Page 2472 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 22 August 2006
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submissions were accepted up until 25 January, the end of January 2006. The plan was publicly notified in accordance with section 229 of the land act, approved by this Assembly, and included a series of community information sessions which were convened by the representatives of the network proponents, Daly International, as the project manager for 3GIS. Included in the approved network plan is the 3GIS consortium consultation report. It is evident from the submissions made that the public had adequate opportunity to understand the proposal and comment on it. Following the network plan approval, authority staff have provided additional information and attended community council meetings on an as-required basis.
The network is now being constructed across the ACT and has a total of 23 sites. The approved final network plan included modifications in response to the range of issues raised. The approval includes the flexibility to make minor amendments in order to meet government agency requirements and site-specific conditions—for example, requirements for screen planting. A site in Fadden, near the tennis courts, originally proposed for inclusion in the network plan was withdrawn from the network plan prior to its approval by the authority. However, 3GIS would still like to complete their coverage in that part of the ACT and have been seeking a site in this locality that can fulfil technical requirements.
Another site, at block 27 section 375 Macarthur, within the hills, buffers and ridges land use policy in the territory plan, has been identified as suitable for this purpose. That land is used currently for a water distribution reservoir and is leased to the Actew Corporation. A development application is currently with the authority seeking consent to a change of lease purpose to permit the telecommunications facility. This is an application for a lease variation only and not an application to amend the network plan, therefore it will be publicly notified separately and considered as a separate DA. I am advised that there is no current proposal with the authority to amend the network plan. However, if or when such a proposal is lodged, this has a separate notification process and will provide opportunities for public comment.
It is important to realise that telecommunications facilities now exist all over the ACT and upgrading is constantly taking place with works that are so minor that they do not trigger an impact assessment, a network plan or even a development application. The current installation of the 3GIS towers is the latest in the upgrading of this complex network of facilities. The ACT government accepts the advice of the commonwealth agencies, which have access to the latest worldwide research, that there is no evidence of negative health impacts. The ACT government will adhere to and implement the legislative requirements of the commonwealth standards. It should be noted that this third generation of mobile phone services has fewer emissions and less electromagnetic radiation than second generation technology and it also has a lower visual impact.
The authority, through the territory plan, and the National Capital Authority, through the national capital plan, limit the potential impacts of towers and associated infrastructure of telecommunications facilities. The approval process in the territory is extensive, as it should be. Our requirements for such facilities combine the scientific requirements of the commonwealth government regulatory bodies in terms of emissions, the stringency of both plans on other impacts and requirements for consultation with the community.
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