December 20 2000 Media Statement

Alliance supports government response to telecommunications inquiry

The government's response to the telecommunications inquiry will ensure the long-term strength of the industry's regulatory framework, Associate Commerce Minister Laila Harré said today.

"After 10 years of saying our telecommunications costs were way too high we're now in a position to do something, and we have."

Laila Harré said the big issue wasn't whether the regulator was in or out of the Commerce Commission.

"The big issue was whether the regulator would have the power to do its job. Rather than going for quick fixes the Alliance made long term stability a priority.

"Outstanding issues like local loop unbundling will now be left up to the regulator, and our approach was to be sure that this person would be able to make progress in this area if necessary in the future.

"We also wanted to be as honest as we could to the inquiry's recommendations and today's announcement is a pretty honest reflection of these."

ENDS

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