Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
WIND FARM OPPOSITION GROWING
A well attended meeting
yesterday
in
the small farming community of Tooborac in
central Victoria voiced unanimous opposition to a proposal announced last week by
construction giant Transfield to construct a large wind farm in the district.
“110 people from the local community turned up to learn more about whether this
proposal would benefit their community or affect
their family’s lifestyle and
unanimously voted no
after hearing evidence
the only real beneficiaries were wind
farm operators” said Max Rheese from the Australian Environment Foundation, who
was one of the speakers at the meeting.
Community opposition to the proposals mirrored that of Daylesford residents at a
protest rally several weeks ago at the launch of a new wind farm there.
The Tooborac meeting, organised by the local Granite Boulders Landscape
Guardians, heard from residents who had been forced from their farms at the existing
Waubra wind farm in western Victoria due to ill-health caused by low frequency noise
from wind turbines.
Study results presented to the meeting showing the erratic, unreliable and costly
operation of wind farms in Victoria confirmed community disquiet at the proposal
announced last week.
“The two hour meeting covered many issues associated with wind farms such as ill-
health from people living within two kilometres of wind turbines, production of
electricity two to three times the
cost of current generation and insignificant
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions” said Mr Rheese.
“The meeting struggled to find any positive benefits
from
the proposal other than
payments to landholders agreeing to turbines on their properties. One farming family
has already cancelled agreement to allow turbines on their property.
“The Brumby government needs to call a moratorium on wind farm approvals until an
independent review is undertaken to determine whether alleged benefits of wind
power outweigh the financial and community costs” concluded Mr Rheese.
Another planned community protest meeting at Penshurst near Hamilton on
November 13th was announced today over proposals for a 200 turbine wind farm in
that district.
-
ENDS -
The Great Renewable Energy Rort article provides links to study results conveyed to
the meeting.
Contact: AEF Executive Director Max Rheese 0428 621320
The Australian Environment Foundation (AEF) is a not-for-profit, membership-based
environment organisation having no political affiliation. We accept that environmental
protection and sustainable resource use are generally compatible. For more
November 1st 2010
NEWS 
