Monday 10 March 2008

Shires back local Braziers

Barrier Daily Truth
Wednesday 5/3/2008 Page: 1

The Shires Association of NSW has come out in support of four local graziers over their right to adequate compensation for allowing a wind farm on their properties. The Association's annual conference yesterday passed a motion to seek a change in wording of the Western Lands Act that would allow the leaseholders at Silverton to directly negotiate with wind farm developer Epuron.

The conference was told the leaseholders had originally negotiated directly with Epuron but the State Government had declared the project to be one of "State significance." "The State Government plans to take control of the project, and we understand will offer leaseholders significantly less compensation than they were originally going to get from the company," said President of the Shires Association of NSW, Bruce Miller.

"It is all to do with the technical meaning of `agriculture' in the Act," said Mr Miller. "The State Government will collect the compensation from the company, possibly hand over a portion to leaseholders, and keep the rest. "We are disappointed that the Government is hiding behind a technicality to make a profit at the expense of leaseholders." A motion by Bourke Shire Council calling on the Government to change the wording of the Western Lands Act to allow leaseholders to directly negotiate with the company was unanimously supported.

"We are calling on the Government to redefine the term 'intensive agriculture' to `intensive industries' in the Act, which would allow these leaseholders to negotiate directly with the company," said Bourke Mayor Wayne O'Mally. "These leaseholders will lose the part use of their land and as such have a right to adequate compensation." Representatives of the landowners are scheduled to meet NSW Minister for Lands, Tony Kelly, in Sydney today to discuss the matter.

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