Fears over phone base station rollout set for Randwick
THERE are calls to halt the rollout of more than 60 mobile phone base stations due to safety fears. See our complete list and find out if there is one near you.
Southern Courier
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THERE are calls to halt the rollout of more than 60 mobile phone base stations due to safety fears.
Eighteen stations have been approved for Randwick City with another 48 under consideration. However, on October 16 Randwick Council will consider calling on the Federal Government to suspend the rollout until safety fears have been answered.
Studies have linked proximity to mobile phone stations to increases in cancer and male infertility. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency has said it would “continue to review research” but said at present “no adverse health effects are expected”.
Cr Murray Matson said there were too many unanswered questions and cited research from the Italian Ramazzine Institute which suggested a link to the development of cancer.
His motion for Randwick to call on the government to oppose the rollout will be discussed at the next council meeting. It comes as Randwick Council voted to seek legal advice after residents accused TPG of “running roughshod” over consultation proceedings.
TPG installed a mobile phone base station in Dundas St, Coogee, weeks before the public consultation period was up. The work occurred only days after residents were informed of the proposal through a letterbox drop.
Resident Stuart McPhee said there was a high proportion of young children in the street. “That’s a real concern,” he said. “There are so many unknowns with it, it is really worrying.”
He said within a week of receiving a letter workmen were scaling a nearby pole to install the base station. “They tried to run roughshod over us and it is only that we kicked up a fuss …”
Fellow resident Pamela Simpson described the consultation as a “farce” while Chrissie Hall said she feared for the health of her 18-month-old baby girl.
TPG has said the installation before the consultation period was complete was a “mix-up” and it had since taken it down.
“TPG is reviewing processes to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” a spokeswoman said. “We understand EME (electromagnetic energy) safety is an important issue and TPG has to, and do, operate within standards and limits set by government authorities.”
Randwick Council has decided to look into the company’s practices further and has voted to seek legal advice.
Cr Murray Matson said the findings could have ramifications across Australia.
“We should make a stand on this. I will be looking forward to great interest on the legal advice when it comes back.”
“They have to abide by the process,” Cr Harry Stavrinos said.
“There is a proper process in place … If they are not doing the right thing we as a council have a right to question them.”
Councillors said the findings could have ramifications across Australia.
As previously reported, councils are at present powerless to stop telcos placing the stations on power poles.
Telcos are bound by federal legislation but despite their installations affecting the local community, the “low-impact” developments are exempt from local approval.
WHERE ARE THE STATIONS GOING UP?
According to the Radio Frequency National Site Archive 18 stations across Randwick City have been approved, 48 are being decided on and three have been refused. The house numbers listed are those closet to the power pole where the station will be installed.
APPROVED
146-148 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
27 Alison Road, Kensington
75 Wentworth Street, Randwick
1 Ascot Street, Kensington
80 Cooper Street. Maroubra
17 High St, Kensington
151 Todman Ave, Kensington
293 Avoca St, Randwick
244S Alison Rd, Randwick
1A Day Lane, Kingsford
12S Tressider, Kingsford
19 Salisbury Road, Kensington
216 — 230 Arden St, Coogee
1 Samuel Terry Avenue, Kensington
139-141 Arden Street, Coogee
580 Anzac Parade, Kensington
107 Clovelly Road, Randwick
204 Carrigton Rd, Randwick
TO BE DECIDED
77 Darley Road, Randwick
18 Zions Avenue, Malabar
46 Hannan Street, Maroubra
3 Kingsford Street, Eastgardens
383 Bunnerong Road, Eastgardens
115 Garden Street, Maroubra
15 Haig Street, Maroubra
132 Maroubra Road, Maroubra
52 Robey Street, Maroubra
980 Anzac Parade, Maroubra
37 Wild Street, Maroubra
852 Anzac Parade, Maroubra
176 Oberon Street, Coogee
78 Wild Street Maroubra
445 Bunnerong Road, Eastgardens
355 Clovelly Road, Clovelly
591 Malabar Road, Maroubra
33 Byrne Crescent, Maroubra
2A Moverly Road, Maroubra
18 Ireton Street, Malabar
1 Todman Avenue, Kensington
13-21 Rainbow Street, Kingsford
47 Avoca Street, Randwick
9 William Street, Randwick
392 Anzac Parade, Kingsford
215 Anzac Parade, Kingsford
7 Dudley Street, Randwick
2A Botany Street, Randwick
193 Clovelly Road, Randwick
49A Clovelly Road, Randwick
53 Samuel Terry Avenue, Kensington
1 Darley Road, Randwick
39A Carrington Rd, Randwick
49a Clovelly Road, Randwick
37 Day Ave, Kensington
99 Botany St, Randwick
21 Willis St, Kingsford
2 Winburn Ave, Kingsford
26 Tunstall Avenue, Kensington
53 Samuel Terry Ave, Kensington
1 Darley Rd, Randwick
135 & 137 Avoca Street, Randwick
2-4 Austral Street. Malabar
1 & 3 Lenthall Street, Kensington
24 Barker Street, Kingsford
47 Day Ave, Kensington
opposite to 230 Arden St, Coogee
1 Flower Street, Maroubra
REFUSED TO BE DECIDED
30 Torrington Road, Maroubra
19 Inman Street, Maroubra
6 Marks Road, Randwick
IN OTHER NEWS
