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Telecommunications 'Rogue regulator' accused of telling porkies
Telecommunications 'Rogue regulator' accused of telling porkies | 'Rogue regulator' accused of telling porkies |
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| by Stuart Corner | |
| Wednesday, 09 May 2007 | |
  
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Later in the interview, he repeated this assertion saying: "...we haven't been talking to Telstra since about July, August last year. Telstra suspended its discussions then. when we asked that they put their proposals into the public arena they withdrew...The next round of discussions that has taken place with Telstra has actually not been with the ACCC at but it's been with the Minister and with her department…" However according to economist Henry Ergas, that is not what happened. In a letter to the Australian Financial Review, he said: "I attended the meeting that ended those talks on Telstra's behalf. As was clear at that meeting the differences between Telstra and the ACCC had nothing to do with any ACCC request for public disclosure. Indeed the issue of public disclosure was not raised by the ACCC at that meeting and did not form part of the discussions." According to Ergas, Telstra had said it would file a public undertaking with the ACCC detailing its proposal and "there was no difference of view between the ACCC and Telstra as regards public disclosure." He claimed that: "the fundamental difference was over whether users in the cities should help cover the losses arising form providing services in country areas, and if so, by how much." He concluded by saying: "It is disappointing that Samuel has said otherwise, because all of this would be well known to him." A spokeswoman for the ACCC declined to provide any response to Ergas' comments. At the close of her interview with Samuel, Doogue said: "We will seek the views of [Telstra's group managing director regulatory and corporate affairs] Dr Phil Burgess for next Saturday morning." A Telstra spokesman confirmed that be would be interviewed saying "[he] looks forward to correcting the record."{moscomment} |
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