Davis Rd Cootharaba DA Planning Report

(ARPANSA). ARPANSA is a Federal Government agency incorporated under the Health and Ageing
portfolio and is charged with the responsibility for protecting the health and safety of both people
and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation (ionising and non-ionising).

All NBN Co installations are designed and certified by qualified professionals in accordance with all
relevant Australian Standards. This helps to ensure that the NBN Co facility does not result in any
increase in the level of risk to the public.

This facility is to be operated in compliance with the mandatory standard for human exposure to
EME – currently the Radio communications (Electromagnetic Radiation Human Exposure)
Standard 2003. The EME Report associated with this site is attached in Appendix 7. The report
shows that the maximum predicted EME will equate to 0.098% of the maximum exposure limit.
This is substantially less than 1% of the maximum allowable exposure limit (where 100% of the
limit is still considered to be safe).

Moreover, all NBN Co equipment has the following features, all of which help to minimise the
amounts of energy used and emitted:
     •    Dynamic/Adaptive Power Control is a network feature that automatically adjusts the
          power and hence minimises EME from the facility.
     •    Varying the facility’s transmit power to the minimal required level, minimising EME from
          the network, and
     •    Discontinuous transmission, a feature that reduces EME emissions by automatically
          switching the transmitter off when no data is being sent.


8.8.2 Access

The proposed facility will have restrictions aimed at preventing public access, including a secured
compound fence with a locked gate and warning signs placed around the facility.


8.9       The Public Interest and the Benefits of Telecommunications
The proposed NBN Co facility is expected to have significant benefit for residents in the
Cootharaba and West Woombye areas. NBN Co believes that the public interest would be served
by approval of the proposal, given the public benefits for enhanced internet coverage for
residents and businesses within the area.


8.9.1 Other Benefits of Reliable Broadband Services

There are numerous other benefits of telecommunications connectivity, as follows: 2

     •    There are many potential educational benefits justifying the implementation of the NBN.
          Curriculum and data sharing, increased availability and accessibility of research materials,

2 End user experience including the speeds actually achieved over the NBN depends on some factors outside NBN Co’s control

like the end user’s equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how the end user’s service providers designs its network.




NBN-4BBZ-4GYM-5125 – David Cootharaba                                                                   Page 54