North Queensland got ready for digital TV but it appears digital TV isn’t ready for North Queensland, according to Federal Member for Dawson, George Christensen.

Only days after the analogue television system was switched off, residents across North Queensland are reporting partial to complete loss of digital signal, prompting Mr Christensen to seek an urgent review from the Minister.

“I have asked the Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy, to conduct an urgent review of digital television in North Queensland,” he said. “The digital service is far from adequate and the last thing we want coming into cyclone season is a missing link in the communication chain.”

Mr Christensen said he had received a wide range of complaints about digital television, including:

·         Complete loss of television service

·         Pixelated pictures

·         Loss of service when it’s raining

·         Trees blocking signal

·         Towers out of commission

·         No response from Digital Ready

Mr Christensen said heavy rains were creating a flood of complaints as the service deteriorates and disappears.

“If digital television doesn’t work when it’s raining, then it doesn’t work in North Queensland,” he said. “The minister may not be aware of what happens outside the capital cities, but we tend to get a lot of heavy rain in North Queensland – that’s why it’s called the wet season.

“And it is during the wet season that we need every bit of early cyclone warning that our communication systems can provide. The digital television service, so far, has been a backward step and it’s time regional centres were treated with the same respect as capital cities and technical issues in regional centres treated with the same urgency as they would be in Sydney or Melbourne.”