The then-Turnbull government’s 2019 ban on Huawei infrastructure created a butterfly effect so substantial it made TPG’s controversial regional network-sharing deal with Telstra all but inevitable, the telcos argue.

The tie-up faces intense opposition from Optus, with Optus boss Kelly Bayer Rosmarin saying “it massively advantages the incumbent provider and risks creating a regional monopoly”. TPG and Telstra made their first effort to swing competition regulators behind their perspective in a submission overnight.