Fed: Govt's stake in Telstra impairing competitiveness: PM
CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - The federal government's stake in Telstra was impairing itscompetitiveness, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
He said the government's moves to sell its 50.1 per cent stake in the telecommunicationscompany had led to an enormous improvement to services in the bush, which was recognisedeven by those opposed to the sale.
However, Mr Howard said the government was in no rush to sell its majority share in the telco.
He said when he travelled around country areas he came across opposition to the government'splanned sale of Telstra, but even those opposed conceded facilities in the bush were muchbetter than they previously were.
"In the long run I've always held the view that Telstra can't use that cliche halfpregnant, it can't be half owned by the government and half in private hands," Mr Howardtold ABC radio.
"It does impair its competitiveness.
"And I've taken the view, and I've put this to the people at the last election, thatprovided we could get services up to scratch in the bush, and we've had the Estens reportand we've committed to the full implementation of Estens' recommendations, so in a waythe whole debate has led in practical terms to enormous improvement in country Australia."
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KEYWORD: TELSTRA HOWARD
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