Swags out for taciturn Turnbull

The invitation follows last week's reports in Queensland Country Life of fiery Nationals Senator Barry O'Sullivan pleading for Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to "roll his swag out" to experience the "third world" services he's subjecting these shires to through their exclusion from receiving optic fibres under the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Barcoo Shire Mayor Julie Groves says she doesn't expect metropolitan dwellers like Mr Turnbull, whose Sydney electorate includes the famous Bondi Beach, "to be able to relate to our life in the outback".

But she would like him to visit for a taste. "I just think politicians need to come out and experience first-hand what people out here live with every day," Cr Groves said.

"To gain an understanding, we can put it down on paper, we can meet them and tell them what it's like, but nothing beats (politicians gaining) first-hand experience."

She said the outback shires are the only two in all of Australia to be excluded from receiving optic fibres connected to their main administration centres under the NBN.

"We realise we are being left behind in terms of technology," she said. Though Cr Groves joked "I'm sure somebody would give him (Mr Turnbull) a swag to sleep out under the stars", she did say there was "some upmarket nice accommodation out here too. We'll be more than happy to make sure he's looked after should he accept our formal invitation."

The Diamantina and Barcoo shires have also submitted an application for a grant from the National Stronger Regions Fund to assist in upgrading from the satellite system.

The project's total cost is an estimated $21.5million, of which Diamantina Shire CEO Leon Love said they are requesting a federal contribution less than an equivalent of 50 cents per person across Australia.

Mr Love has already committed the Diamantina Shire alone to foot a total $2.4million over their 290 residents - equating to $8275 a person.

While the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development wouldn't comment on individual applications, it did say that the purpose of the fund was to "support economic growth and sustainability of regions across Australia, particularly the disadvantaged regions, by supporting investment in priority infrastructure."

It said the aim was to improve infrastructure to bring economic growth to the regions.

The Diamantina and Barcoo shire mayor and chief executive officers met in Longreach this week for a Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD) meeting where telecommunications was an agenda item.

Cr Groves said the other seven shires involved in the board gave their "full support and endorsement of the application".