SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date: 10 August 2004
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED
242 Exhibition Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F þ Form 40-F o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes o No þ
If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
INDEX
Telstra announces successful Euro bond issue
KAZ acquisition formally approved
Telstra Board announces appointment of Chairman
Australias first 3G network sharing to expand and accelerate customer access to world leading mobile services
9 July, 2004 | 218/2004 |
Telstra announces successful euro bond issue
Telstra today announced the successful completion of a Euro 500 million ($A850 million) 10 year fixed-rate bond issue.
The bond issue was more than two times over-subscribed and follows the recent well received road show led by Telstras Chief Financial Officer, Mr John Stanhope and Telstras Corporate Treasurer, Mr Cliff Davis in London, Paris and Frankfurt.
This transaction marks Telstras return to the capital markets after an absence of nearly two years and follows the recent announcement of our medium term capital management program, Mr Stanhope said.
Mr Stanhope said that the EUR currency market continued to provide Telstra with quick access to efficiently priced long-term funding and that the company had achieved its pricing and maturity targets.
The bond achieved a wide distribution throughout Europe being placed with over 90 quality investors.
The pricing of the fixed-rate issue was equivalent to 45 basis points over the Euro 10-year mid-swaps rate and was at the tight end of the pricing range reflecting the strong investor interest, and provides Telstra with an attractive all up cost of funds after swapping to AUD.
Mr Stanhope said: This borrowing has now provided a clear and sound reference price for future long term borrowings by Telstra. In particular this paves the way for a subsequent domestic bond issue later this calendar year, and in fact during the road show we have seen Telstras margins contract in the domestic market.
The borrowing has shown that the premium that the market has required from Telstra, following the capital management announcement on 21 June and subsequent re-rating to an A+/A1, is minimal and in the region of five or less basis points, he said.
Issue proceeds will be mainly used for general working capital purposes and to refinance maturing debt.
The bond issue was led jointly by BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan.
Telstras long-term ratings are stable at A+ by Standard & Poors, A1 by Moodys and A+ by Fitch.
Telstra Media Contact
Kerrina Lawrence
Telstra Media Relations
Tel: (03) 9634 5611
Mobile: 0419 352 313
Telstras national media inquiry line is 13 1639 and Telstras Media Centre is located at:
www.telstra.com.au/communications/media
Friday 9 July 2004 | 219/2004 |
KAZ acquisition formally approved
Telstras offer to acquire 100 per cent of the shares of Australian ICT services and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company KAZ Group Limited for $333 million has been formally approved.
The acquisition will be completed on 19 July 2004 following todays Federal Court approval of the Scheme of Arrangement and the approval of KAZ shareholders and option holders earlier this week. KAZ shareholders will receive 40 cents per share.
Telstra Services Solutions Managing Director, Mr Mike Foster, said Telstra was pleased with the strong support the acquisition offer had received from KAZ staff, customers and shareholders.
We are very excited to gain the necessary approvals to acquire KAZ and look forward to completing the acquisition later this month, Mr Foster said.
While KAZ will continue to be operated as a separate business entity, the acquisition will make available a broader range of ICT and BPO solutions to our business and government customers alongside Telstras traditional telco services.
The combination of KAZ and Telstras current Services Solutions business will create a profitable business unit with initial revenues approaching $1 billion per year.
Telstra Media Contact:
Warwick Ponder
02 9298 4619
0409 369 711
Telstras national media inquiry line is 13 1639 and Media Centre is located at:
www.telstra.com.au/communications/media
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20 July 2004
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Office of the Company Secretary | |
The Manager |
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Level 41 | ||
242 Exhibition Street | ||
Company Announcements Office
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MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | |
Australian Stock Exchange
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AUSTRALIA | |
10th Floor, 20 Bond Street |
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SYDNEY NSW 2000
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Telephone 03 9634 6400 | |
Facsimile 03 9632 3215 |
ELECTRONIC LODGEMENT
Dear Sir or Madam
Telstra Board announces appointment of Chairman
The Telstra Board today appointed Mr Donald McGauchie AO as Chairman of the Board.
Mr McGauchie has been a director of Telstra since 1998 and Chairman of the Telstra CountryWide Advisory Board since 2000.
Mr McGauchie is also Chairman of the Rural Finance Corporation of Victoria and Deputy Chairman of Ridley Corporation Ltd and a director of the Reserve Bank of Australia, National Foods Limited, James Hardie Industries NV and Nufarm Limited. Mr McGauchie was Chairman of Woolstock Australia Limited from 1999-2002 and President of the National Farmers Federation from 1994-1998.
The Board thanked Mr John Ralph AC for his service as interim Chairman since April 2004. Mr Ralph will resume his role as Deputy Chairman.
Attached is a copy of a media release relating to Mr McGauchies appointment.
Yours sincerely
Douglas Gration
Company Secretary
Telstra Corporation
Limited
ACN 051 775 556
ABN 33 051 775 556
20 July, 2004 | 232/2003 |
Donald McGauchie elected Telstra Chairman
The Board of Telstra Corporation Limited today announced that Mr Donald McGauchie AO has been elected Chairman of the Company with immediate effect.
Mr McGauchies election by the Board of the Company follows a 3-month search process involving the executive search firm Spencer Stuart, with consideration of internal and external candidates for the position.
The Companys majority shareholder, the Commonwealth Government was consulted on the decision and raised no objections.
Mr John Ralph AC has stepped down from his role as interim Chairman. The Board thanked Mr Ralph for his contribution, in particular, for his role in chairing the selection process for the new Chairman.
Mr McGauchie has been a non-executive Director of the company since 1998 and Chairman of the Advisory Board of Telstra Country Wide since 2000.
Mr McGauchies extensive knowledge of the core operation of the Company will enable a rapid and smooth transition. The Board is delighted that Mr McGauchie has assumed this role and is united in its support of his Chairmanship.
Mr McGauchie holds a number of other non-executive Directorships and will reduce these to ensure that he is able to dedicate sufficient time to this position.
Mr McGauchie said: I look forward to working with the Board and the CEO Ziggy Switkowski to implement the strategic direction outlined in the Boards recent capital management statement.
Telstra has reached an important phase in its development our great challenge now is to deliver shareholder value, he said.
Telstra Media Contact:
Michael Grealy
Telstra Corporate Relations
Tel: 0419 217 343
Editors note:
High resolution image of Mr McGauchie is available for download
from
http://www.telstra.com.au/communications/corp/executives.cfm
...1/2
Telstra Corporation Limited
Biography
Donald McGauchie AO
Chairman, Telstra Corporation Limited
Age 54
Donald McGauchie is a Director of Telstra and has been Chairman of the Advisory Board of Telstra Country Wide since 2000. He is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of the Board.
Mr McGauchie is a member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia and is Chairman of the Rural Finance Corporation, a Victorian statutory corporation.
His other non-executive Directorships include Deputy Chairman of Ridley Corporation Limited since November 1999, Director of National Foods Limited since November 2000, Director of James Hardie Industries NV since August 2003 and Director of Nufarm Limited since December 2003.
Mr McGauchie is a partner in his familys farming operation in northern Victoria and has been extensively involved in agriculture trade, policy and market reform.
He was President of the National Farmers Federation from 1994 to 1998 and has served on the Prime Ministers Supermarket to Asia Council, the Foreign Affairs Council and the Trade Policy Advisory Council.
Mr McGauchies previous experience includes Chairmanship of Woolstock Australia Limited and Director of GrainCorp Limited.
In 2004, Mr McGauchie was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. He received the RaboBank Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award in 2000 and a Centenary Medal for services to Australian Business and Agriculture in 2001.
Telstras national media inquiry line is 13 1639 and Telstras Media Centre is located at:
www.telstra.com.au/communications/media
2/2
4 August 2004
Australias first 3G network sharing to expand and accelerate customer
access to world leading mobile services
Australians can look forward to greater competition and choice in third generation [3G] mobile services in 2005 under a new network sharing agreement struck between Telstra and Hutchison 3G Australia, a subsidiary of Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Ltd.
Telstra CEO, Dr Ziggy Switkowski, and Hutchison CEO, Mr Kevin Russell, today announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement to establish a 50/50 enterprise to jointly own and operate H3GAs existing 3G radio access network and fund future network development.
Under the agreement, the H3GA radio access network will become the core asset of the joint enterprise. In return for the 50 per cent ownership of the asset, Telstra will pay Hutchison $450 million, under a fixed payment schedule, in four instalments, starting November 2004.
The joint enterprise will open opportunities for new revenues for Telstra and H3GA, stimulate growth in 3G service uptake and provide significant savings in 3G network construction capital expenditure and operating expenses such as site rental and maintenance.
Telstra will launch its 3G services to customers in 2005, utilising the entire H3GA network footprint of more than 2000 base stations covering Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Telstra and Hutchison expect to significantly increase the size of the network over the next three years, expanding into Canberra and other regional centres.
The joint enterprise unites two highly experienced companies, which will use their combined skills to develop and invest in leading technology to benefit customers.
The parties have agreed to maintain a world-best network and to adopt technological innovations as they occur to ensure the network remains at the cutting edge of 3G capability, allowing Australians to continue to enjoy the very best of global mobile services as they are being introduced.
This innovative initiative will deliver new competition in the mobiles market and expansion of the 3G footprint more quickly than would otherwise have been practical.
Telstra and Hutchison will each continue to own separate core networks, application and service platforms, and will conduct their retail 3G businesses independently and in competition with each other.
Decisions on network development will be made and funded jointly. The joint enterprise will utilise the existing spectrum holdings of both partners and will operate until the expiry of those spectrum licences in 2017 or later.
Telstra CEO, Dr Ziggy Switkowski, said the agreement supported Telstras consistent view about the future appeal of 3G services and the Companys considered approach to the nature and timing of a sensible entry strategy into this market, adding that this announcement had no impact on Telstras capital management program as announced on 21st June 2004.
Todays announcement reveals Telstras strategy for the 3G business, and reinforces our belief in the future of wireless services and communications, he said.
In light of announcements by Singtel/Optus and Vodafone that they intend to build their own 3G networks, this agreement recognises that the interests of the industry and the nation are best addressed through this type of infrastructure sharing arrangement.
Group Managing Director Telstra Wholesale, Telstra Broadband and Media, Mr Bruce Akhurst, responsible for negotiating this outcome on Telstras behalf, said today: This is a commitment to innovation and growth that strengthens competition where competition is most important in consumer services.
This new approach will ensure our customers enjoy world class 3G mobile services, despite the relatively small size of our market, he said.
Mr Russell said the agreement was an emphatic endorsement of the long-term future of 3G, with significant benefits in profitability and shareholder value.
It makes compelling commercial sense for both organisations, Mr Russell said.
This agreement with Australias biggest mobile network operator validates the quality and cost of the 3G network infrastructure built by 3. It ensures that 3 customers will continue to be served by the best 3G network in Australia, in terms of depth and breadth of coverage, quality of service and leading edge capabilities.
This network sharing provides a long-term infrastructure platform from which 3 can continue its market leadership in the delivery of new mobile products and services.
Under these arrangements, both companies will offer a range of competing products and services to customers including:
| Innovative multimedia content in news, sport, information and entertainment | |||
| Advanced multimedia messaging, | |||
| High speed music and video streaming | |||
| Video calling with multiple parties | |||
| Location based services, providing maps and directories | |||
| Advanced business applications and messaging solutions |
In 2005, both Telstra and Hutchison will offer customers the next wave of 3G handsets with features that include high-quality colour screens, digital camera and video capabilities and increased memory capacity.
The parties have discussed the agreement with the ACCC and sought informal clearance.
Media Contacts:
Telstra Michael Grealy
Tel: 02 9206 0106
Mbl: 0419 217 343
Hutchison 3G Australia Judy Goldman
Tel: 02 9964 4831
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED | ||
/s/ Douglas Gration | ||
Name:
|
Douglas Gration | |
Title:
|
Company Secretary | |
Date: 10 August 2004 |