Off to VCAT we go…
We will be requesting the hearing be brought to Ballarat as they have a VCAT room here and I have young children and some of the objectors are elderly or have caring responsibility’s so long days in Melbourne are difficult. Also a site inspection may be appropriate also. At present it is scheduled for 10am 55 King st Melbourne on 10th August.The hearing dates are August 10-11.I rang VCAT and apparently under section 60 anyone can become a party to the proceedings or send a submission they don’t have to be an objector. However they address this on the day.
They do however have to get the details correct.
Firstly the cut off date for becoming a party to the proceedings is May 6th. they require your name and address, phone number.
You must provide a copy of your statement of grounds (eg. visual impact or detrimental to heritage character/cultural significance) to the 3 parties who are involved. and if you were not an objector state your reason to be involved. Eg. Just moved into/ built house in the area and weren’t aware of the proposed development.
VCAT have said you can email, or send hard copy to the 3 parties, so I have added their email/address details.1/Ballarat city council
- vcat@ballarat.vic.gov.au
- (PO Box 655 Ballarat 3353)
2/ King And Wood Mallesons (representing Telstra)
- jessica.kaczmarek@au.kwm.com
- (Level 50, Bourke Place, 600 Bourke St, Melbourne Vic 3000)
3/The VCAT (tribunal)
- vcat-admin@justice.vic.gov.au
- (55 King St, Melbourne,Vic 3000)
The VCAT reference number is P430/2015
This number must be included with the email or letter.
Any concerns ring VCAT tel 96289777
Good Luck
Angie
So get your forms in, Telstra will highlight any irregularities so its important to ensure you have got the right forms. Unfortunately our view of VCAT is that its set up for lawyers and developers and that residents are not embraced, nor supported to be included.
So get in there Easties…
[…] Off to VCAT we go… April 23, 2015 […]
I think your making a big fuss out of nothing, you all complain that coverage is poor around ballarat because its terrain now consider the technical aspect
As i work in the Telecommunications Industry (and no not Telstra) i know full well that the dickheads at the ACMA dictate where a tower can be erected. If you read the ACMA guidelines sent to Telstra that is freely available on the ACMA website you will see that due to STL links with 3BA / Power FM and other stations in Ballarat not to mention other communication licences the tower has to be within a 2 metre square foot of the location granted by the acma and must be a certain height and operate at a certain power.
So before taking charge at Telstra do your research. The people you want to be going after us the ACMA
I hate Telstra with a passion but they are only doing with the “Regulator” is telling them to do.
Thankyou Matthew for your insight. So why did the head planner and Telstra rep tell us at the mediation meeting the reason for putting it there was trends in increasing data usage? Why didn’t they tell us what you have just said? Also no matter what the height or necessity of the antennae there are better ways to present it. just check out what they do in the USA.
They admitted in the mediation meeting that other sites we asked about would be adequate upon getting leasehold.
Why would they do this?
Hi!Telstra are applying for a tower site.This is not the original site they applied for.The original site was further East by approx. 600m .Telstra have indicated a possible radius of about 1km.The relevant document is A Code of Practice for Telecommunications Facilities in Victoria July 2004 put out by DSE.
You are correct in the final ACMA licence issued will specify location,antenna height,operating freqs. etc..But this is not ACMA specifying a location.
I believe we can support each other as a community , combined with the councils legal rep and our combined knowledge we can get our message through to VCAT. This is not necessary. This street is culturally significant. In the USA they are not allowed to visually polute their cherished streets capes. So they design structures such as flagpoles or clocktowers with the antennae in them (invisible). Don’t we deserve this too. Respect our city.!
Well aid Angie. What about a poppet Head? or using the flagpole at Eureka Stcckade?
Great ideas Marion. A taller new flagpole at MADE I’m sure would work or a flag pole or Poppet head any where in Ballarat East would be better than the normal design.
We suggested this type of disguised feature to the local regional manager after the council meeting. He said.” You don’t understand, it costs too much money, and we’ll win at VCAT”. When I said but aren’t you a 4.2 billion dollar company he said “That’s irrelevant”.
So we proceed to VCAT. Wish us luck.