[LINK] Friday funny a little early

Thu Aug 2 15:45:22 AEST 2007

http://www.industrysearch.com.au/news/viewrecord.aspx?id=27332

2/08/2007 - There could be national security concerns if the federal
government allows the Optus-led G9 group of telcos to build a national high
speed broadband network, a top ranking Telstra executive says.

"Action is character. G9 does business by press releases, we (Telstra)
don't."

<SNIP>
HEHEHEH Yeah right!
Now what twit would say that...mmmm Burges...

Yep... 
</snip>

Phil Burgess, Telstra's group manager for communications and public policy,
on Wednesday homed in on Optus' role in the G9 consortium, which is
rivalling Telstra to build the fibre optic network, and highlighted its
ownership.

Optus is owned by the Australian and Singapore stock exchange listed
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, which is majority owned by Temasek
Holdings, the investment arm of the Singaporean government.

"Why would you want somebody outside your country to control
telecommunications," Dr Burgess told reporters after speaking at a Rotary
Club function Melbourne.

"Telecommunications is the nerve centre of a country.

"One of the biggest problems we've had this year, all the telecom companies
have had this year, is working with ASIO and the police and others on issues
related to surveillance.

"That is something which has to be an intimate relationship between the
judicial authorities, the security authorities and the telecommunications
company.

"Do you want the government of Singapore to be at the table on that?"

Asked if the broadband debate touched on national security issues, Dr
Burgess said: "Of course it does."

"How could you have the nerve centre of the country not touch on national
security?

"It goes right to the heart of national security.

"It goes right to the heart of national prosperity.

"It goes right to the heart of urban-rural parity.

"It goes right to the heart of job creation."

Dr Burgess also reiterated comments by Telstra chief executive Sol Trujillo
on Tuesday that the telco may shift its investment priorities elsewhere, if
the broadband issue is not resolved quickly.

"We have other things we can do," he said/

"We can do other things in this country we do other things outside this
country."

But Dr Burgess refused to elaborate on where Telstra was considering moving
some $4 billion in funds originally earmarked to build the broadband
network.

"We're not going to be held up and have our shareholders' back pockets
pillaged by the um-ing and ah-ing and indecisiveness and confusion of the
government and the regulator," he said.

"Action is character. G9 does business by press releases, we don't."

In June, the federal government set up an expert panel to review high-speed
broadband in Australia, laying the foundation for a tender process to decide
which company or companies will build a fibre-optic network to service the
nation's capital cities.

But the panel's report will not be finalised before the federal election,
expected about November - a delay that has rankled Telstra.

Source: AAP NewsWire

Best Regards

Kevin Emery
Managing Director
West Australian Networks Pty Ltd,
WWW: http://www.westnet.net.au
Po Box 532, HILLARYS 6923 Western Australia

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