Right incentives to invest
The ACCC’s draft decision not to declare mobile roaming was welcomed by many individuals, regional organisations and community leaders across regional Australia.
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Telstra has also welcomed the draft decision because it ensures the industry still has the right incentives to invest.
The ACCC itself said that the majority of views they received from farmer and other stakeholders groups during the inquiry were not in favour of declaring domestic roaming.
We recognise that more needs to be done to deliver wider and better coverage for rural and regional Australia.
While roaming declaration is not the solution, the industry as a whole needs to do more – and clearly what is required is more investment.
In the Bendigo federal electorate, Telstra’s mobiles investment in the past 12 months has included 4GX upgrades at Junortoun, Maiden Gully, Marong, Macedon West, Mt Macedon Central and Heathcote Central.
We have also implemented two new mobile black spots at Pipers Creek and Guildford.
Upcoming mobiles investment in the coming months include a new mobile site at Kennington North, a small cell at Tooborac, and two 4GX upgrades in Bendigo Central and Castlemaine.
If the ACCC’s decision becomes final, through our own direct investment as well as co-investment, we expect to see up to $1 billion go toward enhanced mobile telecommunications across regional Australia over the next five years – a major positive for people who live and work in the bush.
We have already announced that Telstra will invest $350 million in new technology and regional base stations, up to $229 million to continue our participation in the first two rounds of the Mobile Black Spot Programme, and $100 to $200 million for new regional co-investment.
We also note that Optus similarly welcomed the ACCC’s draft decision and recently announced significant new investment into their regional mobile network.
Vodafone recently initiated court action to challenge the draft ACCC decision.
It will be very disappointing for regional Australia if investment is now delayed because of this additional uncertainty in the process.
Steve Tinker, Telstra area general manager
Stand up for ratepayers
I would like to respond to Michael McKenzie’s excellent letter (“Push for Positive change”, Bendigo Advertiser, June 7) calling for periodic independent reviews for councils in Victoria.
Only one problem, as officers control local councils they will give the proposal the thumbs down as they don’t want to have their performance evaluated in this way.
Being subject to this type of scrutiny and with a search for improvement ideas outside their ranks does not sit comfortably with bureaucrats.
Total control is their game in a monopoly environment.
With a spineless council at the City of Greater Bendigo, not wishing to put executive officers offside, don’t expect this council to lead the charge for this long overdue reform.
Not a peep out of our business and community leaders endorsing Michael’s plan for improved efficiencies for councils. They too appear beholden to the officers and don’t want to rock the boat.
Their silence on this issue is reflective of their apparent lack of concern for over 50 per cent of ratepayers in Greater Bendigo earning less than $35,000 per annum who would benefit immeasurably from reduced council rate increases if the reviews were undertaken.
The last hope is for our local politicians, Jacinta Allan and Maree Edwards, to take a firm stand, speak out on behalf of the less well-off in our community, and promote debate on this positive initiative.
But will they? Have they got the courage?