Council dials up support for tower

By Paul Dunlop
A NEW phone tower will be built in the Bunyip State Park at Tonimbuk to improve emergency service communications in the area.
Despite opposition to the 30-metre high tower from a number of residents living nearby, Cardinia Shire Council last week said the initative would improve public safety and should be supported.
The tower, to be erected on land in Bridal Road, is one of 90 towers around the Melbourne area established as part of a move to a new digital mobile system.
The Mobile Metropolitan Radio System (MMR) is designed to improve communications between state emergency service organisations.
Councillors were told at a town planning meeting last week that the $120 million multi-agency initiative would replace analogue systems currently used and enable better responses to emergencies by police, fire, ambulance and SES.
The new initiative will put all of the services on one network.
Council received five objections to the application for a permit for the phone tower. One of the objections was later withdrawn.
Planning officers told council that residents were concerned about the loss of visual amenity as a result of the tower and had also raised the importance of the site in relation to conservation values.
Residents were also concerned about a lack of consultation about the proposal.
Council was told Parks Victoria, the public land manager of the site, had approved the proposal which will result in the removal of some vegetation.
Councillors Doug Hamilton and Helen Ward led support for the application by council.
Cr Hamilton said the new phone system was of critical importance.
Cr Ward also said it was necessary for public safety in Cardinia Shire and around Victoria.
“We are obliged to support this application in the interests of public safety,” she said.