Telstra pole in Withers gets the green light after Bunbury council unanimously backs it despite concerns

The City of Bunbury has voted to install a new Telstra pole in Withers after debates over the physical risk of 5G technology were shot down. During a meeting on Tuesday night, the council raised the issue of a telecommunications infrastructure — a 36.5m high pole be erected along Island Queen Street in Withers. The pole will aid in internet and phone connection in Withers and the surrounding area. The council had previously debated whether to erect the pole after residents cited health and wellbeing concerns. Telstra area general manager Peter Ward spoke in favour and said the community needed better connections. “Telstra is a customer-driven facility,” he said. “This is being put here before you due to customer complaints. It’s so important we deliver an adequately functioning network.” Mr Ward shot down points raised in a previous council meeting regarding the health risks of 5G technology and said most of the points raised came from from places with “no substantial evidence”. Cr Karen Turner agreed with Mr Ward after previously having similar concerns about 5G risks. “After consulting with experts, all but one recommended we erect the pole and that was due to a heritage issue, nothing to do with health risk,” she said. “I will vote in favour of it.” Mr Ward reiterated the pole would have benefits for health-related connectivity issues, as quicker service was needed in emergency responses. “I mentioned how this will help health care last time I spoke, what I didn’t mention were Fall Alerts — those devices that elderly residents might use to automatically call an ambulance if they have a fall, some of you may even have a watch that does the same thing — those devices all depend on having access to a data network, which will be even more important when 3G is turned off in August,” he said. The vote to erect the pole was carried unanimously.