Fed: PM says Alston has credentials for Telstra job

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2004
Fed: PM says Alston has credentials for Telstra job

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says former communications minister RICHARD ALSTON has credentials
relevant to the chairman's job at Telstra.

Telstra has appointed an executive search team to hunt for a new chairman after BOB
MANSFIELD shocked investors by quitting the post amid turmoil within the company's board.

Mr HOWARD has told Sydney radio station 2UE that Mr ALSTON certainly has a lot of ability
and experience.

But he says the question of who will be the next chairman is something that has to
be discussed by the board.

The possibility of the former senator replacing Mr MANSFIELD has outraged Labor, which
says Mr HOWARD should be condemned for not ruling Mr ALSTON out of the race for the chairman's
job.

Communications spokesman LINDSAY TANNER says appointing the recently retired communications
minister as chairman of Telstra would fatally politicise an already highly controversial
organisation.

AAP RTV bt/lma/rh t

KEYWORD: TELSTRA (CANBERRA)

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