No 5G campaigners filled the public gallery at the Blue Mountains Council meeting on October 29.
They were there to hear Greens councillor Kerry Brown call for council to receive a report on options for initiating a community forum about 5G, inviting speakers from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency to address the forum. The group has raised concerns about the health risks from the technology.
"We are responding to community concerns, this is not council taking a position. The community needs more information," Cr Brown said.
All councillors supported the motion, (Kevin Schreiber was absent), with the exception of Liberal councillor Brendan Christie.
"Small business owners rely on fast and reliable internet to run our businesses," Cr Christie said, in speaking to why 5G wireless technology was necessary in the Blue Mountains.
Other councillors supported Cr Brown's motion because they felt the community needed more information.
"The community deserves to have the facts. I'm standing up for knowledge and information and the community's right to know," said mayor Mark Greenhill.
"Whether you are pro or against the 5G rollout, we need to have people that speak to our community and inform us of the effects," said independent councillor Shae Foenander.
A spokeswoman for No 5G in the Blue Mountains, Kate Corcoran, welcomed council's response.
"This action by council is a vital next step in response to concerns raised by community members, including members of "No 5G in the Blue Mountains", about digital radiation exposures from communications and surveillance networks which will substantially increase with the 5G deployment commencing in the Blue Mountains now," she said.
"No 5G in the Blue Mountains has a number of concerns about the proposed 5G deployment, which relies on an enhanced 4G network and use of high gigahertz frequency range radiation - or millimetre waves - to operate at full capacity."
