July 27, 2011
Australia

Young Shire backs call for wind farm moratorium

ABC News, www.abc.net.au 27 July 2011

The Young Shire Council has had no wind farm applications but it still wants a halt to their development in New South Wales.

Four Corners this week revealed some people living near wind farms are sick but there is no scientific evidence to say if turbines are the cause.

The show has sparked more calls for more research on the health impacts.

The Mayor of Young, Stuart Freudenstein, says council is happy to back Hume MP Alby Schultz’s call for a moratorium on new wind farms.

“All councillors on Young council thought it’d be a good thing if for no other point but to get more information and to help clear up a few of these issues that people are worried about with wind farms,” he said.

Cr Freudenstein says answers are needed to ease community fears about wind farms.

“It doesn’t really matter which side of the argument you’re on, whether you’re for or against them, we’d still like a bit more information just to clear up these concerns,” he said.

The State Government is awaiting a briefing from the Planning Department about a state-wide strategy for wind farms.

Mr Schultz says he disregards the Four Corners’ report which found no evidence linking wind farms to harmful health effects.

He says more independent research is needed.

“Many of my constituents are being faced with compulsory acquisition of their properties because they can’t live with them in close proximity and in many instances the close proximity is about 500 metres,” he said.

Mr Schultz has renewed calls for a moratorium on new wind farms, pending an inquiry.

He says he is consulting lawyers to make a submission to the Independent Commission Against Corruption about some practices in the industry.

“I believe there are corrupt practices in terms of inducements being offered for favours in all sorts of areas, including local government,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/07/27/young-shire-backs-call-for-wind-farm-moratorium/