[LINK] Dealing with Telstra's short-cuts

[David Lochrin]

On Thursday 05 October 2017 at 16:19 David Boxall [quoting Facebook] wrote:

> https://www.facebook.com/groups/BIRRR/permalink/746613068880716/
> I would like some advice or direction please... we need to replace a boundary fence on a road verge. The Telstra cable runs along said fence, tied to it and is all tangled in the overgrown bush. My father in law has rung Telstra to see if they can come out and work with him so he doesn't wreck the cable. He needs to clear it using a bulldozer it is that overgrown. They want us to pay for this, so he put in a complaint but he keeps going around in circles with no real answer.   Does anyone have any advice for this kind of situation? We are located on the south coast of WA.

If the Landowner has not given permission for this at some time previously, and even de-facto permission might be a potential problem, I would advise having a Solicitor write a letter to Telstra with copies to both the Landowner's MP and Senator Fiona Nash (Minister for Regional Development, Regional Communications, and Local Government & Territories).

The Solicitor will advise on the content, but I'd suggest it should simply state that the Landowner wishes to clear the fenceline and avoid any disruption to services which ~may~ be carried on that cable.  So would Telstra please confirm within [some time limit] whether or not it is their cable and currently in use, and if so, discuss its removal from service with the Landowner's Solicitor so the fenceline can be cleared.  I wouldn't involve any neighbours who might be affected or the media, not yet anyway.

David L.