Conciliator would ensure good faith negotiation, says telco lobbyist

By RICHARD BRADDELL

According to Telecom, the Electronic Communications Commissioner proposed by the Telecommunications Inquiry would end up displacing meaningful negotiation between telcos.

But the commissioner need not be the first port of call in a dispute, says an Australian telecommunications lobbyist.

The managing director of the Australian Telecommunications Users' Group, Allan Horsley, said a stage of compulsory conciliation before a respected conciliator would ensure the parties negotiated in good faith, rather than appealing to the regulator.

Telecom's own subsidiary, AAPT, has often been accused of being adept at appealing to Australia's regulator when disputes with competitors break out.

Mr Horsley said a process by which disputes were solved quickly was vital because protracted legal disputes, as have occurred in New Zealand, can poison the entire relationship between companies.

"This is all about human relationships," he said. "It has nothing to do with technology. It's all about people learning to work together and in many instances it's not easy for competitors to cooperate."

Mr Horsley said the recommendations would help new competitors into the market.