Reported at www.sbs.com.au: Labor proposes that all outdoor areas of Australia will have mobile phone coverage by 2027, requiring telecommunications companies to provide service across an additional five million square kilometres, including 37,000 km of roads.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland states that this initiative aims to enhance public safety and improve resilience during natural disasters.

The proposed laws will focus initially on SMS and phone calls, with potential expansion to mobile data as technology advances.