Senator Barnaby Joyce

The Nationals' Senator for Queensland

Senator the Hon Helen Coonan
Minister for Communications, IT and the Arts
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
22
nd
December 2005
Dear Senator Coonan,
Telstra - Compensatory Commitments
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RKPil'eo In The Ofilce of the )[inister
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Thank you for your letter dated 14h December in which you have advised of
your decision to have the Department of Communications, Information
Technology and the Arts conduct the assessments.
Whilst I believe the Department has the requisite expertise and familiarity with
available dispute resolution procedures within the telecommunications sector,
I question the independence or appearance of independence of any .
assessment conducted. The Department has had an in depth involvement
with a number of the claimants and their disputes over a number of years
which precludes any further Departmental involvement being considered as
independent.
I strongly urge you to reconsider the apPOintment of an assessor external to
the Department and to Telstra. This will ensure the outcome of the process is
more widely accepted by the claimants and we will have a greater opportunity
for final,resolution.
Thank you for giving this request your consideration. I look forward to your
arliest -response-'andam1l10re1harrhappy-to disc(Jss-it'with-you--overthe-----
telephone, if convenient.
Kind regards,
Joyce
The Nationals Senator for Queensland
90 The Terrace, St George QLD 4487
senator.joyce@aph.gov.au - www.nationals.org.au
Ph: 074625 1500 - Freecall1300 668 135 - Fax: 074
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