Take action
Updated Feb 2012
In 2011, the Victorian government of Ted Baillieu introduced the world’s most draconian restrictions on wind farm developments. These are likely to see an end to new wind farm developments in the state.
The NSW O’Farrell government brought in a similar set of guidelines at the end of 2011. Sadly, the South Australian opposition Liberals have indicated they will also introduce similar policies if elected.
1/ To take immediate action by writing to state government, go to the sections below on Victoria and NSW.
Contact us for campaign materials to distribute in your area (posters and flyers).
2/Join our campaigning work
If you want to join in our renewables or general climate work, get in touch. We work as a collective and we welcome new activists into the team! Phone Ben Courtice on 9419 8700 (extension 10) or email.
3/ Join our rapid response network
By joining the Friends of the Earth rapid response network you will receive occasional emails alerting you to upcoming and relevant wind and renewables related events: stories in print or radio media, planning submissions by wind companies, public forums and other events on the topic.
There is no obligation to act on any specific issue, you will just receive the notices, with no follow up from us.
If you’d like to be on the list, please send your name, email address and postcode to Cam: cam.walker@foe.org.au If you would like to unsubscribe, just let Cam know.
4/ Get our monthly email newsletter
This covers our climate change and renewables work. To go on the list simply email Cam: cam.walker@foe.org.au with ‘subscribe renewables list’ in the subject line. Indicate which state you are in.
5/ Donate to support our work
Our campaigning capacity would be far less without the generous donations from our supporters, which have funded a part-time campaigner for most of 2011 (but which are always in danger of running out!). If you can financially support our campaign work on this issue, please click here to make a tax-deductible donation!
Victoria
Background
The Victorian government has announced their new planning laws which will lock wind developments out of most of the productive sites in the state.
The Victorian Coalition went to the 2010 election with policies designed to severely restrict wind farm placement. You can read more on this here and in the blog posts on this site (see category Victorian Coalition).
The Age newspaper pointed out that the Baillieu government could not stop the biggest expansion of wind energy in Victoria’s history, with 1,322 new turbines planned across 28 developments that have already received planning approval under the previous government.
Yet if wind companies do not start their project before the planning approval is due for renewal, they will have to re-apply under the new laws. As many projects have struggled to find finance to begin construction, this could potentially prevent their development altogether.
The policy is a blow to regional Victoria, which will have over $3 billion in investments locked out. In particular, there are a number of projects to set up community-owned wind farms which have been stopped in their tracks – disenfranchising communities such as the Surf Coast, Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander shires.
At this point, wind energy is the single most effective way to start to reduce our greenhouse emissions here in Victoria. Why does the government want to kill off this jobs-rich, low emissions industry and all the economic benefits it brings to regional Victoria?
Please take action
Our postcard to Baillieu - sign one today, or get a bundle to distribute!
Help us get posters, leaflets, and our campaign postcard out into the community. We can post you a bundle if you need them. If you are based in or around Melbourne, come in and have a chat! You can help us plan the next steps in the campaign and make them happen. Phone Ben Courtice on 9419 8700 (extension 10) or email to meet up.
At the minimum, you could phone or write/email to the Premier, Minister for Planning, and Minister for Climate Change, urging them to re-consider their policy on wind farms. You could also write to your local and state newspapers.
There is a draft letter below you may use, or you can write your own. We suggest you remind them that the Clean Energy Council (CEC) has indicated that up to $3.6 billion of wind farm investments will not go ahead under this policy. This will impact directly – and negatively – on regional Victoria. Explain that you support wind farms and renewables in general and you expect the government to act on these issues.
Remind them that climate science tells us that we only have this decade to turn global emissions around. We will not be able to do this if we stop the expansion of the wind farm sector.
The Hon. Ted Baillieu
Premier of Victoria Level 1, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne Phone (03) 9651 5000/Fax (03) 9651 5054 <ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au>The Hon. Matthew Guy MLC
Minister for Planning Level 7, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne Phone (03) 9938 5990/Fax (03) 9938 5949 <matthew.guy@parliament.vic.gov.au>The Hon. Ryan Smith
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Level 17, 8 Nicholson Street, Melbourne Phone (03) 9637 8890/Fax (03) 9637 8880 Ryan.Smith@parliament.vic.gov.auPlease cc us a copy so we know how many letters have gone in: foe@foe.org.au
Draft letter to ministers
Dear __________________,
Wind farms provide clean energy, green jobs and income for rural communities. Your restrictions on the location of wind farms have blocked the development of the wind industry in Victoria.
You have given landholders veto rights over any turbines located up to 2km from their houses. And your large scale ‘no-go’ zones have excluded wind farms from some of the best wind resources in the State.
These new laws make it easier to dig a coal mine or build a freeway than start a wind farm. I call on you to drop all the new restrictions and secure the long term future of clean energy in Victoria.
Yours sincerely,
NSW
Background
While our campaign is primarily Victoria based, the NSW state government has also brought in restrictive new regulations. We encourage renewable energy supporters in NSW to make a submission by March 14 2012 – details, and some points to think about including are available here.
You can find more background on general NSW issues by going to that category on our blog.
Please sign up to our monthly newsletter for updates: email Cam to be added.
David Clarke
January 21, 2011
The new Victorian Government’s attitude to renewable energy is very disapointing. Why does the Liberal Party seem to be so set on bringing on climate disaster as soon as possible?
In the website I’ve shown here I try to make a note of news or relevance to the Australian Wind Power industry and interested individuals.
David Clarke
January 21, 2011
I see the website URL didn’t show up in my note. It is
http://ramblingsdc.net/Australia/WindNews.html
Euphemia Russel
April 9, 2011
Are you making a campaign or petition as I am unable to find it. I suggest you do if you haven’t!
Cam Walker
April 9, 2011
hello Euphemia
We have 2 letter writing campaigns at present:
one to the VIC premier about the Coalition wind energy policy:
http://yes2renewables.org/2011/01/10/action-alert-keep-wind-energy-going-strong-in-victoria/
and one to the VIC planning minister in support of the Chepstowe proposal near Ballarat.
http://yes2renewables.org/2011/03/09/please-support-the-chepstowe-wind-project/
There should be an online petition available soon.
thanks, cam
Ben Courtice
August 23, 2011
This page has just been substantially updated to reflect the latest in our campaign, including our NSW campaign.
rusdtafarian
September 11, 2011
I would suggest also taking action to call for urgent independant scientific research into the adverse health issues in association with wind turbines which one assumes was factored into the Vic gov decision. The results will either confirm the correctness of their precautionary approach or blow it out of the water. Where are you on this FOE?
Cam Walker
September 11, 2011
hi rusdtafarian
we supported the recommendation that came from the Senate Inquiry for independent research to resolve the issue.
However, we also note the real and proven impacts on public health that already come from coal fired power stations which negatively affect many thousands of people around Australia. What is your position on coal and adverse health impacts?
rusdtafarian
September 11, 2011
Hi Cam
The sooner coal is phased out the better. Its extensive adverse human and planetary effects are well known. It is one reason we have PV on our rooftop for the last 3 years (we were late starters). Even with rebates it will be a few years before we break even but the we believe in the principle of renewables and were fortunate to be able to afford it. We looked at domestic wind too, but it was not so cost beneficial in our location.
And the sooner industrial wind and a mix other renewables are up the better, but in locations safe for hosts and neighbours. Evidence based safe locations, not the current practice of wind industry ‘mining’ the cheapest availble sites with grid access that happen to have signfificant rural habitation. (thats presumably why the grid is there) Clearly there are problems associated with residential proximity to turbines which require urgent independant medical/acoustic research which is yet to be done. For industry to carry on with ‘business as usual’ is fuelling the resistance to wind. Soiling their own nest and golden egg layer etc.
My take on nuclear is that if it is necessary (ie a last resort), we are in a unique position to have the reactors at the source, essentially geologically stable and remote locations, with waste management in the same locations with multiple advantages. And wind co-located, geothermal, solar etc. With shared infrastructure etc. It must be on the planning boards? The current siting of turbines seems driven by the cheapest sites and ‘sorry’ about the rural casualties. There must be a better way.
I would be interested in your view on Tim Flannery’s position also, given that he has played a pivotal role in climate change enlightenment and is a champion of both wind turbines and a nuclear solution.
Cam Walker
September 11, 2011
hi rusdtafarian
glad to hear you’re not just another of the one-eyed ‘wind is bad but coal is fine’ Antis we get posting on this site.
I see support for nuclear power as being indicative of people giving in to the politics of despair – you can see it amongst smart people like Flannery, George Monbiot, and James Lovelock, who have looked squarely at the horror of on coming climate change and our current unwillingness to reduce emissions at sufficient scale, and are now grasping at straws to try and reduce emissions. Some people hope that geo engineering might even be an option. Both these come with massive risks. In the case of nukes, anyone who supports it as an option for energy is wrong. I say this on the basis of the fact that the waste is dangerous for many millions of years and we have no way of disposing of it safely. We simply do not have the right to leave that kind of legacy for our great great grand kids. (Then, of course, there are all the impacts on the environment, groundwater, Indigenous peoples, proliferation risks and the fact that it is still a greenhouse intensive energy source).
Once we are done with a turbine, we simply decommision it. In the case of a nuclear reactor, we have a dangerous facility that must be guarded for thousands of years and waste that is dangerous for millions of years.
Marie
January 4, 2012
[A comment was left by Marie, it has been moved to the soapbox which is the appropriate forum for general discussion about the merits and demerits of wind farms. You can see the comment here: http://yes2renewables.org/the-soapbox/soapbox-wind-energy/#comment-5220