The federal government today introduced laws into Parliament to pave the way for the full privatisation of Telstra.
Introducing the Telstra Bill, Science Minister Brendan Nelson said the government was in no hurry to sell its remaining 50.1 per cent stake of the telco and would only sell when the price was right.
He said the legislation ensured that when sold, Telstra would have to meet certain licence conditions protecting rural users.
Only yesterday the government unveiled a $181 million upgrade for bush telecommunications as a sweetener to win support for the full sale of Telstra.
The package was announced in response to last year's inquiry into rural phone services by Moree cotton farmer Dick Estens.
But the move didn't win everyone over with many National Party MPs opposed to the Telstra sell-off.
