Mayor labels Telstra cover ‘beyond joke’

THE Central Highlands Council is pushing for increased communications coverage in the region, with Mayor Loueen Triffitt describing the existing service as “beyond a joke”.

Councillor Triffitt said the council would meet with Telstra shortly to continue its lobbying for a significant increase for the municipality.

“Telstra service in the small town of Wayatinah is way beyond a joke, with little mobile coverage,” she said.

“Thank goodness for satellite broadband or the town would be completely cut off.

“The landlines for the whole town are regularly cut off, with no way of contacting Telstra.”

Cr Triffitt said this put residents of the area in peril.

“Wayatinah being one to two hours from a Telstra depot sometimes results in the town being without telephone coverage for days,” she said.

“And if there is a medical [problem] or an emergency in this period, there is no way of assistance.

“Central Highlands residents deserve better and require a commitment for better services from the service providers.”

Telstra Tasmania Area General Manager Michael Patterson said the company would meet with the council

“We are more than happy to meet with the council to discuss any concerns they have relating to the current reliability and coverage of communications in the area,” he said.

Meanwhile, workers at the Central Highlands Council have endorsed a new enterprise agreement.

Almost 90 per cent of the workers voted on the deal, all voting in favour.

The proposal was negotiated by the Australian Services Union.

Union organiser Aaron De La Torre said workers at the council have historically been among the lowest paid council workers in the state and this agreement had resulted in a significant improvement to their terms and conditions.

“The outcomes are a testament to the work of our members and the goodwill shown by the management at one of Tasmania’s smallest councils,” Mr De La Torre said.

The new agreement provides for wage increases of 3.8 per cent in 2017 and a minimum of 3.5 per cent in 2018 and 2019.

Mr De La Torre said the increase means the workers’ wages would be comparable with workers at other councils in the state.