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Feds prescribe $9m cash injection to counter 5G phobias

The federal government has gone on the offensive against a growing anti-5G movement in some communities, freeing-up a cash splash of $9 million over four years to get back on the community relations front foot with “additional scientific research and further public education”.

The move, announced on Monday, comes amid broader government and industry concern that US-style conspiracy theories – which cover topics ranging from public health immunisation, water fluoridation and the electromagnetic radiation – are quickly taking root in some communities.

The proliferation of community based opposition to the rollout of 5G, which is just starting to occur across Australia, is potentially a major headache for the government and telecommunications industry because of its potential disrupt infrastructure renewal and substantially increase costs.

While most anti-5G groups initially muster and organise their actions online, the political trench warfare typically starts at the local government level in the form concerned resident opposition to the construction and placement of new infrastructure.

A major issue for governments to date has been that campaigns run by groups opposed to 5G and mobile infrastructure can often move much quicker than government responses and fire a barrage of alarming claims that often go unchallenged because of slow responses.

Opposition to 5G, like the anti-vaccination movement, also straddles socioeconomic groups with growing support among both low income and high income demographics.

That sub-optimal public situation now needs to be urgently addressed, judging by the federal government’s response, with Communications Minister Paul Fletcher saying that “the Government recognises that there is significant community interest in being satisfied that rigorous safety standards are in place as new 5G mobile networks are rolled out around Australia.”

Fletcher also wants the science to do the talking – a slightly awkward tightrope to walk given previous antipathy towards the broader scientific community on issues such as climate science by parts of the Coalition, which has even extended to the health impact of investigating wind farms.

Original Submission