Age
10 Oct 2011, Page: 12
IN DECIMATING the wind industry in Victoria, the Baillieu government has interfered with the free-market economy to the detriment of consumers. It is private investment capital that is building the wind farms across Australia, with not a cent of taxpayers' money. The electricity produced is virtually free once the wind turbines have been built and is sent to the grid, which keeps the pool price low and prevents coal-fired electricity generators from getting premium prices.
The Baillieu government is, therefore, complicit in a deal to give a commercial advantage to the coal-fired generators and keep electricity prices higher than they need be. In South Australia and Denmark, where wind provides more than 20% of the supply, electricity prices have stabilised. Isn't this government's war on wind farms a restraint of trade and are there not laws against this? Contrast this with the state and federal governments chipping in $150 million to help HRL build a coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley. You get to see how frighteningly little they know about sustainability.
Daniel Caffrey, Traralgon
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