Telstra and the government are engaging in a good cop-bad cop routine to try and save the Coalition from a country backlash over the privatisation of Telstra, according to Peter Andren, Member for Calare.

"Senior Telstra executives are again speaking out against the government's regulations for equitable services for country Australia, and the Communications' Minister is criticising Telstra for its lack of commitment to country Australia in a bizarre routine to regain some credibility with rural and regional voters," Mr Andren said.

"If the government was serious about guaranteeing equitable and affordable access to telecommunications for country people it would never have passed the Telstra sale bill.

"What we have now is the Coalition parties' attempting to make up ground with voters whilst Telstra engages in a campaign to free itself of its obligations to country Australians that were supposedly built into the sale legislation.

"Telstra's group Managing Director, Phil Burgess does not understand why Telstra must provide a local presence plan for country areas when other telcos do not.

"The reason is that regional and rural markets are small and providing services to these areas is expensive which means less profit. Other telcos prefer to cherry pick profitable metro markets and leave the rest to Telstra, which makes sense as Telstra owns the network.

"Telstra has campaigned against government regulations and the conditions of the sale since Sol Trujillo and his 'three amigos' took over, and this has been, for me, an indicator of how shaky is the government's guarantee that the sale of Telstra will not disadvantage country people.

"The government has asked country Australians to put its faith in the Universal Service Obligation and local presence plans when all along it knows these things can never be guaranteed - any future government can change regulations and Telstra knows this.