MIRABELLA STANDS UP FOR LOCALS ON TELSTRA

16-September-2009

The Government’s decision to force the separation of Telstra raises serious issues for Telstra customers and Telstra employees and shareholders in North East Victoria.

 Sophie Mirabella, Federal Member for Indi is calling on the Rudd Government to guarantee that its Telstra break-up proposals will not result in poorer telecommunication services to North-East Victoria.

 “The Labor Government has form in breaking its promises on telecommunications. We saw with the change over to the Next G network the Minister promise that he would hold Telstra to their promise that local people wouldn’t be any worse off,” Mrs Mirabella said.

 Mrs Mirabella is also concerned that the Government has given no adequate explanation for this radical change of policy or any analysis of the likely impact on Telstra’s 9 million customers, 1.4 million shareholders or 30,000 employees.

 “We saw a decline in the Telstra share price almost immediately after the Government’s announcement and Telstra employs a large workforce in our area,” Mrs Mirabella said.

 The Government’s approach – to threaten to cut Telstra off from future wireless network access if it doesn’t split – has been labelled as typical Labor “bully-boy” tactics by Mrs Mirabella who believes that the Government should adopt a more cooperative approach to Telstra.

 “Now that Telstra Managing Director David Thodey has brought a new spirit of consensus and cooperation to the leadership of that company, the Government should be working with him, not holding a gun at his head,” Mrs Mirabella said.

 The Coalition will closely examine the 137-page Bill presented by the Government and respond to its detailed provisions in due course.

 Mrs Mirabella said she will be paying particular attention to the Government’s plans to ensure that regional areas aren’t disadvantaged.

 “The Coalition will be going over the Government’s legislation with a fine-toothed comb and I will continue to hold the Government to their promise that local people aren’t left worse-off,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.