March 29, 2011
Australia

Inquiry hears residents sick of wind farms

ABC News, www.abc.net.au 29 March 2011

The Ballarat hearings of the Senate inquiry into the impact of wind farms has been dominated by evidence from witnesses opposed to the farms.

Senators yesterday heard evidence from a number of residents of south-west Victoria.

Ballarat man Noel Dean was one of several people who told the inquiry the sound of wind turbines is making people sick.

“That is low frequency infra sound that ours bodies cannot bear,” he said.

Waubra farmer Samantha Stepnell broke down as she described the impact on her health.

“The pressure of my ears, the nausea, the sleepless nights have just destroyed what we had,” she said.

Inquiry chairwoman Senator Rachel Seiwert says the inquiry will examine the claims.

“We need to go back and look at the evidence because we are hearing a lot people say they’ve been made ill,” she said.

Wind farm supporters have an opportunity to present evidence to the inquiry at hearings in Melbourne today.