Senate Committee Hears Concerns Over Ongoing Funding for Regional Connectivity

The Regional Tech Hub was developed in 2019 due to largescale connectivity issues across rural and regional Australia.

A 14-year-old boy posing at his home near Gosford as he looks at social media on his mobile phone in New South Wales, Australia, on Oct. 24, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

Australia’s funding for regional mobile connectivity came under scrutiny during Senate Estimates with Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson accusing the government of failing to commit ongoing funding.

Front and centre of the debate was a dispute over the government’s Regional Tech Hub, a support service providing individuals and businesses with help and advice on mobile reception trouble-shooting and internet blackspots in the regions.