PHONE TOWER REPRIEVE FOR TINDERBOX RESIDENTS

Telcos Must Consult With Communities

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader & Member for Franklin

The Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim today welcomed Telstra’s decision to withdraw its development application for a controversial mobile phone tower at Tinderbox in the state’s south.

Mr McKim said he supports the need for telecommunications infrastructure to meet rapidly growing demand if a genuine case could be made, but he said communities need to be more involved in decisions over the location of new phone towers.

“Members of the Tinderbox community have campaigned tirelessly against Telstra’s application to build a phone tower at the Tinderbox Road West site, and it appears that they’ve now at least had a reprieve,” Mr McKim said.

“The lesson from this is that telcos need to talk to the community before they put their development applications on the table.”

“All these headaches can be avoided if communities are involved in the planning process right from the start.”

“I and the community will be monitoring further planning applications for low and high impact towers and upgrades, to ensure future towers are genuinely required and appropriately sited.”

“There is a groundswell of awareness about the issues surrounding phone towers across Tasmania, and indeed, the country, focused on what I believe is an inadequate planning regime to properly assess them.”

“I look forward to continuing to work closely with groups concerned about phone towers, including local councillors and Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, who I believe intends to table a private members bill in the national parliament on the matter.”
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader & Member for Franklin