No state will benefit more than Tasmania under the $100 million round 1 national program with 31 new base stations announced and more than $8 million of the total pool allocated in Tasmania.

The author refers to an ANAO report, critical that one in five new base stations did not provide 'new' coverage, but did presumably provide better coverage. By a process of elimination one might deduce that four out of five base stations to be built will provide 'new' coverage. Not such a bad outcome.

Many areas in regional Tasmania will be receiving mobile phone coverage for the first time as a result of this program, indeed many more subsequently as a result of the additional $60 million commitment for round 2 and further commitments prior to the 2016 election under a third round.

The East Coast of Tasmania certainly did not miss out either, although reading this editorial one might have been forgiven for thinking otherwise.

In addition to Pyengana/Goshen, new base stations are committed north of Bicheno, at Swansea, Little Swanport, Triabunna and at Buckland. The rural communities east of Oatlands, at Rossarden, Mole Creek, Nunamara and parts of the Central Highlands will also have access to mobile phone coverage for the first time.

Unlike the provision of landlines and the NBN, there is no universal service obligation for the provision of mobile phone coverage under licences granted to commercial carriers. Understandably these businesses build towers where the economics justify such a significant investment.

The subsidy the Federal government provided under this program, along with smaller contributions from some state and local governments, builds the economic case for commercial carriers to construct this valuable infrastructure in areas where they would not otherwise. 

Eric Hutchinson, former Lyons Liberal MHR

NOW that spring is here and Tasmania prepares to welcome thousands of visitors, it’s disappointing to see so many roadsides lined with litter. Together with the roadkill issue, comments about the amount of rubbish on the state’s highways and byways are a frequent criticism made by tourists. The careless and thoughtless practice of tossing drink bottles, cans, cigarette butts and take away food wrappers creates a serious environmental and public health hazard.

A recent report has highlighted the threat of pollution to our waterways and oceans from degraded plastic, and the terrible impact ingesting plastic waste is having on marine and aquatic life. The land is also being poisoned from years of degrading rubbish, some of which can take many decades to fully decompose. Tasmania markets itself on being ‘clean and green’ but the ugly accumulation of roadside litter gives the lie to this claim. Let’s get serious about the responsible disposal of litter; which means taking it home, and putting it in the council-issue garbage bins we all have there.

Anne Layton-Bennett, Swan Bay.

WORK is about to start on providing extra car parking for the Sitel call centre in Steele and King streets, Devonport, before TasWater takes up the tenancy. Devonport ratepayers have bought land in Steele Street from the owner of the Sitel site, will pay for demolition, and removal to landfill, of buildings on the land, and pay to extend the carpark. Why is the owner of the Sitel site not bearing the cost of extending his carpark? Why should every other property owner in the CBD now not expect ratepayers to provide car parking for them?

Ross Warren, Devonport.