Whitlam MP Stephen Jones, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Cunningham MP Alison Byrnes were all smiles when announcing the Illawarra wind zone at Port Kembla Steelworks in June last year. The project is now on hold until after the federal election. Photo: Jen White.
The future of the Illawarra offshore wind zone will not be determined until after the federal election.
A statement issued on Friday (28 February) afternoon by Illawarra and Shoalhaven federal MPs takes aim at Opposition leader Peter Dutton for creating “policy uncertainty” that has “affected the progress of this important project and the job and economic opportunities for the Illawarra”.
Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced the pause to feasibility licensing in the Illawarra while at the same time announcing that licences have been offered in the Hunter and Southern Ocean offshore wind zones.
“In the Illawarra zone, while one application has been received, the government has paused consideration of the feasibility licence at the applicant’s request until after the federal election,” Mr Bowen said.
“This is due to the sovereign risk created by Peter Dutton’s reckless and unprincipled opposition to investment and jobs in the renewables sector.
“The Coalition has abandoned its own policy on offshore wind in pursuit of its $600 billion nuclear power agenda that will push power prices up for Australians.
“Its commitment to scrapping the Illawarra zone will undermine energy security for the region and create operating risks for major energy users.”
The joint statement from outgoing Whitlam MP Stephen Jones, the ALP candidate Carol Berry, Cunningham MP Alison Byrnes and Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips, claimed the Coalition had deterred investment from the private sector in renewable projects such as offshore wind.
“We support the zone designation remaining in place until after the federal election, at which point the government of the day and interested proponents could continue the feasibility process without the risk created by Peter Dutton’s opposition to investment and jobs in the renewables sector,” the statement said.
“When it comes to jobs and economic opportunities for the region, all options must be on the table. Any proposed project needs to stack up environmentally and economically and must include good local content provisions and demonstrated community benefit.”
Soon after the statement was released, The Nationals’ leader David Littleproud declared his party had “secured a major win for Illawarra locals”.
“The Nationals had fought tirelessly against Labor’s bad idea and it was clear the local Illawarra community didn’t want it,” he said.
“The Nationals were the first political party to have the courage to commit to ruling this project out last year and instead prioritise protecting the natural environment.
“The Nationals have led the way in stopping Labor’s bad plan. With the help of The Nationals’ candidate for Whitlam, Katrina Hodgkinson, we will continue to do so, because the community knows Katrina has been a strong advocate and a local champion in stopping this project.
“In fact, just last week, the anti-wind farm locals proudly rallied with us. They know The Nationals will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in this fight.”
Ms Hodgkinson said she would “continue her dedicated opposition to the Labor/Greens proposed offshore wind farm, who have ignored locals for months on end”.
“There has been little community consultation and the project still doesn’t have environmental approvals, despite being on a whale migration path. It has been widely rejected by the local community,” she said.
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