Mobile Phone Tower Regulation Should Be Obligatory,
Not Voluntary

The Australian Democrats today called for an urgent Government response to the new Dutch study that shows health effects from the radio signals from transmission towers for the next generation of mobile phone services. When the test group was exposed to 3G base station signals, they felt tingling sensations, got headaches and felt nauseous.

Democrats' Communications spokesperson Senator John Cherry and Health spokesperson Senator Lyn Allison, said no Australian research has been done on the new 3G technology. Base stations have a shorter range, meaning substantially more towers are needed to achieve the same reach as GSM technology.

Senator Allison said, "The Government relaxed emission standards to suit 3G mobiles without any scientific justification and now it seems these transmitters pose significant health risks."

Senator Allison chaired a 2001 Senate Inquiry into the effects of electromagnetic radiation and opposed the 'low impact' provisions in the Government's 1997 legislation, which left telecommunications carriers with extraordinary powers to commandeer buildings and sites for their roll-outs.

Senator Cherry called for a halt to the 3G roll-out until Government agency, ARPANSA has provided a response to the Dutch study. "Before the roll-out gets underway, Australians need to be assured that it is safe, particularly for children and those who are involuntarily exposed to transmitters. While the recent ACIF Code requires a carrier to have regard to community sensitive sites for smaller installations, it does not go far enough in terms of requiring carriers to consider alternatives to minimise the radiation risk to the public," Senator Cherry added.

Last month the Democrats moved in the Senate an amendment to give the Australian Communications Authority the power to reject mobile phone towers being built near sensitive sites such as hospitals, schools and residential areas.

The Democrat amendment would give the ACA the power to reject absolutely the siting of mobile phone towers adjacent to sensitive sites without community approval.

The Democrats will be calling on the Government to support the Democrats amendment to the communications Bill no.1, when the Bill next goes through the House of Representatives and to strengthen the planning codes to take into account potential health risks.

For an interview with Senator Cherry please contact: Pam Hose on 0408 752 750 For an interview with Senator Allison please contact: Vara Szajkowski on 0408 764 328