The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Minister for Communications

Senator Jana Stewart
Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba
Labor Senator for Victoria

Senator Raff Ciccone
Labor Senator for Victoria

Rural and regional Victoria will be safer thanks to improved mobile network resilience funded through the Albanese Government’s Mobile Network Hardening Program (MNHP). 

The Program aims to reduce the risks of service outages during natural disasters and throughout the response and recovery period. 

Round 2 of the MNHP is providing nearly $900,00 for 48 projects in Victoria that will deliver improved resilience. 

Approximately 90 per cent of the 988 Round 1 MNHP projects to improve mobile network telecommunications infrastructure resilience are now complete. Round 2 funding brings the total number of projects to 1,385. 

The MNHP is part of the Albanese Government’s $1.1 billion Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia which is improving mobile and broadband connectivity and resilience. 

The program is driving productivity, economic and social participation for rural, regional and First Nation’s communities and helping to narrow the digital divide. 

The rollout schedule will be published on the grantees’ websites once the contracts have been executed.  

For a full list of funded projects, visit: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/mnhp 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP: 

“While no telecommunications network can ever be 100 per cent disaster-proof, the Albanese Government reducing the risk of communications outages during natural disasters. 

“More than 1000 projects to strengthen telecommunications resilience have now been funded under the Program. 

“Projects like Disaster Recovery Skid for deployment to sites for rapid network restoration will support community safety by helping to mitigate the impacts of service outages during natural disasters, and throughout the response and recovery phase. 

“The MNHP is another example of the Albanese Government delivering on its commitment to improve connectivity for regional, rural, remote Australians.”  

Quotes attributable to Federal Labor Senator for Victoria, Jana Stewart: 

“We know there is an increases risk of severe weather events in Victoria as a result of climate change.  

“These critical telecommunication infrastructure upgrades will support rural, regional and remote communities around our state to adequality prepare and respond when disaster strikes.  

“The Albanese Labor Government continues to improve connectivity and deliver the resilience measures that townships in the Wimmera - like St Arnaud and Murrayville - demand and deserve.”  

Quotes attributable to Federal Labor Senator for Victoria, Raff Ciccone: 

“The 48 projects announced for Victoria under Round 2 of Federal Labor’s Mobile Network Hardening Program will make a big difference to our regional and rural communities. 

“It will help people stay connected with friends, family and emergency services during their greatest time of need. 

“Telecommunications infrastructure at 15 sites across Wannon – such as Camperdown, Terang and Winchelsea – will be upgraded to reduce the risks of service outages in our state’s south-west.”