On a crackling telephone landline from her home outside Jundah in Queensland’s channel country, Barcoo shire mayor Julie Groves was shouting offers of champagne as she responded to news that after 10 years of lobbying, the communities of Windorah, Jundah and Stonehenge will finally be linked to 21st century telecommunications infrastructure.
Federal LNP Member for Maranoa, Bruce Scott was just as delighted to announce that round two of the federal government’s national Stronger Regions Program will provide $5.95 million in funding to the Barcoo-Diamantina Optic Fibre project, to “significantly improve bush telecommunications and boost the economic viability and sustainability of western Queensland”.
Mr Scott said the project will link the towns of Windorah, Birdsville, Bedourie, Jundah and Stonehenge through an optic fibre network.
“This project will enable these communities to receive metro-equivalent 4G mobile access and an unlimited capacity communication link to the national communications network,” Mr Scott said.
The announcement was the latest in a series of jubilation and disappointment, beginning in May when the two mayors upped the ante of the amount they were prepared to spend and secured a guarantee of funding from then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott, which then became a request to reapply to the National Stronger Regions Fund for money.
They understood $7 million had been quarantined for the project in May, but this has now become a $5.95m contribution from the federal government, with the two remote shire putting in $4.75m, or the equivalent of nearly four years of the total rate collection of each shire.
The previous state government had already promised $5.25m through Royalties for Regions to the concept, and the Palaszczuk government has since made another $1m available.
Cr Groves said it was absolutely vital to keep people in the bush, and the money would be well-spent as the communities would make great leaps forward.
“I’d like to pay tribute to the Prime Minister and Mr Truss,” she said. “When he was Communications Minister, Mr Turnbull came out to Yaraka and Birdsville to hear our case. The people who made the decision had been out and spoken to the people on the ground, and Mr Turnbull was well aware of our project then.”
She said it had been a “long slog”, which some thought wouldn’t happen, but she and other community leaders had stuck to their guns for the sake of the next generation in the bush.
“Our landlines are on their last legs,” she said. “Without this we would have had to rely on satellite, and clog that up further.”
Mr Scott said the federal $5.95 million contribution would allow people in remote Queensland to enjoy network connection speeds that rival those seen in major cities across the country.
“This project is the first step towards improving educational outcomes for students in rural and remote communities. It will also revolutionise the delivery of many services across the bush including tourism, health and agricultural productivity,” he said.
“I have long been an advocate for improving the quality of services in rural and remote communities. Telecommunications is key to boosting local economies and improving the liveability of small rural communities.
“I would like to commend the work of the deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss for his support in ensuring rural and remote communities in my electorate are not left behind.”
