By Matt Dunn
SOUTH Gippsland Shire Council believes it would need far more money and resources if it were to become the planning authority for the Bald Hills wind farm.
The idea of it taking that responsibility from the State Government was floated by Leader of the Nationals Peter Ryan last week.
But Mayor Jim Fawcett said council would be ill equipped to deal with the demands without extra funding.
“Planning decisions need to be brought back more directly to the communities that are being affected by the decisions. The removal of that connection means the community can quite rightly argue that the process isn’t as good as it could be,” he said.
“I think the big thing I’d like to emphasise is that the Government would have to commit the resources to council for us to process those functions. It would be incredibly expensive and there should be a way that could be addressed.
“Our issues down here during the last four years have been as much about the process – the consultation; the information flow that was provided to people who were either opposed to the wind farm or in support of it, for that matter.”
He said Mr Ryan’s suggestion was not “inappropriate at all” but it could not “occur without recognition of the funding implications that would have on council.
“You’re talking about mega million dollar constructions and it would, without provision of resources, put an inordinate strain on council,” he said.
Mr Ryan’s call comes in the wake of an Environment and Natural Resources Committee report into the approval process for renewable energy projects in Victoria.
Mr Ryan said the Labor-dominated committee had recommended local government be excluded from the planning process of wind farms.
“The Brumby Government is riding roughshod over local communities,” Mr Ryan said.
“Coalition committee members tabled a dissenting report recommending local government be made the planning authority for all wind power plants.
“The interests of local communities would be better represented if local government was made the responsible authority for wind farms.”
Mr Ryan said Planning Minister Justin Madden’s decision to sign off on a 25-metre increase in the height of the turbines at the Bald Hills Wind Farm showed the government was not listening to residents and landholders.
“The changes to the Bald Hills Wind Farm prove just how arrogant and city-centric the Brumby Government has become,” Mr Ryan said.
“The turbines will now be 135 metres high or tall enough to dwarf the light towers at the MCG.
“The Minister has treated communities directly impacted by these changes, such as Foster and Fish Creek, with utter contempt. The Brumby Government cannot be trusted to make decisions based on the interests of the community.”
Last week in Parliament Mr Ryan took the floor to speak on the issue.
“The action I seek from the minister is to revoke the approval he has recently granted to Mitsui Australia, the company which is developing the wind farm.
“That approval is to increase the height of the turbines proposed to be built from 110 metres to 135 metres. My further request to the minister is that a supplementary environment effects statement be conducted so people have an opportunity to properly investigate the implications behind what Mitsui wants to do.
“This is a project of some 52 turbines. It was approved after a process which was trenchantly opposed and bitterly contested by the people of South Gippsland.
“That approval was granted in 2006. There was a lot of talk at the time about issues of natural justice.
