Page 2467 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 22 August 2006

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how an interjurisdictional emissions trading scheme can work which could form the model for a national emissions strategy scheme in the future. I commend the report to the Assembly.

Dr Foskey: I ask the minister to move that the report be noted.

Mr Hargreaves: No, I am not going to do that.

Paper

Mr Corbell presented the following paper:

Legislation Act, pursuant to section 64—Remuneration Tribunal Act—Remuneration Tribunal (Fees and Allowances) Determination 2006 (No 1)—Disallowable Instrument DI2006-195 (LR, 14 August 2006), including an explanatory statement.

Mobile phone towers

Discussion of matter of public importance

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Speaker has received letters from Dr Foskey, Mr Gentleman, Mr Mulcahy, Ms Porter and Mr Stefaniak proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Mr Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Dr Foskey be submitted to the Assembly, namely:

The installation of 3G mobile phone towers in Canberra.

DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (4.02): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of the Assembly an issue of which many of you are already aware but which deserves more discussion than has so far occurred: the installation of third generation mobile phone towers around Canberra.

A poor consultation process has been undertaken and the ACT government has refused to safeguard residents’ rights and health by putting in place ACT guidelines that would regulate the placement of mobile phone towers. It is important that we get this process right, because I believe that fourth and fifth generation towers are being rolled out in other municipalities. Furthermore, so far only Telstra with Hutchison has applied for a development application. What will happen when Optus and the others want to join the market as, of course, is their right in the deregulated telecommunications marketplace?

In February this year a network plan was lodged with the ACT government by Daly International on behalf of Telstra and Hutchison phone carriers. This network plan detailed the locations of around 100 phone towers planned to be converted from old technology or newly built to service the third generation mobile phone network around Canberra. Third generation mobile phone technology is a network that allows for high data transfers such as videoconferencing and streaming television and email. The reason for the high number of towers, I am told, is the nature of the technology. A large amount of data needs to be sent and therefore cannot be broadcast as far as a 2G tower allows.


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