Today marks the first anniversary of the national carbon price which is driving a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in Australia. Yet In Victoria, ‘brown’ tape is preventing more renewable energy projects getting built–costing jobs, investment and income for regional areas.

Ted Baillieu’s anti-wind farm laws–which still stand–create a minefield of ‘brown’ tape that unfairly target renewables. A right of veto allow just one individual to block a wind farm proposal. Arbitrarily-established ‘no-go’ zones for wind energy ban wind farms in large swathes of the state. In Victoria, there’s more regulation for wind farms than coal mines and power plants.

The disadvantageous regulatory environment for wind farms has cost Victoria investment, jobs and income. Friends of the Earth research estimates Baillieu’s anti-wind farm laws have cost:

• $887 million in lost or stalled investment
• 650 direct jobs lost or stalled in construction
• 54 ongoing jobs in management of wind farms
• and 1,408 indirectly associated (flow-on) jobs.

The flood of investment that has flowed to the South Australian wind energy sector confirms the adverse economic consequences of the policy. And that’s only the economic cost. In terms of climate change action, the laws have:

• Stalled at least 408 megawatts of clean renewable energy supply coming online
• Prevented carbon emissions savings of up to 1.6 million tonnes each year (equivalent to taking around 465,000 passenger cars off the road per year).

Political leadership is needed to restore fair laws for renewable energy in Victoria.

Premier Napthine doesn’t buy into the anti-wind energy scare campaign. With one third of the wind turbines in the state located in his electorate, Dr Napthine understands the economic benefits of the wind energy sector. Portland-based wind turbine tower manufacturer Keppel Prince could employ dozens more people with a pipeline of wind farm projects.

Now’s the time for the Premier to scrap these anti-wind farm laws so other parts of the state can benefit from the jobs, investment and income the wind energy sector can deliver.

TAKE ACTION:

Sign our petition and join thousands of Victorians calling on Premier Napthine to scrap Baillieu’s anti-wind farm laws.