Mobile Phone Towers and you
We have developed a kit to help residents campaign against illegal or unwanted mobile phone towers. Carriers do not need to seek council approval before installing a phone tower that is deemed to be ‘low visual impact’, and complies with basic setback rules. The Greens are campaigning to amend the federal Telecommunications Act which exempts mobile phone carriers from seeking planning approval.
This has lead to widespread community outrage when phone towers have been erected next to schools, sporting fields and in residential areas. The kit details the ways that communities can combat aggressive mobile phone companies that are trying to profit from installing their towers (rent free) in a park near you.
What should governments be doing?
There is a level of public concern about living and working near sources of electro-magnetic radiation.
Federal laws exempt telcos from lodging DAs with councils if the tower is 'low visual impact', and the state government does almost nothing to give communities any say.
Despite the Federal legislation, the NSW government can improve the situation by regularly inspecting mobile phone towers and enforcing the law.
Phone companies should have to negotiate residents about the siting of a phone tower where there are concerns.
So far, both state and federal governments have sided with telcos against concerned communities who don't want radiation from phone towers beamed into their schools, parks and backyards.
The Greens put a motion to Parliament calling on the state government to introduce legislation banning the installation of 3G mobile phone towers within 300 metres of any school ground, and calling on state and federal agencies to address the current deplorable state of law enforcement.
Communities that do fight hard can force the relocation of a phone tower. For example Oatley residents in Sydney's south opposed the siting of a mobile phone tower in Oatley Park - and after a battle, they won.
Resources
Download our 3G_phone_towers_kit.pdf.
For a printed copy of the kit, please call 02 9230 3030 or email sylvia.hale@parliament.nsw.gov.au>
Sylvia Hale MLC Ph. 02 9230 3030 Email: 