POLITICAL attempts to make the lack of mobile phone coverage in Gracetown a key Vasse by-election issue appear to have backfired, with locals discovering a tower is likely to be even further away than previously thought.
In Gracetown last week, Nationals WA leader Terry Redman conceded rolling out the state's second phase of mobile towers was likely to take at least three years.
Joining his party's by-election candidate, Peter Gordon, on the campaign trail, Mr Redman told media and local community groups he viewed installation of a tower in Gracetown as the greatest communications priority in the South West.
Earlier in the week Liberal candidate Libby Mettam had also flagged the need for mobile phone towers in Gracetown and East Yallingup as key electoral priorities.
However, Mr Redman said he had yet to secure Gracetown as number one on the state government's own priority list for the project.
"It will certainly be a lot easier for us to make that case if our candidate Peter Gordon is elected on October 18," Mr Redman said.
Stage two of the Royalties for Regions-funded Regional Mobile Communications Project has already been allocated $45 million in the state budget.
However, when pressed on time frames for the tower roll-out, Mr Redman said contracting issues were likely to result in a three-year lag before the next round of towers were installed anywhere in the state.
Gracies Town Store co-owner Gary Zinnecker said he was appalled at what he described as "a bloody disgrace".
In the past 18 years Gracetown had endured a cliff collapse which killed nine people, four shark attacks, sea rescues and bushfires in which emergency services had been unable to communicate by mobile phone.
"What will it take? A death where it's taken too long to get to emergency authorities?" Mr Zinnecker asked.
"When we took over this business we were told that the towers would be in place by December this year at the latest and most locals are of the same belief.
"It's totally unacceptable. We have had situations here where contacting emergency services quickly has literally been a matter of life and death.
"If a politician lost someone on the beach here you can guarantee there'd be a mobile phone tower here tomorrow," Mr Zinnecker said.
Cowaramup visitor Hayley Lynn, from Margaret River, said she would be reluctant to live in Gracetown due to the lack of coverage.
"Having three children I'd feel quite nervous about having no mobile reception," she said.
