Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by janrinok on Monday December 16 2019, @07:57PM   Printer-friendly
from the I've-still-got-a-phobia-about-2G dept.

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

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 17 2019, @08:48PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 17 2019, @08:48PM (#933403)

    You didn't even look at the URL before latching on a random phrase for your crazy rant, did you, blockhead?
    Go tell Nature Research how their reviewers don't know "hella poorly controlled" experiments and you do. LOL. Godspeed, dumbfuuuck.

  • (Score: 2) by ikanreed on Tuesday December 17 2019, @08:56PM (2 children)

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday December 17 2019, @08:56PM (#933406) Journal

    That's in the fucking abstract of the paper the GGP linked, jesus christ.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 18 2019, @03:49AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 18 2019, @03:49AM (#933578)

      Let's talk instead of soap, which your momma failed to put in your mouth when it still could help things, after she failed to put enough neurons in your braincase.

      • (Score: 2) by ikanreed on Wednesday December 18 2019, @04:45PM

        by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday December 18 2019, @04:45PM (#933777) Journal

        Or just shut the fuck up, as people who are totally full of shit add nothing to any conversation.