August 15, 2022
Australia, Opinions

Greens: Reject Robbins Island wind farm

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Environment and Biodiversity spokesperson, 8 August 2022, tasmaniantimes.com

Robbins Island development should be rejected under precautionary principle.

Federal and state environment ministers need to heed a recent Federal Court decision and apply the precautionary principle to the EPBC assessment for UPC’s proposed Robbins Island windfarm.

This development should be rejected on the basis of insufficient information of species’ harm.

To date, UPC’s reports have been manifestly inadequate. UPC’s assessments have identified potential impacts on Tasmanian devils and orange-bellied parrots, but the tracking studies and monitoring needed to guide a federal approval decision cannot be completed by the October 11 deadline.

Given the precedent set by the Federal Court on MMG’s proposal in takayna, that the precautionary principle must be exercised if there is insufficient evidence of threatened species impacts, UPC’s application should be marked ‘invalid’.

Robbins Island is part of the migration pathway for the orange-bellied parrot and dozens of seabirds. It is a Tasmanian devil haven, and the proposed wind farm would also impact upon the wedge-tailed eagle.

This biodiversity hotspot is no place for the largest windfarm in the southern hemisphere.

The EPA has already been caught facilitating the interests of the developer, UPC, in the Robbins Island windfarm assessment. It’s there in black and white, revealed under a Greens’ Right to Information request.

The Robbins Island proposal must be rejected by both the Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, and the State Government.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/08/15/greens-reject-robbins-island-wind-farm/