Question Time

MYPONGA/SELLICKS HILL WIND FARM DEVELOPMENT

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation, fortuitously, before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning a question about the Myponga/Sellicks Hill wind farm development.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: As the minister just said in his ministerial statement, this project was declared a major development in 2002. I think it was in November 2003 that development approval was granted by the then minister for urban development and planning, the Hon. Jay Weatherill. The development approval was granted, despite a draft environmental assessment finding that the wind farm would have a detrimental effect on the amenity for many people in the community and accordingly recommending that the development not proceed.

TrustPower originally applied for a six-year construction time frame, but only two years was granted for that development approval by the Hon. Jay Weatherill. TrustPower applied to the Development Assessment Commission for a time extension on 5 May 2005—I think the minister opposite would have been the minister for urban development and planning (maybe not quite)—and an extension was granted on 5 May 2005. That was the first extension.

TrustPower applied to the Development Assessment Commission for another time extension on 6 July 2006, and another 12 months was approved. TrustPower applied for a third extension, with two years requested, in September last year. This is supposedly still under consideration by the minister, the Hon. Paul Holloway. It is interesting that Planning SA has informed the opposition that two time extensions are usually the limit, and a third extension is almost unheard of.

It is also interesting to note that one of the residents of the area said, 'One of our neighbours has been previously contacted by Mr Nick Alexandrides of the Premier's office, and informed he will face legal action if he continues with his course of action regarding the wind farm.' My questions to the minister are:

1. As TrustPower has already been granted two extensions, how many more will this Labor government give it to build the Myponga/Sellicks Hill wind farm?

2. Is it true that 11 generous variations to the approval have already been bestowed on the developers?

3. Is it true that the wind turbine size has already been given a wink and a nod increase as TrustPower's 2008 annual report lists the generating capacity of the wind farm now at 42 megawatts and not the original 40 megawatts for which development approval was granted?

4. Is it true that the Premier's brother, Mr Chris Rann, has involvement with the project and that the Premier's sister-in-law was employed by the wind farm developers?

5. Why has the Premier's Chief of Staff, Mr Nick Alexandrides, been consulting residents within the area?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:27): TrustPower, as I indicated in my ministerial statement, is the New Zealand company that applied some years ago—long before I became Minister for Urban Development and Planning—to build a wind farm. In this day and age of concerns about climate change, one would have thought that the opposition might support the development of wind power in this state. One wonders, after its performance last night in opposing a number of other matters in relation to heritage, what the Liberal Party does support, or whether it supports anything. One wonders with great concern what our society might be like if we had the misfortune of having these people in government.

TrustPower came to see me back in 2007 because I requested a meeting with it to justify why there should be any further extension in relation to that proposal. Given that we have now decided to have a desalination plant erected at Port Stanvac in the southern area of Adelaide, I am keen that any opportunity to have wind power in that area not be lost, because I think everyone here would appreciate that if we are to have a desalination plant it would be preferable if that plant's power is substantially supplied by wind farms. Obviously the most effective way—the least greenhouse gas emitting way—is if that is sourced by power as close as possible.

TrustPower, I understand, has had a number of issues in relation to proceeding. It is unusual that there will be an extension but, given the issues relating to the need to have some greenhouse gas friendly power generation within the region, particularly with desalination, I have given this matter careful consideration. It also needs to be considered that, in relation to wind power, originally this project was given major project status because it was at a time when there was no general development policy in relation to wind power. It is my understanding that it was predated. However, I have been advised that the reason this matter went through major project status (which perhaps would not be the case nowadays with wind power) was that there was no broad development plan policy in relation to wind power. Had there been a more general development plan policy in place, that may not have been necessary.

In relation to the latter parts of the question, there are of course the usual allegations made by the opposition; we get some every week and nine out of 10 of them tend to be incorrect. We all know that the Premier's brother is a consultant for a number of companies, and I would have thought he is quite entitled to do that business. Whether he is involved with this company, I have no idea.