How is your mobile phone service?

Nearly 27,000 Australians from regional, rural and remote areas have lodged complaints with the telecommunications ombudsman in the past two years. Gerry from Conjola is one of them and we hear about his frustrations with his mobile service in the newsletter this week.

Also we have a story about former prime minister Tony Abbott's visit to rally disaffected liberals on the NSW South Coast, plus we look at why it took 20 hours to identify a "body" in a suitcase as a sex doll.

We also celebrate a milestone this week. The ABC Illawarra team and gardeners across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands have been toasting 30 years on radio for our gardening guru John Gabriele. He celebrated with a special cake in the studio with Saturday Breakfast host Mark Matthews and in this week's newsletter you can listen to John's conversation with 97.3FM ABC Illawarra Breakfast host Mel James about his time on radio.

Have a great week, and remember, If you have a story for the ABC Illawarra team please drop an email to 973@your.abc.net.au.

Rory Macdonald

ABC Illawarra editor

Belongings found on a popular beach sparks search for missing swimmer who failed to return from the water.

A report from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is recommending a root and branch review into telco services in regional Australia.

It took more than 20 hours to establish suspected human remains found in a suitcase near Goulburn were actually a life-like doll. A forensic expert says the extraordinary case shows why investigators can't rush a potential crime scene. 

A man believed to be in his 20s dies and two others are injured in a truck crash on Jamberoo Mountain Road in New South Wales.

The winter death toll from residential fires in NSW has reached 13 after two elderly people died in separate blazes across Western Sydney and the South Coast. 

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has headed to the NSW South Coast to rally disaffected Liberals as senior local party figures concede they need to rebuild voters' trust.