THIS IS SOUTHERN PHONE
Wide blue skies, eucalypts and the racket of birds mean we're home.
Our team winning, cheeky kids with freckles and full water tanks make us smile.
We're people who believe regional Australia is absolutely, without doubt, the best place you can live on this earth.
We're for regional people because we are regional people too.
We believe you look people in the eye, offer a firm handshake and keep your word.
We believe knowing you by your first name is a good thing and remembering you from the last time you called shouldn't be rare.
We believe it's not old fashioned to make the time to give personal service.
And because any profit we make comes from regional Australia we believe it's only fair we pay every cent of our dividends straight back to regional communities to help build playgrounds, halls or whatever they choose.
We believe communications are important in a country this big.
We believe a phone call, text or email is not just a convenience because they can carry the laughter or tears that make the memories we treasure.
We believe talk is precious, that everyone has a story to tell and it is a privilege to be trusted to help carry those messages.
What we do
Southern Phone delivers affordable telecommunications services with a strong focus on regional Australia.
Southern Phone was established in 2002 with support from the Commonwealth Government's Networking the Nation (NTN) program. The NTN program was established following the first stage of the sale of Telstra with the aim of improving telecommunications services in regional Australia.
Why is Southern Phone needed?
The cost of telecommunications in regional Australia has been a source of constant concern and discussion in recent years.
The lack of competition in regional areas has meant prices and other aspects of service delivery have not met the expectations of the community to the extent realised in metropolitan areas.
The local councils behind the development of Southern Phone realised that while generally good services are available it would only be the introduction of competition in many smaller centres that would deliver lower pricing and other service improvements.
Click here to listen to an interview conducted by ABC Radio National's "Bush Telegraph" program in August 2009 with Southern Phone's General Manager, Phil Herrick on the development of the company. Southern Phone values
Southern Phone operates to maximise benefits to the community. It reflects the values, ethics and style of the people living in the country and presents those to the customer.
Southern Phone only pursues profits to the extent they are required for company sustainability, service expansion and a return to shareholding councils. Otherwise prices are maintained at the lowest possible level to ensure maximum community benefit.
Who owns Southern Phone?
Southern Phone is an unlisted Public Company (A.C.N. 100 901 184) and only local councils can be shareholders. This means all profits are returned to the community through the councils. Because it is a local government-owned enterprise, Southern Phone is a State/Territory Body (STB) pursuant to Section 24AM of the ITAA 1936. No individuals may own shares in the Company.
Benefits are channeled to the community by the maintenance of low cost services and the delivery of all dividends to shareholding councils on behalf of their communities.
The Local Councils that currently hold shares in Southern Phone Company are:
- The Hills Council
- Bega Valley Shire Council
- Bellingen Shire Council
- Bland Shire Council
- Bombala Council
- Boorowa Council
- Cabonne Shire Council
- Camden Council
- Campbelltown City Council
- Carrathool Shire Council
- Coffs Harbour City Council
- Corowa Shire Council
- Cooma-Monaro Shire Council
- Cootamundra Shire Council
- Dungog Shire Council
- Eurobodalla Shire Council
- Gilgandra Shire Council
- Goulburn Mulwarree Council
- Gunnedah Shire Council
- Harden Shire Council
- Hawkesbury City Council
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- Kiama Council
- Murray Shire Council
- Narrandera Shire Council
- Narromine Shire Council
- Orange City Council
- Palerang Council
- Queanbeyan City Council
- Randwick City Council
- Shellharbour City Council
- Shoalhaven City Council
- Snowy River Shire Council
- Tumbarumba Shire Council
- Tumut Shire Council
- Upper Lachlan Council
- Warrumbungle Shire Council
- Weddin Shire Council
- Wingecarribee Shire Council
- Wollongong City Council
- Yass Valley Council
- Young Shire Council
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Southern Phone is a regional company. The headquarters and principal place of business is in the regional centre of Moruya in the Eurobodalla Shire on the NSW south coast. Southern Phone Board of Directors
A Board of seven Directors manages the operations of the company. The Board is accountable to the shareholders through the Annual General Meeting and through General Meetings that may occasionally be called under the terms of the Company Constitution.
The Directors of Southern Phone are:
Bill Hilzinger (Chairman), previously Chairman of Integral Energy and the Superannuation Services Corporation.
Nigel Hennessy, Chairman, CleanTech Business Accelerator Pty Ltd, Director, Hearnshaw & Partners Pty Ltd.
Brian Johns, Chairman of the Copyright Agency Limited. Director, Melbourne University Press, previously Managing Director, ABC, CEO of SBS and Publishing Director of Penguin Books.
Greg Malavey, Director, Medicare Local, Managing Director, Marketing Services Australia.
Rod Oxley, PSM, previously Chairman ahm (a private health insurer).
Andrew Riley, Managing Director, EW Systems Pty Ltd, Director of APIR Systems Pty Ltd.
Phil Herrick, General Manager, Southern Phone Company.
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