LABOR TO INVEST IN REMOTE INDIGENOUS COMMUNICATIONS

30 April 2019

A Shorten Labor will invest $7 million on a strategy to improve connectivity in remote Indigenous communities to improve access to telehealth, education and tourism opportunities.

The investment is part of Labors broader $245 million investment to improve regional connectivity.

This election is a choice between Labors plan for better schools, hospitals and regional connectivity, or bigger tax handouts for the top end of town under the LNP.

Remote Indigenous communities are some of the most disadvantaged in Australia and the lack of access to affordable, reliable communications makes this worse.

There are 130,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait people living in over 1,100 communities across Australia. Over 30 per cent of remote and very remote households still have no access to the internet.

Labor will work with Indigenous organisations to identify projects to improve accessibility and affordability of telecommunications services, as well as improving digital inclusion.

This funding will help address digital literacy, improve access to basic services and address the digital divide in remote communities.

Labor will allocate $2 million of this funding to support First Nations Media with upgrades to broadcasting, transmission and digital networking equipment.

In addition, Labor has already announced that we will provide $2 million to the ABC to support the restoration of ABC shortwave radio services into the Northern Territory to ensure remote towns, communities and travellers are connected to the rest of the nation.

After six years of LNP cuts and chaos, our united Labor team is ready.