Democrats strong on renewable energy

Mirror
Wednesday 4/10/2006, Page: 3

AUSTRALIAN Democrats Leader Lyn Allison took the opportunity of a visit to South Gippsland last week to present the Democrats' views on renewable energy. Senator Allison, who is the Democrats' Spokesperson for Resources, Energy and Infrastructure, paid her first visit to the site of the proposed Bald Hills wind farm at Tarwin.

She met with local members of Friends of Future Generations, including Blair Donaldson of Foster. Mr Donaldson said he had read the Democrats' policy on renewable energy and had been so impressed that he had written to Senator Allison, inviting her to meet with him and other members of Friends of Future Generations if ever she was in the area.

"If there were more politicians like her I'd be really rapt," said Mr Donaldson, after the Democrats leader gave a good nearing at Bald Hills to the views on renewable energy and wind power in particular of Friends of Future Generations Bruce Beatson, Charles Middleton and Mr Donaldson himself.

In an interview with The Mirror later that day, Senator Allison said the Democrats were great proponents of renewable energy. She had, she said, been very involved in the debate in federal parliament on the Mandatable Renewable Energy Target [under which renewable energy is heavily subsidised] and helped the legislation get through the Senate.

"We're well on the way to meeting that target already. The way it stands now it won't allow for any more wind farms to be constructed," said the senator, calling for the target to be extended.

Senator Allison said she was very disappointed when the Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, had rejected Bald Hills Wind Farm on what she described as "spurious grounds." She was also disappointed not to receive an invitation to the recent roundtable discussion on national wind energy guidelines organised by Senator Campbell in Canberra.

Senator Allison maintained that if comprehensive surveys of public opinion were carried out, the findings would more than likely come down on the side of wind farms. as she believed it was only a "very vocal, very fanatical" minority who were against them.

Senator Allison said the proponents' offer in their latest submission to move the Bald Hills turbines further back from the coast was pleasing if that meant resolving the current impasse but "whether or not it makes any difference is debatable."

Asked whether she had any concerns about the proximity of the Bald Hills Wetland Reserve to the site proposed for the wind farm, Senator Allison said the reserve had only been established in recent years so was hardly of heritage value and it was her understanding that it was largely used by small birds that would not be troubled by massive wind turbines, especially since these turbines would be quite some distance apart.

On the State front, the Democrats, said Senator Allison. believe that the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) is a step in the right direction but should go further. The Democrats plan to stand four candidates in the forthcoming Victorian election and climate change is one of their key concerns.

For details about their election commitments see www.vic.democrats.org.au