The new Liberal member for Hume Angus Taylor has emerged as a staunch critic of wind energy and the national Renewable Energy Target.
Most recently, Taylor pounced on a report by a real estate valuer purporting to show wind farms deflate land value. The Goulburn Post published a letter by the MP on the matter.
Yes 2 Renewables contributor David Clarke send a rejoinder to The Goulburn Post toset the record straight:
The overwhelming bulk of the evidence on land prices and wind farms tells us that the presence of a wind farm has very little effect on land values. For example, the US Berkeley Laboratory analysed more than 50 000 home sales near 67 wind facilities in 27 counties across nine US states, yet was unable to uncover any impacts to nearby home property values. (See Into The Wind).
However, Hume MP Angus Taylor in his comments printed in the Goulburn Post chose to ignore this and many other studies coming to similar conclusions and grasped a study by one real estate valuer that claimed to show big falls in land prices near wind farms.
The Australian Financial Review (14 October, 2013) published a piece on registered land valuer Peter Reardon who produced a report stating that land values can fall by 30 percent or even 60 percent due to nearby wind farms. Not surprisingly this report has been spread around by those who oppose wind power, including Mr Taylor. A critique of the study can be read on Renew Economy.
How many properties near wind farms were involved? Three.
How were the properties chosen? We were not told.
Mr Taylor claimed that:
“The study shows potentially dramatic negative impacts on the value of property located near wind farms. In some cases, land has been identified as dropping up to a staggering 60 percent in value.”
Well, not actually in ‘some cases’ Mr Taylor, but perhaps in one case. (And one of the three cases showed no change in value.)
And what did Mr Taylor say about all the studies that show negligible impacts on land prices? Nothing.
yes2renewables.org 
I’m certain Angus Taylor knows very well that his claims are misleading and error ridden. But it seems that’s what you get when ideology gets in the way of reason and honesty.
Well said Blair you must have worked for the wind industry or still do.Couldnt have said it better myself.This whole wind farm scam is what happens when ideology gets in the way of reason and you all know the bits about error and misleading as that is what the wind industry is best at.Thanks blair you took the words out of many mouths.
It is not Angus Taylor making misleading claims, it is the original article sent to the Goulburn Post that has the misleading claims.
Peter Reardon in his capacity as a Real Estate Consultant and Registered Valuer, not only surveyed many more than three properties, he also consulted with many other Real Estate agents in the area and they were all of the same opinion.
The report written by Peter Reardon is freely available on the net, but it seems the Yes 2 Renewables contributor, did not read it.
TCW.
TCW as they do they have taken out what they want and forgot the rest to make their case look good.This is what chapman does.He only looks at the studies he wants to and the rest don’t exist.They must be taught this at wind farm school.I think it is a case of if they lie enough times they start to believe it.
Chris, where is your evidence that Simon Chapman cherry picks his studies? Presumably you have facts to back up your claim? Probably not. You guys are good at making ridiculous claims without any supporting evidence. It’s all you have.
TCW, how many wind turbines will be close to your property and in what direction will they be from you? I’m curious to know if prevailing winds could have any effect.
Chris, you could ask. But for your benefit, I don’t work for the wind industry, I have had a long interest in wind energy though. As much as you want to denigrate the industry, it certainly is not a scam. That term would be more applicable to coal seam gas or coal mining, you know, the industries supported and financed by a number of the Waubra Foundation directors.
Has it never crossed your mind that Sarah Laurie is financed by a group with direct financial links to the fossil fuel industry? Doesn’t that present a conflict of interest and make you question her credibility and integrity? Or do you do double standards like so many members of the Waubra Foundation?
Angus Taylor was also hand-picked by Napthine Government to sit on the Reith Gas Taskforce.
Thanks for sharing Lily.
Sounds like Denis Napthine has been taking a leaf out of the Waubra Foundation handbook on how to fix an outcome.