Coalition: The Coalition is committed to an arm's length arbitration or mediation regime to deal with commercial price disputes which cannot be readily resolved between the parties. However, in recognition of Telstra's dominance in some market segments, it is appropriate to keep some telecommunication specific price cap arrangements in place. The ACCC is an independent regulator, charged with arbitrating access disputes where commercial negotiations have failed. The Government role is to ensure the regulatory scheme is working efficiently, and the Coalition has legislated to streamline the operation of the access regime, to facilitate the commercial settlement of access disputes, and accelerate ACCC arbitration where required.
Democrats: We recognise the substantial domination of Telstra in the market and thus the crucial role of the regulator. The issue is not so much "toughness" but rather focusing on areas of national and consumer interest.
Greens: We strongly support the role of the ACCC in regulating monopoly or near monopoly industries. The specific case of Telstra is compounded by more than 10 years of telecommunications policy failure. [Telstra must be restructured] in order to eliminate its conflict of interest as both effective infrastructure monopoly and services provider.
Labor: Labor supports a more competitive Australian telecommunications market. To provide for more pro-active and coordinated decision-making, Labor will establish a new integrated industry regulator, Communications Australia, by amalgamating the Australian Communications Authority and the telecommunications division of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Labor hopes that the ACCC's decision-making process will encourage competition for broadband Internet services by allowing Telstra's competitors the option of providing just data rather then both voice and data services using Telstra's Customer Access Network.
One Nation: Telstra is in a very strong situation to control these services. The only way we will move ahead in IT is to make it affordable. Telstra should be encouraged to provide affordable services for all Australia and not just concentrate on cities. Cash cow services such as ISDN should be made affordable to all businesses.
It's disappointing that the only party the failed to address the current problems is the incumbent Liberal Party. It's equally disappointing that the Liberals were reelected.