Serious questions remain over copper tax

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Source: Labour Party – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Serious questions remain over copper tax

Serious questions remain over the copper tax, including what was said by the Chorus chair to John Key and what risk, if any, there is of the company going broke, says Labour’s Communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran.

“The copper tax campaign is putting real pressure on the Government. When under pressure this Government shuts up shop and big questions are left unanswered. This time, the Prime Minister appears to be digging a big hole.

“We know that the chair of Chorus Sue Sheldon rang John Key last December to complain about the impact of the Commerce Commission’s draft decision to drop the price of copper that had just been released.  

“We don’t know what was said. Did the chair tell John Key that a change in copper would send Chorus to the receivers? Did she say the decision would put the ultra-fast broadband rollout in jeopardy?

“Does the problem lie with the original contract brokered by Steven Joyce?

“As a result of that phone call it appears the public are forking out $600 million in a copper tax. We all have a right to know what was said. John Key and Steven Joyce should front up.

“Questions also continue over John Key’s astonishing claim that Chorus will go broke without the copper tax. That is an extraordinary statement. Not only have the NZX been asked to investigate, so has the Australian stock exchange.

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“What information did John Key base that claim on? Is he right? Or is Chorus’ CE Mark Ratcliffe right when he denied the claim? One of them is not telling the truth.

“If Chorus is truly under threat of going broke under the Commerce Commission’s proposals then shareholders and New Zealanders need to know what’s going on. If Chorus isn’t going broke, why is the Prime Minister using that as an excuse to bail them out and protect its failing broadband scheme?

“The Government’s Chorus cock-up is set to affect thousands of households in this country. The Government cannot block the answers any longer, says Clare Curran.

Serious questions remain over copper tax

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