Doctors in an outback Queensland town say they are struggling to understand how basic internet services are not available in their remote community.
Three new doctors have started work at Outback Medical Services in Barcaldine, but were told by Telstra they would not be able to use cable internet at home because of a lack of ports available at the local exchange.
There is an option for mobile internet with very limited data, but that service has been criticised as not suitable for rural doctors who are required to do online GP training.
While Telstra has said the issue would be resolved by December, Outback Medical Services director Dean Workman said that was not acceptable.
When I tell them [family overseas] that we don’t have internet here, they sort of get really amused.
Dr Faisel Rahmani
“I am even further amazed at there are no internet connections available for a new business opportunity in Barcaldine – it is quite amazing to think that in 2015 basic internet access is not available,” he said.
Mr Workman said it had been a struggle to get doctors to move to the region for permanent jobs, and issues like the state of telecommunications would not help.
“It should be a priority, not just for Telstra but also for governments,” he said.
“My message to Telstra is that we are not asking for something that is unusual or strange, we are just asking for a service that they actually say they provide, but they don’t.”
Doctors unable to connect to complete studies
Dr Faisel Rahmani, who has family in Kenya and Pakistan, said his children had been unable to connect with them since they arrived in Barcaldine in June.
“When I tell them [family overseas] that we don’t have internet here, they sort of get really amused – ‘you are living in a developed country and you don’t have internet access’?”
Furthermore, Dr Rahmani needed the internet at home to complete rural GP training and not having the service meant he may need to consider his future.
Dr Asif Satti, who has come from the United Kingdom, also feels under pressure.
“If this is not resolved and it stays on like this and my family is not happy, then I have to think of something else basically. We have to see other options,” he said.
“We want to serve the community but there should be some sort of basic things that should be supplied here.”
Senior medical officer at Barcaldine Dr Joe Farrell has moved to the town from Cloncurry and said the issue was a community one.
“It should be a great concern to rural Australia,” he said.
“Certainly we read about huge profits that are made by telco companies and you just wonder if it isn’t worth investing a little bit of that into the rural areas that need these services.”
Telstra trying to ‘expedite works’
Queensland Liberal National Party senator Barry O’Sullivan said he had been in contact with Telstra over the matter.
“It really is an embarrassment, particularly with the delivery of medical services and education,” he said.
“We’ve put it to Telstra – they need to pack the tool kit up, whatever they need, and to go out there and get these connections and any other critical connections that are required.”
No-one from Telstra was available for interview, but the company issued a statement.
“We are aware of the urgent need to increase port availability at the Barcaldine exchange and are currently investigating ways to expedite these works, which were originally scheduled to be completed in December 2015,” the statement said.
Any revised dates would be posted on the Telstra Wholesale website.