“The Labor Government’s botched closure of the 3G network has left people stranded without telephone services which is hurting businesses and risking their safety.”

This commitment is part of the Coalition’s plan to get Australia back on track.