June 6, 2012
Australia

Wind farm ultimatum

Cimara Pearce & Lyndal Reading, The Weekly Times | www.weeklytimesnow.com.au 7 June 2012

The time for talk on wind farms is over, a Victorian council has warned Planning Minister Matthew Guy.

Moyne Shire mayor Jim Doukas – who met with Mr Guy, the Municipal Association of Victoria and other wind-farm councils last week – said he wanted to see some real action on council concerns about wind farms.

“This is their (the Planning Department’s) last chance to get off their butt and do something about our concerns,” Cr Doukas said.

“If nothing comes of it, then look out Ministers.”

Cr Doukas said Mr Guy, MAV and councils had agreed to a joint work plan to address issues of health, noise and compliance, rates and planning fees and construction impact on roads.

MAV president Bill McArthur said the councils were pleased to work with Mr Guy to find common ground and identify priorities.

“It was all very positive, but there were no real solutions because they are big issues,” Cr McArthur said.

Meanwhile the results from a series of southeast Australian wind farm forums will be tabled in Parliament within months.

The results will be tabled in the Senate.

“We’ve been gathering people’s things and it is all being collated and none of it is being censored or changed, it is all as is,” Senator Madigan said.

“People do sincerely hope that this issue will be looked at in an open and transparent way and I don’t think that is too much to ask.”

Senator Madigan, of the Democratic Labor Party, began the forums early this year in response to a Senate inquiry into the social and economic impacts of rural wind farms in 2010.

He claimed the federal and state governments had ignored the recommendations from the last senate inquiry and called for another.

“People are leaving their homes, both farmers and domestic dwellers,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/06/wind-farm-ultimatum/