Regional councils call for State Government support and push back against wind turbines

Regional councils are pushing back against a flood of wind turbines, calling for more support from the State Government and a better financial return to locals. The concerns — including a lack of contribution to shires’ infrastructure budgets and local engagement — boiled over at a WA Local Government Association briefing late last year, with councils lashing out at the State Government’s energy body Powering WA. Shire of Gnowangerup president Kate O’Keefe said the council was set to see 750 turbines installed in Ongerup and there were concerns over where they should be placed on private properties. “The greatest concern is the lack of direction from the State Government with regard to the location of the turbines, with regard to proximity to neighbouring properties, to roads, to dwellings, and also the transmission lines returning the power,” she said. “Because of the fact that we are meeting a State Government energy target, we feel as though they should be involved in this planning stage so that each local government is making the same decision, having the same rules. “There are concerns from a shire level that the development of this wind farm will negatively impact the Shire of Gnowangerup financially, however, we do acknowledge the benefits of green energy, and we are not opposed to the project. We’re just really looking to the State Government for some assistance, Another issue flagged by Cr O’Keefe was the availability of shared local resources, including road base. “(There is also) the cost to local government, with regard to the ongoing damage to our roads, and the increase that it will ultimately create with the cost of gravel,” she said. “They’ll require an enormous amount of gravel for each construction site, and the shire is already battling to access enough gravel to meet their road funding commitments.” Former Labor MP and Shire of Dandaragan boss Tony O’Gorman said conversations with turbine developers had progressed positively, but there was a need for local supply to be shored up from renewable energy generated in the region. But on financial returns, Mr O’Gorman said one company had offered the shire payments of $1000 per megawatt hour generated into a community benefit fund which would generate about $17 million over the life of the wind farm. A discussion paper written by the shire flagged a number of issues regarding ongoing developments including pressure on housing and infrastructure and a lack of returns to councils through rates. WALGA president Karen Chappel said councils needed to be involved in the rollout from an early stage to ensure community cohesion. “I see that local governments have a role acting as a broker in these projects, so communities realise social and economic benefits, acting as active participants influencing social licence,” she said. “It is essential that our local governments are involved from the outset, to help to plan and deliver the infrastructure needed because of these projects. These could be 50-year legacy projects for proponents and communities. “The renewable energy transition is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the State. We only have one chance to get this right.” Energy Minister Reece Whitby said he had met a range of regional shires about the rollout of wind turbines, describing conversations as amicable. “Understandably, they want to see their communities benefit from new renewable energy developments, and I have been happy to hear about and discuss with them their concerns,” he said. “Let me be clear: any local government official who is interested in discussing the State’s energy transition is free to contact my office and request a meeting. “Our current focus is on ensuring the regulatory settings are right for developers to embrace the opportunity in front of them so that landholders are free to negotiate terms that are beneficial to them and communities can in turn benefit.”