Peter Manuel is a 74 year old who lives in Toowoomba, QLD, and has been a Telstra shareholder for 9 years.

If I were Telstra’s CEO I would...Take serious action against ACCC and The Government who are trying to control Telstra's charges. In G. Whitlam's time (1970s) there was a referendum that made it illegal for Governments, or Government type organisations, to control prices. If Telstra owns an asset, it can not be told by others to reduce its charges to those organisations wanting to use a Telstra asset. I would not compromise when dealing with ACCC and Minister Coonan, they will not compromise with Telstra.

If you asked me what I did, I'd say...Retired|Investor|freelance journalist

I bought most of my Telstra shares in...T1

I bought Telstra shares because...Telecommunications had great future to expand services and products.

My first successful investment was...Poseidon Mining, which went from @$2 when I bought them but went up to @$30 or $40 when I sold. I was in my early 20's when I made my first investment, in 1950, in cigarette shares: British American Tobacco. My Father had just bought some, and I thought I'd follow suit. Nobody worried about smoking in those days, they were just good shares.

The best investment I ever made was...Unitab. I went in when they floated, and I'm still making money on them.

What I learned from my worst investment decision...Never take advice from others. Every time I've taken advice from others, I've lost money.

The best investment advice I’ve ever been given...I've never been given a piece of good advice, it has all been bad.