The Wagaitear
The Wagaitear; NewspaperNT
2009-04-01
This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.
Date:2009-04
English
Wagait Beach (N.T.) -- Periodicals; Cox Peninsula (N.T.) -- Periodicals
Jack Ellis
Wagait Beach
v. 7 no. 4
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Jack Ellis
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/212676
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/716085
2 The Wagaitear, April 2009 The Wagaitear Publisher: Jack Ellis Published at: 22 (Sect 60) Mungalo Rd Wagait Beach Phone: 8978 5111 Fax 8978 5222 mobile: 0417 089 528 email (editorial & copy) administration & inquiries 2mediaplus@gmail.com Published: monthly (fi rst Monday) Deadline (advertising and editorial) 27th Postal address: CMB 1 Wagait Beach via Darwin NT 0801 Sold at Wagait Beach Supermarket, at the Boatshed cafe Cullen Bay and on board the Sea-Cat Ferry. Subscriptions $1/edition (post paid), also available on-line at http://web.mac.com/chrisnjack or as a pdf document at homepage.mac.com/chrisnjack Whats inside Council news ......................................................... 4 Waste management needs upgrading .................. 5 Bush could be worth millions ............................... 6 Recreation the Wagait Beach way ........................ 7 Cox Club plans anniversary bash .................. 10-11 Crossword and stars ............................................ 13 Trade and service directories ......................... 14-15 From the quarterdeck........................................... 16 Rainfall and Temperature Rain for March ............................................................ 132 mm Monthly average ......................................................... 363 mm Rain since October 1 2008 ....................................... 1440 mm Annual average (Oct 1 Sep 30) ............................. 1706 mm Average expected for April ......................................... 100 mm Expect it to rain on ........................................................7 days Average min/max temp (Darwin) ......................... 24.0/32.7 C Weather watch Comedy of errors gives locals the pip Telstra had lengthy discussions with Mandorah representatives about ADSL broadband during the latter half of 2008. (We were) advised there were at least 50 interested customers in Mandorah-Wagait who were interested in ADSL. Given this level of interest Telstra was happy to pursue a business case internally, based on the customer base showing their support by putting through a BigPond ADSL application. Copies of the application forms were sent out with a request they be fi lled in and returned for bundling with the business case. They were not to be used for marketing or any other purpose, but solely to substantiate the business claim and act as an application in the event we were successful lobbying for this expenditure within Telstra. To date weve not received one application. The business case requesting infrastructure expenditure went through without this supporting documentation and to date we have not heard back. Given the lack of substantive support, it is not likely the business case will be successful. The economic viability of any project is subject to a range of changing dynamics especially in the currently economic climate but 50 or more applications is certainly worth pursuing. Rationale for any new infrastructure project is based on a range of factors terrain, distance to other infrastructure, expected number of customers. As advocates for our NT customers weve been very successful gaining fi nancial support for major infrastructure projects, particularly where third party fi nancial support has been provided. We are keen to have happy, connected customers. Telstra is a large organisation with competing priorities and requests for infrastructure spending. If we were to have 50 applications for ADSL, Telstra would look more favourably on meeting the significant costs of this infrastructure. I can send through the application form for downloading if this would assist. From page 1. Some services prom ised were not available at Wagait Beach, while the confusing range of plans and offers did nothing to clarify the situation or soothe angry customers. One was told it would take three weeks to remove the former ISDN line and someone had to be home to meet the technician. When he called to lodge a complaint, the disconnection was reduced to three days and happened at the exchange without any sign of a technician. Another customer, Michael Egan said he was offered an unspecified special deal in the letter advising ISDN was closing but it never arrived. They put an offer out for half price BigPond (internet) and a free modem so we took that, he said. Then we had to change plans but they didnt tell me it was pro-rata use on the old plan so we went more than a gigabyte over at $300 a gigabyte. The ISDN was left in place until January 6 or 7 and when it was fi nally terminated I asked them to convert me to the cheapest telephone line rental. But the internet billing also stopped so I owed them money (and) when I asked for snail mail, I didnt get anything. This led to the Egans being disconnected twice because Telstra insisted they hadnt paid accounts that were never received. This was sorted after Michael agreed to pay the earlier bills less than $300 charged for the fi rst wireless internet plan. He also was charged for an upgraded ISDN service not available locally. They told me it was my responsibility to ensure the disconnection (was completed), Michael said. I fi nally found a bloke in accounts who said it was all wrong, all bogus. We fi nished up owing them $9 so we paid them $10 to be sure. Half an hour later I went to use the phone and it was disconnected again we had to go through the whole thing again. Three months after the saga began, the ISDN line has yet to be converted to a telephone line, theres been no apology or offer of compensation for the problems experienced and an Indian call centre operator recently called excitedly offering half price wireless internet, the same plan the Egans accepted last November. Michael Egan not happy with Telstra. Telstra NT Corporate Affairs Manager Jane de Gault responds: