Health fears spur petition to stop 5G trials
FEARS for the health of her children have led an Alexandra woman to launch a petition to Parliament seeking to block Spark New Zealand’s 5G trials in the town.
However, the telco has been unwavering in its response, saying there is no clear evidence the technology presents any risks to human health.
Motherofthree Kelly Nyhon launched a parliamentary petition last week and has started an online community group which has nearly 300 members. By yesterday the petition had 40 signatures.
She said she had been researching the issue for about a year and held concerns for not only her children but also the wider community.
‘‘It’s potentially a big danger to us all and we haven’t been consulted at all.’’
Ms Nylon has an ally in former Central Otago district councillor Victoria Bonham, who said a business should not supersede the rights and wellbeing of a community.
The petition follows Spark’s move to trial 5G highspeed wireless broadband in the Central Otago town — a first for New Zealand.
Last month’s announcement has caused vigorous debate on social media among Alexandra residents, who have shared several health and security concerns around the technology.
Some queried why there had been no public consultation on the matter.
Spark confirmed it had spoken to the Central Otago District Council, which had said ‘‘better connectivity was desperately needed by businesses and the community’’.
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan was briefly drawn into resident discussions online, where he highlighted Spark was a private corporation using existing facilities.
Mr Cadogan backed the Government when contacted by the Otago Daily Times and said he had read a lot on the subject.
‘‘I’m going to rely on the Ministry of Health’s position, which says there are no adverse health effects.’’
Earlier this year, Health Minister David Clark dismissed concerns raised by 230 scientists around the world about the health risks 5G radiation posed.
Spark New Zealand corporate relations partner Arwen Vant said there were misconceptions around 5G.
‘‘There have been thousands of scientific studies over the last couple of decades and there is no clear evidence that cell sites present risks to human health.
‘‘The Spark wireless network is fully compliant with international and national guidelines limits that are based on decades of scientific research.’’
The petition closes on October 31.