Retiree resident Peter Ayliffe, organiser of the Karuah RSL’s Euchre group, has been attempting to consolidate the local populace’s ire into action since before last Christmas, recently creating a pen-and-paper petition to get something done.

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“The petition started just a week ago, based on widely-held anger at the terrible mobile reception signal here,” Mr Ayliffe told NOTA.

“Late at night, you can get maybe two or three bars, but by 7am, nothing… even texts can take hours to come through.

“In the retirement village, like the rest of town, the phone is important – we pay our bills, but can’t get any service.

“Phones may work, but people have computers they can’t use, and it only gets worse during holiday times, when the caravan park fills up, like it will at Easter.”

Mr Ayliffe echoed the recently aired concerns of other residents, noting that those attempting to run businesses in town have suffered greatly for a long time.

“I’ve handed out the petition at local BBQs and events, gathering close to 30 signatures in one night, over 100 signatures in the last week or so,” Mr Ayliffe claims.

The Karuah telecommunications petition is currently available to be joined at the Karuah RSL, and Mr Ayliffe intends to take it to more local functions, and even go door-knocking around town.

The petition, once ready, will be sent off to Members of Parliament, including Federal Lyne MP Dr David Gillespie, Federal Paterson MP Meryl Swanson, and State Port Stephens MP Kate Washington, in the hopes that these democratic representatives will add pressure to telecommunications providers to provide the basic, reliable service all Australians should expect in 2024.

By Thomas O’KEEFE