Call for Bald Hills to go ahead

Great Southern Star
Tuesday 3/10/2006, Page: 9

THE Leader of the Australian Democrats Senator Lyn Allison wants the Bald Hills wind farm to go ahead.

Stalled by the Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell over the fate of the endangered orange-bellied parrot, Ms Allison has called on the Minister to approve the wind farm proposal.

Ms Allison said she was "outraged" the Bald Hills wind farm was knocked back by Minister Campbell, after the State government had approved it.

"The Minister rejected Bald Hills on spurious grounds and he will admit to that. I want to see the project going through. I'm calling on the Minister to let this wind farm proceed" Now that the Minister has put $3.2 million towards the parrot's recovery and the wind farm proponent Wind Power Pty Ltd has added a total $1 million towards the parrot's survival and towards local community projects, she believed the Minister would be hard-pressed to ban construction of the $220 million energy park.

Ms Allison visited the Tarwin Lower farm of Lindsay Marriott last Tuesday. Also at the Marriott property was Stephen Buckle, managing director of Wind Power Pty Ltd Ply Ltd.

A sheep and beef farmer, Mr Marriott is one of a number of nearby farmers who have signed contracts with Wind Power Pty Ltd to have the turbines built on their properties. Others that joined the Marriott meeting were supporters of Gippsland Friends of Future Generations from Toora and Foster.

The Friends are pro-renewable energy on various types, including wind power.

The group is conducting a survey in the district, asking whether "wind energy is an effective energy source", and whether "wind farms are appropriate in this region"? It also wants to know what people think of the Toora and Wonthaggi wind parks, whether they are visually bad, good or indifferent.

Mr Buckle, who owns property near Bald Hills, said in a new submission to the Federal Government recently, his company had adjusted the positioning of five of the 52 turbines it proposed to construct.

Mr Marriott said bird studies had shown the wind farm would not be detrimental to the parrot. "This is a political game and it has driven a wedge in the community," Mr Marriott said. "It seems objectors (to the wind farm) are not representative of the general population in Tarwin Lower.

People in Tarwin Lower and beyond are keen to see progress is being made in reducing green house emissions" He also said he liked farming "and the wind farm will allow me to stay here and an opportunity to grow my farm." Mr Marriott said he did not believe the wind farm had a detrimental effect on land values.

"I can state that land values have not gone down at all" Mr Marriott said.