Fed: Gov't cleared most of the last Telstra sale hurdles: Alston

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Fed: Gov't cleared most of the last Telstra sale hurdles: Alston

The federal government says it's cleared most of the last hurdles standing in the wayof Telstra's full sale and will shortly order a final review of phone services in thebush.

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says the government's on the verge of announcing its secondinquiry into service standards in rural and regional Australia.

Treasurer PETER COSTELLO says Communications Minister RICHARD ALSTON may announce theinquiry next week.

Senator ALSTON's been touring the Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula in the pasttwo days to check on telecommunications services.

He says the government's made enormous progress towards bringing phone and internetservices in the bush in line with those in capital cities.

If the inquiry finds phone services in the bush are up to scratch, it will clear theway for the government to sell the 50.1 per cent of Telstra still in public hands.

AAP RTV rft/smb/psm/

KEYWORD: TELSTRA (CANBERRA)