Phone services are as vital as electricity for regional, rural and remote Australians says the state's peak agricultural body, calling for more than a 'band-aid fix' on phone woes.
A new national report on telecommunications has made 12 recommendations for change, which if implemented would herald a new era for the bush.
NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin said the recommendations, whilst not necessarily groundbreaking, brought into sharp focus the growing importance of connectivity outside capital cities.
"The independent committee reporting on Australia's telecommunications system compared the need for digital access to the need for electricity, which is not far off the mark and indicates how rapidly we have come to depend on reliable connectivity," Mr Martin said.
"COVID-19 accelerated the need to be able to be connected from anywhere, and there's a real opportunity to bring regional, rural and remote Australia up to the same standard as urban centres.
"The benefits of a reliable connection are varied in the bush - from making farms safer and health services more effective, to building efficiencies and opening the door to regional online businesses."
The recommendations cover the need for a longer-term approach to telecommunications in the bush, as well as a pressing need for stronger investment and greater resilience in phone and data infrastructure.
"The Black Summer bushfires and other natural disasters have exposed the dangers of poor or unreliable connectivity, and this is a reality our farmers have to deal with daily when they move around their property," Mr Martin said.
"With more business being conducted online and health services stretched, especially during COVID, the need is huge and the investment potential almost limitless - especially if it means more businesses can be run remotely and more Australians can feasibly move out of the cities and into regional areas.
"Digital literacy is also a huge part of improved telecommunications, and it's pleasing to see the committee acknowledge this in their recommendation for a strengthened Regional Tech Hub."
