One of the Sunshine Coast’s strongest voices for economic development has called on the region’s Council to fast-track new mobile telecommunications infrastructure to improve frustrating and dangerous reception problems for the growing population.
Regional Development Association Moreton Bay Sunshine Coast (RDAMBSC) is raising the topic ahead of this Friday’s deadline for feedback for the new Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme.
RDAMBSC – one of 50 RDAs funded by the Federal Government around the nation – represents a voice for investment, impact and inclusion through region-led partnerships to sustain and innovate the Sunshine Coast-Noosa-Moreton Bay economic growth corridor.
RDAMBSC Chair Gavin Keeley said stakeholders had constantly raised their frustrations with mobile reception. Earlier this year, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman announced that the Sunshine Coast was among the top five regions in the nation for the most phone complaints.
Mr Keeley said stakeholders complained to RDAMBSC that a lack of mobile telecommunications towers in the growing area meant they were hitting “greyspots” – when their phones were showing full reception yet users were unable to get a line out or to access the internet because of congestion in local towers.
That included anecdotal evidence to RDAMBSC of concerns from an inability to reach emergency services to businesses unable to process transactions with clients.
Mr Keeley encouraged Sunshine Coast and Noosa businesses and residents to lodge their thoughts with Sunshine Coast Council before it closed off feedback on Friday for the planning scheme that will replace the 2014 document that guides regional development.
“The Sunshine Coast Council already has one of the most restrictive planning schemes of any local government area in Australia when it comes to mobile reception,” Mr Keeley said.
“We need change because we have a huge surge in the local population in recent years yet we’re not seeing planning consent for mobile telecommunications infrastructure. Cases just can’t be decided on visual impact and the use of coverage maps to justify rejection because these maps take no account of congestion.
“Congestion can mean people cannot make phone calls at a time when there may be an emergency.
“Mobile telecommunications must be considered as an essential utility in region, just like the three waters (drinking, stormwater and sewerage), electricity and fixed line telecommunications.”
Mr Keeley said RDAMBSC wanted Council to consider a telecommunications master plan that could identify the location for new infrastructure in line with ongoing extensive residential and commercial development.
Mr Keeley said Federal Government’s Telecommunications in New Developments (TIND) policy urged consideration for telecommunications infrastructure for “all new housing developments of 50 house lots or more … during planning processes”.
The Federal Government declared that “a significant number of new communities have reported inadequate, or no, mobile coverage when moving into their new homes, and this can remain the case for years”.
Mr Keeley said other Queensland local government areas had been proactive in approvals for telecommunications infrastructure, including allowing towers in industrial zones that were away from residential areas.
“The telecommunications providers aren’t asking to be able to do whatever they want, but they do need approvals to ensure they can deploy a working network to meet the current and future needs of the local community,” Mr Keeley said.
“It’s important that the Sunshine Coast and Noosa take advantage of the planning scheme feedback process to let Council know of the issues.”
A toolkit to allow Sunshine Coast residents, businesses, and local community groups to lodge objections is available here: Planning Scheme Submission Instructions VF
For more media information, contact Michael Crutcher, 55 comms: (07) 3041 1115; 0417 798 794; michael@55comms.com.au