Regional communities could become more prosperous if the federal government put extra funding towards telecommunications infrastructure in such areas, an inquiry has found.
The latest regional telecommunications review has called for a funding windfall to help improve broadband and mobile services in some regional, rural and remote areas.
That could help regional communities access more economic opportunities, according to the three-yearly review.
"If we truly aspire to regional Australia being the prosperous and innovative economic powerhouse it has the potential to be, then more needs to be done," the inquiry's report, released on Tuesday, states.
Farmers are among those who could benefit if infrastructure was improved, allowing them to access helpful technologies that are already available, the committee behind the review believes.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"Many Australian farmers want to adopt more automation and robotics, as well as the collection and analysis of paddock scale data," the report said.
"All these activities require good connectivity in the paddock as well as the homestead.
"If we want our farmers to achieve the productivity increases that the latest research indicates is possible, we need more investment."
But greater funding is just one of 10 recommendations in the report, published on Tuesday, which follows 22 public consultation sessions and more than 380 submissions.
It also called for measures to ensure NBN Co sticks to its commitments to improving the National Broadband Network.
The telecommunications industry should also be asked to bring forward new solutions for providing voice services in rural and remote Australia, the review suggests.
Regional Services Minister Bridget McKenzie said the government would take the recommendations seriously and respond in early 2019.
"Telecommunications touches every aspect of life for those living in regional, rural and remote Australia," she said.
"This report is a vital check-up on the health of regional communications. Now more than ever it is critical that we get connectivity right in our regions."
