Not that we think you need a reason to love Telstra but suing a government minister personally for jipping it out of almost one billion dollars definitely ups the telco’s cred. Especially when that minister is Helen Coonan.
Telstra’s taken action in the Federal Court in an effort to force the Communications Minister to disclose documents justifying why a lucrative tender was awarded to its rivals, Optus and Elders. Despite the unresolved legal action, the Federal Government has just signed off on the $958 million contract it awarded the Opel consortium to provide broadband to the bush.
The network’s due to be completed by June, 2009, with a typically tactful Telstra spokeman slamming the deal.
This is waste of taxpayers’ money and it is not surprising that Helen Coonan wants to sneak the announcement out on the APEC Sunday afternoon.
But you already knew that Telstra had taxpayers’ interests at heart, didn’t you?