In recent weeks Australians have faced two major Optus outages.
Hundreds of triple-zero calls failed, and at least three deaths have been linked to people unable to reach emergency services.
The government has now introduced a bill to strengthen the triple-zero system.
That’s a welcome move, but let’s be honest: it shouldn’t take tragedy to prompt these reforms.
People in Indi have lived with unreliable communications for years.
During the Black Saturday and Black Summer bushfires, lives depended on whether a phone call could get through.
One couple told me their landline saved them that day - but now, even that lifeline is gone.
In 2025, they feel less confident they’ll get an emergency message than they did 15 years ago.
That’s simply unacceptable.
Under Independent representation, Indi has been the most successful Victorian electorate under the Mobile Blackspot Program, with more than 65 mobile towers built or upgraded since 2013.
But areas with poor coverage remain and that’s something I'm continuing to work on.
Part of the broader solution to regional telecommunications is ensuring every mobile tower in a high-risk area has at least 24 hours of backup power.
It’s a relatively small investment, costed at around $159 million nationally, that could save lives when disasters hit.
Temporary disaster roaming is another common-sense solution.
Right now, if your network goes down in a fire or flood, your phone doesn’t automatically switch to another provider - even if there’s a working tower nearby. That’s madness.
In the US, Canada and Chile, governments have already made emergency roaming standard practice.
During natural disasters, phones connect to any available network, so no one is left isolated.
Australia can and should do the same.
Helen Haines, Independent federal MP for Indi
Desexing program needed for cats, dogs
I am still hoping Wangaratta council will apply for funding for desexing of cats and dogs as it is badly needed.
Councils everywhere should apply as desexing is the only way we can try and stop all the poor cats having litter and litter.
It would be money well spent.
In 2023-2024 there were 9961 animal cruelty cases reported in Victoria - they are only the ones we know about.
I will never forget seeing a poor female dog, who was a victim of cruelty and neglect, take her final breath.
More than 10,000 cats were euthanised in Victoria in 2023 and I believe that number has only risen in the past two years.
It's just an absolute disgrace and we humans are to blame.
Maree Parkinson, Wangaratta
More action needed on mental health
We write to your readers to ask them to make a stronger connection between themselves and people facing mental health issues.
The not-for-profit Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia says it is deeply alarming that there are now 460,000 people who have no access to much needed community support for their mental health conditions.
The numbers, sadly, are continuing to grow.
Our latest campaign highlights the neglect of people in your area who have a mental health issue is on a very significant scale.
Put simply, thousands and thousands of Australians with mental health issues are ending up in hospitals and emergency departments because they believe it is their only option.
People with a severe mental illness die 23 years earlier than the general population.
Obviously, this is shameful.
We are calling on all governments to start taking meaningful action to help people with severe mental illness.
We are also calling on your readers to be aware that we have a powerful not-for-profit initiative that they can be part of.
The initiative is called Finding North.
This project connects people with mental health issues with others in similar situations and it is an ideal place to go to if you need support.
To get more information, go to www.findingnorth.org.au.
Tony Stevenson, national CEO, Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia