Brown lists offshore wind concerns
Aaron Brown said he has concerns about the proposal to allow offshore wind development off Bass Coast.
The Liberal candidate for Bass Aaron Brown said he has a number of concerns about the Federal government’s proposal to allow offshore wind development along the Bass Coast coastline.
“I understand the community had no awareness of the proposal prior to the Federal government’s announcement, that there is still inadequate information about the proposal, and that there are insufficient avenues and too little time for local stakeholders to respond,” Mr Brown said.
He described the Victorian government’s proposal to fast-track regulatory process as concerning, as time is needed to undertake “proper investigations and consultation”.
“My concerns include the impact that hundreds of wind towers, placed just 5km from the shore and up to 300m in height may have on marine life (particularly the penguin colonies, bird life and migratory whales), fishing and general amenity.
“Many in our community rely on tourism. Phillip Island Nature Parks alone contributes $498 million to the Victorian economy annually, according to a 2016 report by Ernst and Young.”
Mr Brown also cited concerns about overhead transmission lines and the potential impact on the landscape.
“I support the move to renewable energy where possible, in a properly planned manner. I am concerned that this is not the case with the Federal government’s proposal.
“That the government is actively pushing this proposal in conjunction with groups such as the Electrical Trades Union is of great concern to me. Such groups represent a relatively small proportion of our population and are under no obligation to consider the broader implications of this project for local residents.”
He has called for genuine consultation and “credible investigation into the social, economic and environmental impacts of the proposal”.
