Papua New Guinea Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey concludes negotiations with Australia's telecommunication giant Telstra CEO, Andy Penn.
MINISTER FOR TREASURY
Parliament House
Waigani.NCD Papua New Guinea
+675 71111777
By IAN LING-STUCKEY | 8th February 2022.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA TREASURER IAN LING-STUCKEY CONCLUDES NEGOTIATIONS WITH TELSTRA CEO, ANDY PENN.
*Importance of Telecommunications Sector Discussed with Telstra*
“Modernising our telecommunications sector can help transform the Papua New Guinea economy. Broader access for our people to modern, low cost data and voice communications can make Papua New Guinea a safer, richer and better educated nation.
These possibilities were at the centre of the discussions I had with the head of Telstra, Andy Penn, and other Telstra staff, on 1 February during meetings in Melbourne Australia” stated Treasurer Ling-Stuckey.
“Around the globe, it is recognised that modern telecommunications can connect people in ways simply not possible using traditional land-line phone services. A good, fast data connection can allow our small and medium-sized enterprises to reach out to markets throughout the world without having to go through middlemen.
This means better access to bigger markets with greater returns to our entrepreneurs. Access to better, faster, cheaper data also opens doors for dramatically increased education opportunities.
Combined with appropriate safeguards, it can also bring low-cost banking services throughout our country without the need for physical bank branches. Connections to families and wantoks is much easier. And it could even make it easier to watch the State of Origin” stated the Treasurer.
“Getting the gains from a better telecommunications sector will require much greater investment in our infrastructure such as more towers in more locations. It will require good regulation to ensure that the gains from the submarine cables to Papua New Guinea are shared broadly. There is a need to improve greater access to the more modern 4G network rather than the older 2G and 3G networks.
“My discussions with Telstra highlighted the importance of such modernisation and increased investment in the telecommunications sector. As Telstra is likely to complete its purchase of Digicel Pacific over coming months, I wanted to make clear to Telstra the hopes that Papua New Guinea has for its likely new partner in this vital sector of our economy” stated Ling-Stuckey.
Hon. Ian Ling-Stuckey, CMG. MP
Minister for Treasury
