MORE CHOICE FOR TELSTRA SHOPS

THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has given a preliminary green light to allow TLS Association (TLSA) to ‘collectively bargain’ with a range of suppliers on behalf of Telstra licensed shops.

TLSA represents around 90 per cent of Telstra licensed shops around Australia. It seeks authorisation to collectively bargain with suppliers of telco products and providers of general small business services.

The ACCC considers the collective bargaining arrangements should bring cost savings for TLSA members and believes that as the proposed arrangements involve only a small proportion of participants in the relevant markets, there is ‘little or no risk of anti-competitive detriment’.

Newly appointed Gold Coast area general manager Darren Clark, says it’s a voluntary option for licensees.

“Many businesses such as franchising will always seek opportunities to pool together to get products and services at a better rate and our Telstra stores are the same as any other group,” says Clark.

Telstra kicks-off 2011 with an executive shake down following the replacement of its COO and the appointment of former St George boss Paul Fegan to its new strategy division.

Telstra CEO David Thodey has appointed Brendon Riley, a senior executive with IT giant IBM, as chief operations officer, replacing Michael Rocca, who will leave the company after 43 years.

Public policy chief David Quilty will also leave the company.