Gloves off as Telstra challenges Stephen Conroy

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Alan Parkington - 21 Jan 2008 07:20 GMT

From
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23068905-664,00.html

TELSTRA has put new Communications Minister Stephen Conroy in the hot seat,
launching an appeal over a funding decision made by his Liberal predecessor.

In what could become its first bout with the Labor Government the telco said
it would continue its legal fight to access confidential documents.

The documents relate to former Communications Minister Helen Coonan's
decision to award a $958 million rural broadband tender to an Optus and
Elders joint venture known as OPEL.

Senator Conroy, as the new Minister, effectively becomes the respondent to
the appeal.

If successful the action could lay the groundwork for Telstra to launch a
fresh action against Senator Coonan's original decision, which could see the
OPEL funding revoked.

"Taxpayers and Telstra shareholders are still in the dark about a selection
program supervised by the previous government that cost nearly $1 billion of
public money, intervened needlessly in the highly competitive mobiles
market, lacked transparency, and fell short of its stated purpose of
expanding the availability of broadband," Telstra's public policy and
communications chief Phil Burgess said yesterday.

Reply to this Message

Rod Speed - 21 Jan 2008 08:30 GMT

Only in your pathetic little drug crazed fantasyland.

> From
> http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23068905-664,00.html

> TELSTRA has put new Communications Minister Stephen Conroy in the hot seat,

Pigs arse it has. ALL its actually done is blow both feet right off, yet again.

> launching an appeal over a funding decision made by his Liberal predecessor.

And it will get told to go and f.ck itself, just as it has countless times before.

> In what could become its first bout with the Labor Government the telco said it would continue its legal fight to
> access confidential documents.

And the courts will tell telstra to go and f.ck
itself, just like they have countless times before.

> The documents relate to former Communications Minister Helen Coonan's> decision to award a $958 million rural
> broadband tender to an Optus and Elders joint venture known as OPEL.

And the courts have already told telstra to go and f.ck itself on that.

> Senator Conroy, as the new Minister, effectively becomes the respondent to the appeal.

Wrong, as always.

> If successful

Not a chance, you watch.

> the action could lay the groundwork for Telstra to launch a fresh action against Senator Coonan's original decision,
> which could see the OPEL funding revoked.

Not a chance, you watch.

> "Taxpayers and Telstra shareholders are still in the dark about a
> selection program supervised by the previous government that cost
> nearly $1 billion of public money, intervened needlessly in the highly competitive mobiles market, lacked
> transparency, and fell short of its stated purpose of expanding the availability of broadband," Telstra's public
> policy and communications chief Phil Burgess said yesterday.

Like it or lump it you obscenely fat turd.

f.ck off back where you came from if you dont like it.

Reply to this Message

thegoons - 21 Jan 2008 13:56 GMT

Pity that Conroy will just legislate Telstra out of EVER receiving any
handouts EVER AGAIN should it continue with their current tantrums.

> From
> http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23068905-664,00.html
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> stated purpose of expanding the availability of broadband," Telstra's
> public policy and communications chief Phil Burgess said yesterday.

Signature

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Reply to this Message

Horry - 22 Jan 2008 18:28 GMT

> Pity that Conroy will just legislate Telstra out of EVER receiving any
> handouts EVER AGAIN should it continue with their current tantrums.

Conroy should "legislate" the government out of ever GIVING any handouts
EVER AGAIN to any telecommunications company.

Reply to this Message

Rod Speed - 22 Jan 2008 19:05 GMT

>> Pity that Conroy will just legislate Telstra out of EVER receiving
>> any handouts EVER AGAIN should it continue with their current
>> tantrums.
>
> Conroy should "legislate" the government out of ever GIVING any
> handouts EVER AGAIN to any telecommunications company.

Not even possible, and there is no good reason why they shouldnt do
that with a tiny part of what they got from flogging off telstra anyway.

Reply to this Message

Horry - 22 Jan 2008 19:15 GMT

>>> Pity that Conroy will just legislate Telstra out of EVER receiving
>>> any handouts EVER AGAIN should it continue with their current
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Not even possible, and there is no good reason why they shouldnt do
> that with a tiny part of what they got from flogging off telstra anyway.

Of course it's "possible" (unless you're referring to the fact that Conroy
can't legislate, or that Parliament could in the future repeal any
legislation that it enacted itself).

The "good reason" is that the money should be returned to taypayers by way
of lower taxes, rather than "handed out" to telecommunications companies.

(Why did you mention the money from selling Telstra? If you're referring
to the OPEL money, that was money spent pursuant to a commercial contract
(after an allegedly dodgy tender process) -- not a handout. I may not
agree with the Government subsidizing "broadband", but I wouldn't call the
money spent a "handout".)

Reply to this Message

Rod Speed - 22 Jan 2008 21:02 GMT

> Rod Speed wrote
>>> thegoons wrote

>>>> Pity that Conroy will just legislate Telstra out of EVER receiving any
>>>> handouts EVER AGAIN should it continue with their current tantrums.

>>> Conroy should "legislate" the government out of ever GIVING any
>>> handouts EVER AGAIN to any telecommunications company.

>> Not even possible, and there is no good reason why they shouldnt do
>> that with a tiny part of what they got from flogging off telstra anyway.

> Of course it's "possible"

Nope.

> (unless you're referring to the fact that Conroy can't legislate,

Nope.

> or that Parliament could in the future repeal any legislation that it enacted itself).

Funny that.

> The "good reason" is that the money should be returned to taypayers by way
> of lower taxes, rather than "handed out" to telecommunications companies.

Pity about the infationary effect of that.

> (Why did you mention the money from selling Telstra?

Because thats whats being GIVEN.

> If you're referring to the OPEL money, that was money spent pursuant to a
> commercial contract (after an allegedly dodgy tender process) -- not a handout.

Wrong, as always.

> I may not agree with the Government subsidizing "broadband",
> but I wouldn't call the money spent a "handout".)

More fool you. Thats precisely what it obviously is.

Reply to this Message