October 28, 2014
Australia

Turbines are torture, opponents tell Moyne Shire

By Alex Sinnott | The Standard | Oct. 28, 2014 | www.standard.net.au

Landholder friction over Macarthur wind farm is set to boil over at a Moyne Shire meeting tonight with a group linking alleged noise pollution to torture.

Controversial lobby group Waubra Foundation has claimed the noise emitted from Australia’s largest wind farm was akin to torture, following on from a council report into the matter.

The council’s investigation into noise complaints at the Macarthur wind energy facility found the site was not causing a nuisance of the type listed under the state’s Public Health and Wellbeing Act.

Environmental health officer Murray Murfett co-authored the report, which used data from the National Health and Medical Research Centre (NHMRC) and the State Health Department.

The investigation was launched after Moyne Shire received 23 written complaints from property owners in the Macarthur district.

The report found that noise from the wind farm was “at the very least liable to be offensive but not able to be regarded as a nuisance”.

The council document also stated it was “not reasonable to come to any conclusion on the possible health impacts” of the Macarthur site.

Macarthur farmer Annie Gardner said information from the NHMRC and the State Health Department was misleading and lacking in substance.

“I think the Moyne Shire is trying to hide all the evidence we have forwarded to them about the cruel, inhuman treatment as a result of the Macarthur wind farm,” Mrs Gardner said.

“It amounts to torture as defined by the United Nations.

“Moyne Shire councillors are in receipt of hundreds of complaints from concerned residents, yet only Cr Jim Doukas has spoken out in opposition to wind farms and the appalling behaviour of developers.”

According to the council agenda, Moyne Shire solicitors formed the view that “on balance, applying the legal tests and considering the relevant factors, we consider the noise from the (Macarthur) wind farm is not substantial and unreasonable”.

The solicitors go on to state they “therefore conclude that a nuisance does not exist”.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/10/28/turbines-are-torture-opponents-tell-moyne-shire/