City of Greater Geraldton disappointed by Telstra job cuts, calls on telco giant to reconsider

The City of Greater Geraldton says it is disappointed by the news of Telstra axing 2800 jobs, as the Mid West faces issues regarding connectivity. The telco giant revealed earlier this week it would cut 2800 jobs by the end of the year to reduce costs. Communication in Geraldton and the Mid West has been impacted by natural disasters, including cyclone Seroja which wiped out telecommunications for a week in 2021. Residents in rural parts of the Mid West, as well as truck drivers, have expressed concerns over staying connected while travelling to and from Geraldton, and across the Mid West. Mayor Jerry Clune has called for Telstra to reconsider its decision to cut jobs. “In good faith we have recently participated in Federal and State telecommunications reviews and before these are even finalised, Telstra have announced a large reduction in staffing numbers,” he said. “When the system fails, our community try to contact Telstra and when that fails, they reach out to council to see if we can use our contacts to get them help. “Currently there are many communication dead spots already hampering development in the Mid West. One can only assume this situation will worsen with Telstra letting go of almost 9 per cent of its workforce. “My thoughts are with both those employees who are losing their jobs and with those who will remain at Telstra facing the stress of operating under reduced capacity.” It is not yet known how many Mid West jobs will be affected by the announcement, with a Telstra spokesperson confirming it was too early in the process. “We’ve only just started a period of consultation with those impacted and our unions,” she said. “Since we are still working through the broader proposals, it is too early to tell.”