YORKE PENINSULA WIND FARM

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (15:41): I wish to bring to the attention of the house this afternoon a meeting that was held by the Development Assessment Commission at Ardrossan on Yorke Peninsula last week, at which time the DAC considered submissions made by many members of the community about a 198-turbine wind farm. As I understand it, it is intended to be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, if it is built, at an anticipated cost of $1.3 billion. It is a very significant development and will cover a total area of about 18,000 hectares; it is very large.

I wish the DAC meeting had been held a couple of months ago. It was rather frustrating to me that it has taken some time for it to occur so close to harvest. I would have preferred an opportunity not long after the submissions period closed. I do respect, though, that there is a need for the submissions to be reviewed and responses to be provided by the proponent, REpower, about that. The meeting went from about 9 until 1 o'clock. Predominantly presentations were made by people who were concerned about it.

Of the 210 submissions made on the proposal, I am advised that about 30 were in support, and 180 have questions that they would like answered. I recognise that the proponents, REpower, put considerable effort into responses to those submissions. About a week and a half before it became a public document they provided me with a document—for which I am grateful—about one inch thick, which was a response to all of the submissions made. I do recognise that REpower ensured that it was publicly available before the DAC meeting, which, as I understand it, is rather unusual. That was a step forward, and I commend them for that.

Submissions were made on the day by people who are hosting the turbines. I was pleased to hear from those families, and I think about 26 in total are hosting the turbines. Some of them attended the meeting and spoke about why they and their family units have made the decision to host them. I do respect their positions very strongly. For some, it is a bit of a life changer, depending a bit on their age, if they have children they want to educate, or they are looking for transition to retirement opportunities, or if they can fit it into their farm management practices. For them it represents a viable option that gives them an alternate revenue stream that was never available.

Overwhelmingly, though, the people who spoke were those who were rather concerned about it. A variety of positions were put, predominantly from individual land owners. The collection also spoke—Heartland Farmers—a group of people who have taken up this issue for some months. The Black Point Shack Owners Association also spoke, and they similarly made presentations about a mine proposal for Yorke Peninsula.

One area really concerned me on the day. The Development Assessment Commission had for some reason arranged for a security guard to be there. I asked the officer who engaged him, because to me it did not reflect the people I know in Yorke Peninsula who, yes, will ask questions and, yes, will make sure they will get the best possible answer. However, there is a level of respect for others that I would not have thought required a security officer to be there. I have this day written to Mr Ted Byrt, who is the presiding officer of that Development Assessment Commission, asking if that is one of their regular management practices.

I am interested in receiving some response to that, because people in the community have rung me about it. For instance, as I was driving in yesterday morning a chap, who is a farmer in that area that I know is not supportive, rang me. He had heard that I had arranged it. I said to him, 'Very much the opposite.' I am rather upset by any suggestion for security or police to attend public meetings, because I do truly believe that it is not necessary and it does not reflect the make-up of the people who would attend. So, I am looking forward to that response.

I had lodged a submission, so I took the opportunity to speak and elaborate on some of that. For me, it was clearly based around design principles. In respecting the ability of those to host it, I am also respecting the ability of those who do not wish to see it happen to put objections in. I have always been concerned about the siting of towers—and I think the number is 73 out of the 198—that are quite close to boundary lines and, therefore, close to adjoining property owners who are not hosting.

I also raised the point about aerial firefighting support. This is an issue that I have taken up forever, seemingly, on this project. I have met with Mr Greg Nettleton, the Chief Officer of the CFS. I have grave concerns. Even though Yorke Peninsula is not identified as one of the priority areas, because the topography of the land means that in the absolute majority of cases it will be land-based forces who will do the absolute best work in controlling fires, I do know from feedback from fire officers and volunteers that the ability to have the planes there to hit a front when that needs to happen, to control it, and to protect property and potentially lives is a really important component of it.

I accept that the submission replies from Ceres' wind farm project talk about there being a level of support still available for aerial firefighting, but I do not accept their reasoning and, from the public and private conversations I have had with Mr Nettleton, I do not accept that there is that assurance that a fire plane can still operate. I affirm the position that is 18,000 hectares, which is very substantial. I also put the case for the Liberal Party policy of being two kilometres and five kilometres buffer distances between non-involved homes, and five kilometres for communities.

I recognise that the DAC did the right thing by having a site visit. They were there the day before. They went to the location, so they know where it is proposed. They can see physically what is intended to occur. The DAC will make a recommendation to minister Rau. The minister will then determine what his position is and announce that. With a development plan in place that basically supports it—I know the minister will make the decision soon—I hope that what is announced is something that the community can live with.

Time expired.