Today’s johnnie-come-lately announcement from local Liberals that they have finally decided to take a look at the poor service provided by Telstra to Gungahlin residents is nothing more than political opportunism.
Locally, the Liberal Party has never shown the slightest interest in the residents of Gungahlin who for over a year now, have been demanding improved service from Telstra, including high-speed broadband access and mobile phone coverage.
Following the launch of my “Pair Gains Victims” campaign in March last year, I have received a great deal of correspondence on this issue from Gungahlin residents. As a result, Federal and local Labor representatives have put significant pressure on Telstra to address these concerns.
In June last year, Bob McMullan MP, Katy Gallagher MLA, and I organised a public forum with over one hundred Gungahlin residents and representatives of Telstra, Optus and TransACT, so that residents could express their concerns directly. We have also articulated these concerns to Telstra directly.
As a result, Telstra has paid greater attention to these concerns, and Labor is continuing to work hard to ensure that the giant telco follows through on its obligation to provide adequate services to residents in Gungahlin and throughout the ACT.
However, during this time not a peep has ever been heard from local Liberals. Not even a word of encouragement.
But now that Telstra seems to be responding to the demands made by the Gungahlin community, and local Labor representatives, Mr Smyth has emerged from the shadows to try and claim some credit.
The ACT Liberals, just like their federal colleagues, have avoided every chance to criticise Telstra, even as Canberra residents suffered. Only now that Telstra has been prodded into action by Labor have they chosen to break their silence.
Such a johnnie-come-lately approach should be seen for the political opportunism it is, and cannot be taken seriously.
22 April 2003. Media contact: Adina Cirson ‑ (02) 6277 3334 or the Electorate Office ‑ 0418 488 295
