SENATOR MURRAY WATT
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
LABOR SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND
MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS
MEMBER FOR GREENWAY
FIONA PHILLIPS MP
MEMBER FOR GILMORE
LABOR TO IMPROVE DISASTER RESILIENCE FOR THE
EUROBODALLA REGION INCLUDING SOUTH DURRAS COMMUNITY
Resilient power and telecommunications infrastructure is not a nice-to-have — they’re essential services, especially during bushfires.
That’s why an Albanese Labor Government will commit $750,000 to protect Mount Wandera telecommunications to prevent a repeat of the loss of communications the Eurobodalla Shire experienced during the 2019/20 bushfires.
Mount Wandera is home to the most critical telecommunications in the whole Eurobodalla region, yet the resilience of the power supply is poor. The funding will replace the timber power poles with more resilient composite poles to better protect emergency services radio networks, ABC radio and television, mobile services and more.
An Albanese Labor Government will also commit $221,000 to improve the resilience of power infrastructure into South Durras.
This funding will relocate power cables to the local NBN fixed-wireless tower underground, and also enable the replacement of thirty timber power poles between South Durras and the Princes Highway with composite fire-proof poles.
South Durras narrowly missed the 2019/20 bushfires which brought much devastation to communities along the South Coast. That experience underscored the need to better prepare for future bushfires and take sensible mitigation measures where appropriate.
Labor has listened to the local community and is committing to practical measures that will improve the resilience of local infrastructure.
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Quotes attributable to Fiona Phillips, Member for Gilmore:
"We need to be better prepared for the next bushfire season with improved power, communications, and facilities.
"Thank you to Eurobodalla Council, in particular Eurobodalla Council’s infrastructure services director Warren Sharpe OAM, with the support of Eurobodalla’s Local Emergency Management Committee and Far South Coast Bushfire Management Committee for outlining what must be done to protect Mount Wandera telecommunications.
"Thank you to President Trevor Daly, and the Durras Community Association, for your advocacy to protect the South Durras community and raising this with me almost immediately after the fires subsided.
"I will always fight to ensure our communities are better prepared for future disasters."
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Quotes attributable to Senator Murray Watt, the Shadow Minister for Emergency and Disaster Management:
"This project will be funded through Labor’s Disaster Ready Fund, which will revamp the Morrison Government’s failed Emergency Response Fund and invest up to $200 million per year on disaster prevention and resilience.
"Three years after it was announced, the $4.8 billion Emergency Response Fund has not spent a cent on disaster recovery and has not completed a single disaster prevention project. All it has done is earn the Morrison Government over $800 million in interest.
"Labor will put these funds to work to keep locals safe, keep properties safe and reduce the cost of repairing damage from natural disasters.
"Only an Albanese Labor Government will keep Australians safe and communities strong in the face of natural disasters.
"Only Labor will build a better future for disaster prone communities."
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Quotes attributable to Michelle Rowland, the Shadow Minister for Communications:
"Improving the resilience of Mount Wandera and South Durras’ power supply will help better protect the availability of telecommunications and other essential services during an emergency."
