Federal Environment Minister Senator Ian Campbell will meet representatives of the wind industry and wind farm opponents today in a bid to create a national code of practice.
Senator Campbell wants a code stipulating when wind farms should be approved.
He controversially blocked plans for a wind farm in Victoria earlier this year, saying it threatened the endangered orange-bellied parrot.
Tim le Roy, from the Landscape Guardians Group, says a national code is needed because state governments all have different policies.
“Our landscapes are not owned by Victorians,” he said.
“The landscape is owned by all Australians, so to say this is not a national problem is incorrect.
“Wind turbines have massive impact on landscapes. They have minuscule impact on global warming, so their benefit needs to be weighed.”
Mr le Roy says the code should force wind companies to listen to community concern.
“We’re looking to the wind industry to embrace the federal Minister’s code and say ‘yes, from the wind industry point of view, we think community input is very important – we think that birds do count. We think that landscapes do count’,” he said.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/09/11/govt-to-create-national-code-for-wind-industry/