May 21, 2012
Australia

Wind companies criticised for community consultation

ABC News | www.abc.net.au 21 May 2012

A residents’ group in the Boorowa area says it is extending another invitation to the developers of three planned wind farms in the district to attend a public forum.

The Boorowa District Landscape Guardians has organised this evening’s gathering.

It says an internationally regarded noise expert will be there along with a South Australian barrister who will outline relevant legal issues.

However the chairman of the Guardians, Charlie Arnott, says there has been almost no response from the proponents of the Rugby, Rye Park and Bango wind farms.
“Two of the proponents, Suzlon Repower is one and Wind Prospects have both RSVP’d informing us that they won’t be attending and the third proponent, Epuron, who has been invited to the last two public meetings and a third time now, they haven’t actually bothered to RSVP to any of our invitations,” he said.

The Guardians says it will go to the state government with its concerns about inadequate communication between residents and the companies.

Mr Arnott says state planning authorities have ordered the companies to consult adequately with the community, but that is not happening.
“The three proponents in the Boorowa-Yass region have basically ignored that and are using their own methods of consultation which we’ve found to be hopeless in an attempt to sort of get over the line.

“We certainly will be taking that to the minister.”

Two of the companies have explained why they will not be attending tonight’s forum.

A spokeswoman for Repower Australia says past experience of meetings run by the group in several areas is that its company representatives would run a risk of harassment and not getting a fair hearing.

A Wind Prospect spokesman says it is not deliberately avoiding the meeting but was only given six days notice and its representatives did attend a Q & A session in Yass several months ago and gained community feedback which is being taken on board.

The ABC has contacted Epuron for a response.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/05/21/wind-companies-criticised-for-community-consultation/