By Ashleigh Fielding and Chris Thomson | posted on April 12, 2018
A STAND-OFF between the State Government and Telstra over the location of a mobile phone tower at Salmon Holes is delaying implementation of a recent Coroner’s recommendation into improving mobile phone coverage at the treacherous rock fishing spot.
During her recent inquest into the 2015 death of rock fishermen Chunjun Li and Jiaolong Zhang at Salmon Holes, Deputy State Coroner Evelyn Vicker heard the area had emergency telephones, but mobile coverage was erratic.
Ms Vicker recommended that Telstra be asked to install a mobile phone tower at nearby Eclipse Island to service the area around Salmon Holes.
However, on Friday with Federal Communications Minister Mitch Fifield at Albany Town Hall, Federal Member for O’ Connor Rick Wilson said planning issues had complicated the delivery of six phone towers in and around the Great Southern, including one at Salmon Holes.
“There have been some issues with planning, but we are fighting to keep the towers for the promised sites,” he said.
Telstra Area General Manager Boyd Brown told The Weekender the giant telco had received funding under the Federal Mobile Black Spot Program to build a new base station at Salmon Holes.
He said an application to build on a chosen site at Salmon Holes had been refused by a State Government department.
Mr Brown said Eclipse Island would not deliver the best coverage and was not economically viable.
