The tale of two rallies: Canberra demonstrates strong support for wind energy
Odile Gotts and Leigh Ewbank / Yes 2 Renewables campaign
Politicians, policy makers, and media commentators, take note: people want wind energy. The verdict came on Tuesday June 18, when renewable energy supporters went head-to-head with anti-wind energy campaigners in the nation's capital.
Led by right-wing shock jock Alan Jones, an anti-wind farm rally at Parliament House failed to draw a crowd. A meagre 100 people showed up to rant and rave about wind energy. Their complaints ranged from absurd claims of wind farms affecting health to inaccurate claims about the economics of wind farms and the Renewable Energy Target. According to a Nine MSN report: "Alan Jones has lost a battle of the 'wind wars', with a rally against wind farms headlined by the radio shock jock failing to draw large crowds to Parliament House. The lacklustre attendance at Tuesday's protest was seized upon by supporters of clean energy, who claimed victory in the "wind wars" by staging a much larger counter rally in Canberra's city centre."
"Much larger crowd" is an understatement. In the heart of Canberra, at Garema Place, up to 1,000 people joined Friends of the Earth and GetUp's Rally 4 Renewables. Speakers included Greens Leader Christine Milne, Labor Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change Yvette D'ath, and independent MP Tony Windsor.
Senator Milne questioned why only English speakers suffer from the so-called "wind turbine sickness" and referred to research conducted by Professor Simon Chapman and Fiona Crichton which identifies anti-wind farm campaigning as the cause of health complaints. Yvette D'ath stressed the need to protect Australia's climate change and renewable energy policies from a hostile Coalition.
Long serving Councillor and five-time mayor of Ararat Regional City, Gwenda Allgood, outlined the unanimous community support for the Challicum Hills wind farm. The Howard government's Renewable Energy Target delivered a wind farm for Ararat. And the wind farm delivered jobs, investment and an icon the community is proud of. Pacific Hydro has operated for 10 years without complaint.
From Waubra, wind farmer Karen Molloy shattered the myths propagated by the Waubra Foundation – the organisation behind claims of a wind farm noise disease. Molloy explained how Waubra wind farm can power 143,000 households – more than enough for a city the size of Ballarat – and offsets a massive 635,000 tonnes of carbon emissions which would have been generated by burning coal in the LaTrobe Valley.
Charlie Prell is a sheep farmer and prospective wind farmer from Crookwell, NSW. Representing the emerging Regional Renewables Alliance, Prell argued that wind farming can make communities stronger and more resilient. The Guardian recently reported that Maurice Newman, business adviser to Tony Abbott, has threatened Mr Prell with legal action in relation to the Crookwell 2 project. Newman is anti-wind energy and a strident opponent of the Renewable Energy Target.
Where were the Coalition MPs? Shadow Minister for Climate Change Greg Hunt and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change Simon Birmingham declined invitations to speak at the event. Given that 64% of Coalition voters support the Renewable Energy Target and 71% want more wind energy, Mr Hunt and Senator Birmingham missed an opportunity to speak to their pro-renewables supporters.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the capital, a handful of rogue Coalition politicians spoke at the "Wind Power Fraud" rally. Senator Chris Back admitted claims Victoria's wind farms had contravened planning laws were unsubstantiated. Ron Boswell gave his usual vitriol, calling renewable energy a fraud. Liberal MP Craig Kelly; candidate for Hume, Angus Taylor; and renegade Victorian Senator John Madigan were also in attendance. Retiring Liberal MP Alby Schultz, who had promised to attend, failed to make it. Sources tell Yes 2 Renewables that shadow energy minister Ian Macfarlane implored Coalition MP not to appear at the anti-wind event.
Renewable energy supporters may have won this round, but the fight continues.
Take Action – Support Yes 2 Renewables
Yes 2 Renewables and our partners GetUp! are proud to have put a stop to the anti-wind farm lobby's gathering momentum. Yes 2 Renewables are determined to build on this success and help drive Australia towards a renewable energy future. To do this we need your help:
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