March 7, 2022
Residents from areas around Booubyjan, Tansey, Goomeri, Kilkivan and Woolooga turned up in force at a special meeting on Saturday to spell out the communications hurdles they had to overcome during the recent flood emergency.
The meeting at Booubyjan Hall gave residents an opportunity to discuss their concerns with Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien and Senator Bridget McKenzie, who is the Federal Minister for Emergency Management, National Recovery and Resilience and Regional Communications.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said that while the meeting was planned at very short notice about 45 local residents came along to help highlight the impact of the recent floods and the problems associated with poor telecommunications.
“This was a really important chance for these communities to be able to speak directly with Senator McKenzie,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“With the support of Llew O’Brien and myself, there was a window of opportunity for the Senator to travel to Booubyjan following her visit to Gympie and we were able put together a snap meeting at Booubyjan Hall.
“Senator McKenzie was able to hear firsthand about the two major floods that have hit these regions, the damage they have caused, and how a lack of mobile reception and landline problems hindered the (response to the) unfolding emergency events.
“She was also able to personally announce the further $75,000 grants for primary producers, $50,000 for small businesses and not-for-profits and $20,000 for sporting and community clubs affected by the second flood event.
“I would really like to thank everyone who came along and shared their stories.
“We have been able to highlight a massive need in relation to landlines, mobile reception, flood gauges for this catchment and financial support.”
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Earlier on Saturday, Senator McKenzie announced in Gympie that a new portable generator would be available for use in the region to power a mobile base station during electricity outages to improve safety during emergencies.
The Senator said Optus, Telstra and TPG Telecom would deliver 544 mobile network resilience upgrades across the country through Round 2 of the Mobile Network Hardening Program.
This included projects worth $51,964 in Gympie and Maryborough.
“This funding will provide Gympie and Maryborough each with a portable generator set up on a trailer that can be deployed quickly to anywhere within a 150km radius, so they can be used to restore mobile phone services in any community within that distance that has suffered damage or power outages,” Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien said.
“These generators provide a minimum of 24 hours additional power to support a mobile base station before they have to be refuelled.
“Maryborough and Gympie will also each receive a further two 3.2kVA portable generators to support backhaul sites, strengthening the network further.”
