A battle was won recently by a community action group halting Telstra’s plans to install a mobile phone tower near a state school in Queensland.

‘No Towers Near Schools’ are a group of concerned community members from Bardon, a suburb of Brisbane, who have opposed the communications giant’s proposal to erect a mobile phone tower 170 metres from a school.

The State Government’s Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management dismissed the motions made by Telstra meaning they have no lease over the property where the tower was to be erected.

A similar community action group fought Telstra in 2008, however approval was granted following a seven month long debate.

Hornsby Shire Council approved the application by Telstra for the installation of a mobile phone tower and equipment shelter in Sydney’s northern suburb of Hornsby Heights.

Hornsby Shire Council representative Aditi Coomar said approval was granted based on legal advice which took into consideration health impacts, cancer risk, visual impact and economic costs as well as site suitability and the need for the facility.

Current scientific research on radio frequency emissions do not support the claim that they are harmful with a recent World Health Organization fact sheet stating the levels of exposure from wireless networks are so low that the temperature increases are insignificant and do not affect human health.

However, a senate report published in 2000 highlighted the need for independent research to keep up with the proliferation of technology to ensure that evidence is conclusive, tested on current technologies and not funded by the industry.

Local GP, Dr. Anny Marrett, said she has not observed any illnesses in the past year since the tower was erected that could be directly related to the mobile phone tower emissions.

While Bardon residents have won the currently battle against Telstra’s site selection, the need for a mobile phone tower in the area will mean that they will continue to look at options in the vicinity.

Ends

Sources:
Aditi Coomar, Assessment Officer, Planning Division, Hornsby Shire Council, 296 Pacific Highway, Hornsby, NSW, phone: 9847 6729.

Dr. Anny Marrett, Summers Avenue Medical Practice, 2 Summers Avenue, Hornsby, NSW, phone: 9482 3500

Electromagnetic Fields and Public Health, WHO, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs304/en/index.html

McLean, Lyn (ed.) 2000, Senate Inquiry into EMR, Electromagnetic Radiation Alliance of Australia.

No Towers Near Schools, http://www.notowersnearschools.com/index.html

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