Telstra chief executive Andy Penn has taken aim at Federal MPs who fail to convince rural councils to agree to tower installation, citing confusion over their obligations.
This comes as Telstra sell a 49 per cent stake in its tower business to a Future Fund-led consortium, in order to shore up funds to improve services.

“Telstra invests more than anybody in regional and rural Australia,” Penn told the National Press Club yesterday, in a televised speech from Melbourne.

“We’ve spent about $5 billion over the last three or four years. Those members of parliament are confusing their own government policy and their own obligations with Telstra.

“We’re a private enterprise, we’re there to work with and support investment, and we are.”

He also hinted at selling off more assets.

“In terms of [selling] other assets or infrastructure, that’s probably for another day.”