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-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from ZDNet Australia. --------------------------------------------------------------
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Telstra steps up war on ACCC By AAP May 15, 2007 URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Telstra-steps-up-war-on-ACCC/0,130061791,339277376,00.htm
 Telstra has stepped up its campaign against the consumer watchdog, taking out full-page advertisements in major daily newspapers in every capital city. The fight between the two organisations stems from the price Telstra wants to charge its competitors for access to its old copper wire network to deliver Internet services. Telstra says the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is stopping Australians from having access to high-speed broadband and is urging the public in its ads to "tell the ACCC to stop saying `No' to high-speed broadband". But commission chairman Graeme Samuel says he will not buckle under Telstra's pressure. "The ACCC never buckles under pressure of this sort of nature," Samuel told ABC radio. "What we do is, we carry out our responsibilities under the law, our responsibilities to look after 20 million Australians to ensure that they are not subject to monopoly prices by those that have got monopoly positions." Samuel said Telstra should publish the full details of its plan, but the telco's public policy chief, Phil Burgess, says the onus is on the government to decide whether it wants high-speed broadband rolled out across Australia. "The government has to decide whether it's going to enforce its policy on the ACCC or whether it allows the ACCC to continue to be a rogue agency that makes its own policies and follows its own will," Burgess told ABC radio. He said if the impasse was not solved, Telstra would consider taking its money elsewhere. "This is a big world and if, for some reason, the government decides that complacency and indifference about the future of telecommunications in Australia is better than building out broadband to everybody in this country, then that's a choice they have the power to make." Communications Minister Helen Coonan said Telstra's campaign is "unhelpful". "Competing proposals need to have a public airing so that everyone has an opportunity to consider the merits of the proposal. There are merits in both if you look at them." The second proposal comes from a grouping of Telstra's competitors, known as the G9 and lead by Optus. © 2007 Australian Associated Press Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors. This is the ZDNet Australia TM service with content provided by AAP. AAP reserves all rights, including copyright, in services provided by it. The information, text and images in the service are for personal use only and may not be re-written, copied, re-sold or re-distributed, framed, linked or otherwise used whether for compensation of any kind or not, without the prior written permission of AAP. This service is published for information only without assuming a duty of care. AAP is not in the business of providing professional advice, and gives no warranty, guarantee or other representation about the accuracy of the information or images contained in this service. AAP is not liable for errors, omissions in, delays or interruptions to or cessation of the services through negligence or otherwise. The globe symbol and "AAP" are registered trade marks.
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