Wind farms banned

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A YARRA Ranges councillor has said she is disappointed the Coalition Government has ruled against allowing wind farms in the area without community consultation.
Last week the Liberal Coalition declared the Yarra Ranges as a “no go zone” for wind farms under new state government policy.
Although the Liberal Coalition said the changes to wind farm legislation would give council and local communities the chance to decide where wind farms would go, the Yarra Ranges was among several areas denied that right.
All national and state parks were also declared “no go zones”.
Although there are at least 500 wind farms in operation in Victoria, none of those are in the Yarra Ranges.
Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said despite whether people wanted to build wind farms in the Yarra Ranges, “the broader issue was around the erosion of local democracy”.
“The interesting thing is, the Yarra Ranges isn’t particularly known for its wind resource in terms of windy parts of the state,” she said.
“But if someone wanted to go down that road there would be no opportunity to do so.”
Ms Dunn said it was disappointing that councillors had only found out after a decision had been made.
“We’d like, and I’m sure the local community also would like, to have had their say on it.”
Planning Minister Matthew Guy made the announcement last week along with changes to Amendment VC82, which reformed the way wind farms could be approved.
Clean Energy Council chief executive Matthew Warren also denounced the move and said sending jobs and investment interstate would effectively drive up electricity prices in Victoria.
“Carving out large areas of the state as ‘no-go zones’ sends a clear message that Victoria is closed for business when it comes to future wind energy,” Mr Warren said.
“If the Victorian Government is prepared to impose mandatory setbacks on technology as quiet, safe and clean as wind turbines without consultation, then what will they do to more imposing infrastructure?”
Mr Guy also sent out a letter to media that said the policy was enacted after 18 months of consultation, and gave homeowners certainty about how close wind turbines could be built to houses.
However it failed to address the impact of “no go zones”.