At the turn of the decade, the anti-wind lobby escalated its campaign of exaggeration, cherry-picking, and scare tactics. Just five years later, community members from regional Victoria are saying enough is enough.

A new Friends of the Earth analysis finds wind energy has created jobs and delivered investment for North Queensland communities, while making a strong contribution to cutting Australia’s carbon emissions.

At the turn of the decade, the anti-wind lobby escalated its campaign of exaggeration, cherry-picking, and scare tactics. Just five years later, community members from regional Victoria are saying enough is enough.

Family First Senator Bob Day has strayed beyond his area of expertise by lending weight to unsubstantiated claims wind energy is linked to adverse health impacts.

The town of Morwell shrouded by toxic coal ash and

smoke during the 2014 Hazelwood mine fire.

                                              The Capital Wind Farm near Lake George (the one Treasurer Joe Hockey finds ‘offensive’)

Despite the fact that the Australian senate conducted an inquiry into wind energy in 2011, senators with a track record opposing wind farms (such as Sen. John Madigan), have established another inquiry into the technology.

The UK and Germany have seen new heights in their domestic wind energy production. This growth, and continuing growth is strongly related to policy and regulatory decisions. If Australia followed suit with sensible energy policy, we could enjoy the same transition in the coming years. 

The federal political stand off on the RET is coming to a head with Senator Lambie and Greg Hunt meeting this Thursday. Lambie wants a compromise to revive the stagnated renewable industry in Tasmainia.

The wind industry in Victoria takes a much needed breath of fresh air as the anti-wind Coalition government steps down from power. The anti-wind veto laws, and the scrapping of the state’s renewable energy target will now have a better chance of coming back into the political spotlight.