What’s Happening
Federal Member for Bowman, Henry Pike MP, has called out the Albanese Government and telecommunications companies following the recent Optus outage that disrupted Triple Zero calls nationwide. He says the event exposed deep failures in both the private sector and government preparedness.
Why It Matters
The outage affected emergency call access, shaking public confidence in the reliability of Triple Zero—the one service that must never fail. Mr Pike said, “When someone dials 000, they don’t care about excuses or politics, they just need help to arrive.”
Local Impact
For Redlands residents, the issue hits close to home. Mr Pike said communities had already faced dangerous blackouts and communication failures during events like Cyclone Alfred. “Too many locals have been left stranded without reliable mobile coverage,” he said.
By the Numbers
• 43 mobile upgrades secured across Redlands in the past three years through Mr Pike’s advocacy.
• Thousands of residents helped map mobile blackspots to pressure telcos for action.
• 2 backup generators already delivered at Dunwich and Russell Island under the former Network Hardening Program.
Zoom In
Mr Pike criticised Labor for delaying key reforms. He said plans to establish a Triple Zero watchdog sat idle for nearly a year despite repeated warnings and the lessons from similar outages in 2023. “Now, under pressure, they are rushing laws they should have passed long ago,” he said.
He also accused the Government of “dropping the ball” on connectivity, pointing to stalled rounds of the Mobile Black Spot and Peri-Urban Mobile Programs.
Zoom Out
Nationally, the Optus outage reignited debate about telecommunications resilience and accountability. Mr Pike said the failure was both corporate and governmental, adding that the safety of families should not depend on which carrier they use or where they live.
What to Look For Next
Mr Pike has urged the Albanese Government to restore and fund mobile coverage programs, expand the Network Hardening Program, and conduct a full, independent investigation into the Triple Zero system.
“The Redlands deserves better, and I won’t stop until we get it,” he said.
