January 12, 2018
Australia, Letters

Wind farm debate

Letters to the Editor – January 12 | The Standard | www.standard.net.au

The front page article in Saturday January 6, James Purcell, Member for Western Victoria, states that trickle down payments to residents neighbouring wind farms would help overcome the division in communities hosting wind farms.

I would (and I am sure other readers that will be affected by wind farms) like Mr Purcell’s valued assessment in dollar terms of what he would expect to be a reasonable compensation package to be subjected to the following – noise pollution, blade shadow flicker, loss of property value, interrupted television reception, loss of quality of lifestyle.

People who live close to the Macarthur wind farm leave their homes regularly to get a decent night’s sleep, I am sure Mr Purcell will be well aware of this.

Confidentiality is a standard clause in wind farm company contracts, beware that once signed you cannot publicly complain about the effects emitted.

As for employment opportunities Mr Purcell forgot to mention that re-repairing the crumbling road network in the south-west will create plenty of jobs, as an ex-Moyne Shire councillor, he will know that the construction of the Macaurthur wind farm caused $350 million worth of damaged roads, $350 million that could have been spent within the shire on upgrading roads.

So Mr Purcell, what value do you and your parliamentary colleagues put on the quality of life, the readers would like to know.

David Ryan, Willatook


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/01/12/wind-farm-debate-3/