Interesting to read the article on the Clunes mobile reception black hole. Great to see black holes fixed but I am astounded at the level of corporate welfare handed out to the mobile phone companies.
Telstra is massive company raking nearly $4 billion profit per year out of Australia; Optus earns nearly $1 billion profit and is owned by a Singapore corporation; and Vodaphone is a large transnational corporation.
The government does not have the backbone to tell these companies that if they wish to operate in Australia they must build the coverage across Australia at their own cost.
Instead the government proudly announces that they have decided to spend $100 million of our money supporting these huge companies. They certainly look like they are having a hard time and really need the help, those poor homeless corporate giants!
I wonder if the government has even bothered to take some ownership rights over the new towers it is helping fund – or did they just hand the money over as a grant?
And we are constantly told that there is not enough money for essential services.
Just more govcorp corruption at high levels.
Love to see the justification for such high level corporate welfare.
Maybe MP George or regional development minister John Barilaro ‘who worked closely with the Commonwealth and the mobile phone carriers to maximise the funding’ could give us a short reply on why the three large telcos need such a level of corporate welfare.
Great to see the black spots being fixed but why the corporate welfare?
Richard Hughes, Upper Main Arm
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