Moruya Business Chamber has spoken with David Joss, Managing Director of Southern Phone about the proposed sale of Southern Phone to AGL, which is scheduled to happen at the end of this year.
Jude Manahan, Moruya Business Chamber secretary, said in a media release issued today "An important part of Eurobodalla’s business history way back in 2002 when Southern Phone was created by some locals from Moruya, who had a vision for a not for profit telco that would support councils around NSW.
"These locals, along with $4.77 million funding from the Australian Government, set up a business model which proved to be a success, so successful that their customer base expanded beyond NSW to councils from Cape York to Zeehan and from Bega to Broome.
"The idea of a not for profit telco centre in Moruya was based on one objective, to create ‘jobs in Moruya and the shire’. Southern Phone became one of the big employers in Moruya, currently employing 115 part time permanent employees from the shire."
The Moruya Business Chamber has been told by Southern Phone that over the last years with the introduction of NBN, the telco business is challenging and difficult and it requires Tier Two telcos like Southern Phone to grow or leave. The proposed sale of Southern Phone to AGL indicates that the Moruya based telco wants to grow.
The sale agreement for Southern Phone states that for the next three years it will be ‘business as usual’, a statement that is welcomed by Moruya Business Chamber.
The Moruya Business Chamber secretary said "Moruya is a low cost, high quality option for high quality Australian-based call centre services and the best outcome for Southern Phone and the shire is for AGL to grow the Moruya site, be committed to NSW South Coast regional jobs and in return receive support from business and residents of Eurobodalla Shire."
"Over the last 18 years Southern Phone has been a success story for Moruya and the shire, now with AGL diverging into the telco business through the purchase of Southern Phone, Moruya Business Chamber and shire businesses are counting on AGL to become part of the Eurobodalla business environment for the long term."
It is understood that David Joss, Managing Director of Southern Phone, briefed Eurobodalla Councillors on Friday in regards to the proposed sale offering Councillors an opportunity to ask questions as they consider their vote as one of 35 shareholders in Southern Phone.
