September 25, 2013
Australia

Wind farm opponents locked out of Mid Murray Council meeting

By Joanne Fosdike | The Murray Valley Standard | Sept. 25, 2013 | www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au

Opponents of a wind turbine farm planned for the future landscape of Palmer, Tungkillo and Sanderstone townships in South Australia were locked out of a meeting between the Mid Murray council and developers Wednesday morning.

A dozen people were left standing on the sidewalks at Cambrai for almost two hours after the public meeting was moved into confidence for a private discussion between the two parties.

Before leaving the chambers, Eden Valley resident Tony Walker challenged the council over their decision to move the discussion behind closed doors.

Mr Walker asked Mid Murray Mayor David Burgess why the council believed it was not in the public’s interest to keep the meeting open as TrustPower Australia already had the plans on their website and had openly stated they would be lodging the development application first thing on Thursday.

“We ask you, the council, to involve the public in this journey,” he pleaded.

“This council’s track record has not been the best-the secrecy business has got to stop.”

TrustPower was in the meeting to talk about its plans to put 130 turbines along 30 kilometres of ridgelines.

TrustPower Business development manager Rodney Ahern said the proposed $700 million Palmer Wind Farm would produce enough energy each year to power more than 250,000 homes and would be responsible for the employment of 250 to 300 people during the construction stage.

The number of people employed would drop to about 15 after construction.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/09/25/wind-farm-opponents-locked-out-of-mid-murray-council-meeting/