ANDREW ROBERTS, HOST: Time now to speak to the Federal Minister for Communications, Anika Wells. Good morning, Anika.

MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS ANIKA WELLS: Morning Andrew. Hope you’re well.

ROBERTS: I am well, it’s the last day of the working week. Got to love it.

WELLS: Yeah absolutely.

ROBERTS: Anyway, I believe that you were here last night and also Anne Urquhart, regarding a community meeting regarding the connectivity of mobile and internet on the West Coast.

WELLS: That’s right. I know people living in these areas have experienced really long-standing mobile issues, poor unreliable connectivity. Anne brought me here to listen directly to constituents about that last night at our forum. And I could announce to them that we’re opening applications to mobile network operators. They’re going to partner with our government, the Albanese Government, to deliver better coverage on Tassie’s west and far north west coast. So, that’s $9.8 million through a new round of the Mobile Black Spot Program to address this.

ROBERTS: Why has it taken so long to get like this? Because this has been going on for quite some time, the connectivity- in regard to like the unconformity last year, we have thousands of people who couldn't connect to the mobile service.

WELLS: That's right, Andrew, and we did discuss that at length last night. I would say that the Telecommunications Act, by which these telcos are governed, is 30 years old. This is an industry that has been allowed to regulate itself for decades and fights tooth and nail whenever governments step up and are tougher on them with new rules and new fines. We are that government. We are tougher on them with new rules and new fines.

And I think between injections of the Mobile Black Spot Program, which are obviously targeted in places like the West Coast, but also what we’re doing by way of the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation, mandating that telcos must provide SMS and voice to all customers, no matter where you are in Australia, not just the spots where it's profitable for them. And the improvements that Tasmanians will see in NBN coverage now that we've got the low earth orbiting satellite deal with Amazon Leo.

Together you'll see improvements across the coming years but absolutely I understand that people have waited too long already and that's why we're doing targeted injections like the $9.8 million.

ROBERTS: So, when does this start Anika?

WELLS: Applications are open. There'll be six weeks for telcos to apply. They've been on notice that this would happen for a while. And I think importantly for your listeners, telcos can't apply for this money without the endorsement of local councils that agree this is a local priority. This is money to solve your problems as Tasmanians, not telcos' problems. I know you've had the mayor on, we'll be looking to the mayor, to Anne Urquhart, for their recommendations on what will actually help the most here.

ROBERTS: It sounds good, it sounds good. We need it to happen. Yeah, very isolated down this way.

WELLS: But beautiful, let me say.

ROBERTS: That's it, yeah. Anika, thanks for your time this morning.

WELLS: Have a good morning.

ROBERTS: Same to you. That's the Honourable Anika Wells who's the Federal Minister for Communications.