Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I’d say there must be 100 organisation and individuals that are waiting weeks and months on end for Telstra to fix a problem. And sadly today, you also need an internet connection, so a mobile phone is of no use to meet the needs of modern society.

I recently visited Tully and was informed of a situation where the local Meals on Wheels had been without a land line for nearly two months.

The Telstra reports keep failing and it gives me no joy to say “I told you so”.
This situation demonstrates just how utterly ineffective you are as a member of a major party.

When they proposed the sale of Telstra in the 1990’s, I demanded time in the party room. I was enraged! There was simply no way we were going to get services in country towns.

And almost every single one of the coastal Members of Parliament at the time – and I am one of them – each of the coastal members, we represent between 30-100 little towns. And do you think those little towns that comprise quarter of the population of Qld’s coastline, a tenth of its population overall, do you think those downs are going to get service by Telstra?!

Prime Minister Howard said ‘we are going to give you protection via our universal service obligation’. And I said, ‘PM, you will not be worth two bob. You will never get Mary Smith from Ingham her right to a telephone enforced against the biggest corporation in Australia; Telstra, no matter which laws you passed’.

Very sadly I was proved 100% correct and continue to be proven correct to this day.

When you sell off your assets, you’re selling Australians out. When will governments learn?

God bless,
Hon Bob Katter
Federal Member for Kennedy