If you think that the Government’s plan to break-up Telstra is aimed at giving consumers a better deal then you are thinking just the way they want you to. The real reason the Government wants Telstra weakened is so that it’s poorly planned National Broadband Network (NBN) has an easier path into the broadband market.
Entries Categorised as 'Business'
Tough times ahead for Australian economy & businesses.
September 8th, 2009 · 3 Comments
According to many reports in the media Australia has escaped a technical recession and the nations future is so bright that we will all have to wear shades. But despite the somewhat upbeat business and financial news of late the reality is that the next few years are going to be very challenging for Australian companies.
Telstra, Sol and the dog and pony show.
February 27th, 2009 · 2 Comments
It is no surprise that Sol Trujillo is leaving Telstra after years of under achievement and I suspect few people in Telstra will be sorry to see him go. Shareholders, consumers and the Government can only hope that the next CEO will be a little more interested in the future of Australian telecommunications and less about his or her pay packet.
The national broadband debacle: all hail to Senator Conroy.
February 17th, 2009 · 23 Comments
Lost within the turmoil of the $42 billion federal government spend-a-thon and the so called “national economic crisis” has been the issue of the infamous “National Broadband Network”. After ridiculing the Howard government for taking too long to initiate work on this network, all Senator Conroy has managed to do is set things back a few years and we are still effectively nowhere near seeing work start on on this important national infrastructure project.
Vodafone and Hutchison: a merger of two failures.
February 15th, 2009 · 33 Comments
Although many business analysts and market commentators will tell you that the merger between Vodafone and Hutchison in Australia will create a strong third force in the mobile telecommunications market, quite the opposite is probably true. The company that will evolve from this merger will struggle to hold onto existing customers and rather than closing the gap with Optus and Telstra, the gap may actually become even wider.
Actions to stimulate the economy in 2009 and beyond.
December 16th, 2008 · 7 Comments
It seems that almost everyday we hear about another government plan aimed to stimulate the economy. Finally it seems the government has stopped blaming the previous government for inflation (and a large budget surplus) and is now blaming the world for the slow down in the Australian economy.
The car industry, six billion dollars and another blunder.
November 12th, 2008 · No Comments
Well done Kevin Rudd, just weeks after causing chaos in the financial markets with his bank deposit guarantee, he has been able to pull another blunder out of his magic hat and found a way to potentially waste six billion dollars of Australian taxpayers money. Let’s be totally clear from the start here, the bailout package for the Australian car manufacturing sector is a political stunt aimed at shoring up support with the unions and Australians who seem to think we have a car manufacturing industry.
Those annoying market bears.
June 5th, 2008 · No Comments
Investing in the stock market recently has not been a lot of fun. Many people would be holding some stocks in their portfolio’s that have been savaged with quite a few stocks 40-60% lower than they were just 6 months ago. It is not just the small caps that have been hit either, even the usually reliable banks have been hit hard and it can all make one feel a little depressed at times.
Are we near the bottom?
March 23rd, 2008 · No Comments
One thing all investors would like to know is if the Australian Stock Market has reached a bottom and when things will start to recover. Like everyone else, I cannot predict the future but I can at least outline what I think (hope) will happen and how I am positioning my own investments.
Sol’s Magical Mystery Tour of Telstra.
February 25th, 2008 · 3 Comments
You have to pay credit where credit is due and is appears that Telstra’s CEO, Sol Trujillo, is a master of the rules followed by many management consultants and top level executives. Thus he was able to impress a number of analysts and financial journalists with Telstra’s recent half year financial results, when in fact there was not much to be impressed about.
