TWO new base stations are set to be built in Riverland locations as part of the government’s $380 million mobile black spot program.
Under round five of the program, local towns Paruna and Peebinga will host two of the 182 new stations being rolled out across regional and remote Australian communities.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Tim Whetstone said the new towers were “a significant step forward in our regional areas towards addressing the ongoing mobile black spot problem”.
“It brings this part of the Mallee into line with many of the other grain growing regions around the state,” he said.
Mr Whetstone said connectivity is important for regional South Australian (SA) businesses, .
“To be sustainable, you’ve got to have more of a competitive advantage than other regions around the nation have, and the Mallee is no different now,” he said.
“Across the five rounds, the black spot program has generated more than $836 million.
Local farmer Anna McNeil said the new towers would connect businesses with their employees, both externally and internally.
“In the paddocks there are some areas that don’t work,” she said.
“(The new towers) will enable our business to operate effectively, especially internally with our employees in the paddocks.
“So me, trying to run a business from home, I find it to be quite useful.”
Mr Whetstone said South Australia had long missed the opportunities that every other state has benefitted from.
“We need to make sure the eligibility is a good fit for the different aspects of the different parts of regional South Australia,” he said.
“We’re working very closely with the Commonwealth, the State Government and with industry and the telcos to make sure it’s a good fit.”