Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo gets a $2.6m performance bonus while much regional infrastructure is in a parlous state, with lines running along fences and through creeks, and the techs who do the job having to battlefor fair pay, according to Peter Andren, Member for Calare.

"I cannot fathom how Sol Trujillo gets almost $3m in performance bonuses with the share price at historic lows, phone lines and cabling in a mess across regional and rural areas and the people who are supposed to fix it being pushed to do so for less pay," Mr Andren said.

"These techs are expected to do repairs and installations in rural areas on metropolitan rates which will effectively knock $20,000 off their annual income.

"These one-man operators are sub-contracted through Downer Engineering, to do the work on Telstra's infrastructure. Telstra dictated new rates which effectively cut out any provision for the extra costs involved in doing regional and rural work.

"These contractors rely on the price struck by Downer with Telstra. So if Telstra reduce the price paid to Downer, Downer then cuts rates to its contracted workforce.

"The rural subcontractors have been told they must accept the metro rate paid to their city counterparts. From this rate they have to cover all their costs including vehicle, fuel, insurance, superannuation - they basically run a small business from their vans.

"The techs have stopped doing certain repairs and installations to get Telstra to recognise the additional costs involved in doing regional and rural work - so far Telstra is refusing to budge, passing the responsibility on to Downer Engineering.

"It's just another indication that regional and rural areas are being hung out to dry when it comes to proper investment in telecommunications.

"How can the government begin to deliver on its pretence of parity of price and service in country areas when the workforce needed to do the job is ripped off while Telstra pays super executive bonuses for a job half done?

"Telstra is more concerned with trying to fatten the lamb for sale, and rural technicians and services are bearing the cost. And the government knows it," Mr Andren said.