MORE than 70 people attended a community forum in Mundaring to talk about strengthening connectivity and resilience during bushfires and storms.

Senator Linda Reynolds said it was important that all levels of government and stakeholders engaged with the community to find solutions to improve connectivity and resilience in the Perth Hills.

“Growing up in Gooseberry Hill and as a former federal Disaster Management minister, I know first-hand the significant impact these disasters have on communities and the great examples of governments taking action locally,’’ she said.

Senator Reynolds said Telstra and NBN Co, who attended the community forum at her invitation, took questions from the floor and there were clear issues identified by the community, including the inability to access telecommunications when the power was out, particularly during natural disaster emergencies.

“I look forward to establishing a working group with key stakeholders to continue to find ways to strengthen connectivity and disaster resilience in the community.”

But she said the community had been let down by the federal government’s failure to deliver funding for disaster resilience and connectivity in the Perth Hills.

“Nearly two years after being promised $3 million to support disaster readiness and mobile connectivity by the Albanese Government, the community deserves answers as to when this investment will be delivered.

“As we move into winter, now is the time for Hasluck MHR Tania Lawrence to provide the necessary funding to assist the community’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.”

Hasluck MHR Tania Lawrence said it was frustrating for many people across the electorate to access reliable communications – particularly in the Perth Hills and the Swan Valley.

“Some of the issues, including at my own property, are due to the terrain – with hills and our trees blocking line of sight signals; some are due to the type of our building structures,’’ she said.

“Since being elected in 2022, I have not stopped advocating for improvements to the telecommunications network across Hasluck, meeting regularly with businesses, householders, and with Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, who also has visited the area to look at the possible solutions.

“Through collaboration with mobile network operators and local governments to identify areas needing improvement, I have secured funding for a new transmission site in Stoneville, we’ve worked to improve the upgrades in Brigadoon to provide greater coverage across more of the Swan Valley, and there is a possibility of yet more funding through Round 2 of the peri urban mobile program, which is currently assessing applications.’’