Nationals Member for Lyne, Alison Penfold, is calling on Telstra to reverse its decision to close its Taree store to ensure locals can continue to receive face-to-face services.
The call follows Telstra’s announcement it will close its Taree Store in a month – on Monday, November 10.
“This is a complete bastard act by Telstra to turn its back on its customers in Taree and neighbouring communities,” Ms Penfold said.
“This is yet another low blow by commercial bean counters who put profits before people.
“I have spoken to Telstra about its decision, and it is clear this is all about the bottom line.
“This is a busy store, and it’s hard to believe that it isn’t making a return for the business. And it is hard to believe that any decent executive would consider closing services in a community devastated only five months ago by a one-in-500 year flood.”
Ms Penfold said despite the platitudes from Telstra that it cares about its customers and its people, jobs have been lost and services will disappear.
“I am informed that some of the Taree employees will be relocated to other stores, but not all of them. This is simply not good enough. And I don’t buy the benefits it is trying to sell that customers will still have access to the same services they receive face to face at the Taree store.”
Ms Penfold said the Forster and Port Macquarie Telstra stores are at least 40 minutes to an hour away, and public transport to them is limited.
“I know firsthand that these are already both very busy sites, so it will only make getting any assistance harder.
“Secondly, many of the people who seek assistance from in-store staff want face-to-face service, not from some online ‘bot’ and not from someone sitting in an overseas call centre.
“This decision makes Telstra no better than the big banks, who have been shutting branches across the country.
“It’s not like the telcos’ reputations aren’t taking a battering after the Optus Triple 0 fiasco. And locally, with serious mobile and internet blackspots and problems with the Telstra network that so many of us have to live with day to day.
“Corporate Australia rakes in billions in profits yet turns its back on the regions at the first opportunity.
“I call on Telstra to reverse its decision immediately and ensure that local Taree people get the service they pay for.”
