Legislation needed to streamline council permits

Australia Local Government Association president Geoff Lake said that while councils at first-release sites had been pleased with NBN Co efforts to work with local authorities, their planning departments were feeling the strain of the workload.

"If anything, the feedback has been that they've been over-consulted by NBN Co. Some of the councils involved just haven't had the sheer manpower to be able to respond to the efforts of NBN Co to consult," Mr Lake said.

"Councils, particularly planning departments within councils, are always fairly strapped when it comes to time and managing their existing resources, so when you have something that's new and requires people to skill up it does create some time pressures for them.

It may have surprised councils last week when NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley said the company planned to increase consultation with councils for second-release sites. He alluded to concerns about the placement of NBN Co equipment in relation to community infrastructure such as schools and hospitals."That's meant to be a backhanded compliment to the NBN Co rather than a criticism but it's a reality there are limited resources within councils."

Some states have conducted extensive audits of the locations of their existing network infrastructure to accommodate the NBN Co.

There had been indications this year that South Australian councils were concerned by parts of the federal government's $25 million NBN implementation study, recommending telcos be given wider powers to override local planning laws for low-impact telecommunication facilities. But Mr Lake said ALGA would support new planning legislation for the NBN.

ALGA has presented the NBN Co with a document to underpin a streamlined permit processes.