People concerned about energy infrastructure proposed for north-west Tasmania can attend a public meeting at Burnie Town Hall on Sunday.
The event will feature community leaders speaking about the potential impacts that large scale wind and transmission projects could have on the region.
The session is hosted by Braddon independent MHA Craig Garland.
“I’m bringing together highly informed speakers to share their concerns about the rapid advance towards expanding renewable energy, by both private companies and the state government,” he said.
“After attending recent consultation sessions by State Growth’s Renewables, Climate, & Future Industries Tasmania (ReCFIT) team, they committed to hosting another renewable energy zone public consultation in Burnie at a bigger venue and at a more suitable time,” he explained. “
Their last consultation attempt in Burnie in June couldn’t fit the community inside the same room. I’ve heard nothing about this since then, so I decided to play my part in informing and hearing from the community.”
The timing is important because the Government has put forward draft legislation on renewable energy zones for public comment with the closing date for submissions being 1 September, and comments closing on the proposed northwest renewable energy zone on 11 September.
Garland asked several questions of the Minister for Energy and Renewables, Nick Duigan, during the last sitting of Parliament about whether he would come to Burnie to meet with the community. Minister Duigan was unable to provide a guarantee.
“The Minister for Energy and Renewables needs come to Burnie and meet with residents in the Government’s proposed renewable energy zone, not just rub shoulders with renewable energy proponents at the Burnie Club and call it ‘community consultation’,” Garland said.
“I’ve lost count of the number of times I have personally asked Minister Duigan to come and meet with the community, come to the Town Hall and answer questions, or simply listen. If he can meet with developers in the energy sector, then it is incumbent on the Minister to speak to the community who are expected to host wind farms and transmission lines.”
Recently the Government has noted the importance of community support for these developments, but Garland believes that this requires “the community to feel both the processes and outcomes of the projects are fair and that within this, trust is a major factor in the ability to establish and maintain community support.”
Garland invited the community to attend the Sunday session, urging the general public to get along and get up to speed on the risks and the impacts of energy projects.
“The speakers will talk about environmental impacts, especially on the Tasmanian wedge tailed eagles and the Tasmanian devils, as well as considering the many risks of pushing ahead with Marinus Link, renewable energy zones, increased transmission lines, and wind farms,” he said.
“This conversation is important so that the public know why the Government wants Tasmania to produce more power, who will be using the power, and what it means for household power prices and everyday people in Braddon.”
The afternoon will feature talks from former Greens Senator, Christine Milne AO, Dr Eric Woehler OAM from the Australian Coastal Society, Michael Anderson from the CEPU, Ray Mostogl CEO of the Tasmanian Mineral Manufacturing and Energy Council, Dr Ian McFarlane, and several community advocates who share major concerns about government plans for more energy infrastructure across the Braddon region.
This public event is free to attend and attendees can register through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/northwest-energy-impacts-public-meeting-tickets-976973162027
Ted Mead
August 31, 2024 at 10:21
This is going to be a meeting where Craig Garland is going to have to undertake some serious back-peddling!
When this issue of a proposed regional energy hub south of Burnie raised its head, I heard Craig claim that the local landowners had great concerns about infrastructure being across their land. In his response Craig announced and advocated on the ABC that the government should be building a wind farm at Whaleback Ridge in the southern Tarkine region. What a sell out to the environment and some of his supporters!
This means that Craig has carelessly become a normal politician by seeking a compromise so as to placate some of his constituency!
What is it with politicians? As a soon as they are elected, they swiftly fail to see the greater picture and become lost in their ethos!
Craig has been a fence-sitter on Forestry and now it appears, through his own words, that he’s a compromiser on state energy infrastructure.
Craig needs to set his position straight before he digs himself an even deeper hole!