Recommendations

Recommendation 2.1

The Committee Chair recommends that, particularly in the light of recent reports on the links between powerlines, radio towers and leukaemia, additional research into extremely low frequencies and TV/radio tower exposure should be encouraged.

Recommendation 2.2

The Committee Chair recommends that precautionary measures for the placement of powerlines be up-graded to include wide buffer zones, and undergrounding and shielding cables where practicable.

Recommendation 2.3

The Committee recommends that based on a growing body of research that provides evidence of biological effects, the Commonwealth Government considers developing material to advise parents and children of the potential risks associated with mobile phone use.

Recommendation 2.4

The Committee recommends that shielding and hands-free devices are tested, labelled for their effectiveness and regulated by standards.

Recommendation 2.5

The Committee Chair recommends that the Government review the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 1997, and as a precautionary measure, amend it to enable community groups to have greater input into the siting of antenna towers and require their installation to go through normal local government planning processes.

Recommendation 2.6

The Committee recommends the development of an industry code of practice for handling consumer health complaints.

Recommendation 2.7

The Committee recommends the establishment of a centralised complaints mechanism in ARPANSA or the Department of Health for people to report adverse health effects associated with mobile phone use and other radiofrequency technology, and for the data from this register to be considered by the NHMRC in determining research funding priorities.

Recommendation 2.8

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government consider sponsoring conferences on the health effects of radiofrequency radiation along similar lines to that conducted on gene technology.

Recommendation 2.9

The Committee Chair recommends that a study into p53 mice be listed as an area of research for which future research applications should be encouraged.

Recommendation 3.1

The Committee Chair recommends that the equivalent of $5 for each mobile phone in use be collected annually for this purpose (approximately $40 million) and that the rate be reviewed after a period of five years.

Recommendation 3.2

The Committee Chair recommends that funding for maintaining the NHMRC-administered research program be provided at $4 million per annum of the $40 million and that the balance be used by the CSIRO to establish a structured program of research and set up a specialised research unit for this purpose.

Recommendation 4.1

The Committee Chair recommends that the radiofrequency standard be defined and administered by a process similar to that used by Standards Australia.

Recommendation 4.2

The Committee Chair recommends that the level of 200 microwatts per square centimetre in the expired Interim Standard (AS/NZS 2772.1(Int):1998) be retained in the Australian Standard.

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