Motions

Wind Farm Developments

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (16:51): I move:

1. That a select committee of the Legislative Council be established to investigate wind farm developments in South Australia, with the following terms of reference—

(a) separation distances between wind turbines and residences or communities;

(b) the social, health and economic impacts of wind generators on individual landholders, communities and the state;

(c) the need for a peer-reviewed, independent academic study on the social, health and economic impacts of wind generators;

(d) the capacity of existing infrastructure to cope with increased wind power;

(e) the costs and benefits of wind power in South Australia;

(f) the environmental impacts of wind generators and wind power generally;

(g) the siting of wind generators in South Australia;

(h) the approval process of wind farms in South Australia;

(i) the preparation of the State Wind Farm DPA;

(j) an assessment of the impact of wind farm developments on property values; and

(k) any other matter the committee deems relevant.

2. That the committee consist of three members and that the quorum of members necessary to be present at all meetings of the committee be fixed at two members and that standing order 389 be so far suspended as to enable the chairperson of the committee to have a deliberative vote only.

3. That this council permits the select committee to authorise the disclosure or publication, as it sees fit, of any evidence or documents presented to the committee prior to such evidence being presented to the council.

4. That standing order 396 be suspended to enable strangers to be admitted when the select committee is examining witnesses unless the committee otherwise resolves, but they shall be excluded when the committee is deliberating.

5. That the evidence and submissions given to the previous Legislative Council Select Committee on Wind Farm Developments in South Australia be tabled and referred to the select committee.

Members would see that these are the same terms of reference that we had for the wind farm select committee prior to the last election. It was one of those quite interesting select committees. We took a lot of evidence. We did not quite complete taking all of the evidence.

As you would recall, Mr President, you were a member of that committee. It was quite a unique committee. There were five members: there was one (obviously you, sir) representing the Labor Party, there was myself representing the Liberal Party, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire representing the Family First Party, the Hon. Mark Parnell representing the Greens and the Hon. Ann Bressington as an Independent. So, we had, if you like, four political parties and an Independent on the committee. It was quite an unusual combination and probably the first time in this place, I think, that we have had a select committee where there were five individual members.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: You had a sleep-out.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: We did. You would think the Hon. John Dawkins, who often acts as the President, would know that interjections are out of order, but he does remind me that we had a sleep-out up in the Mid North, which you participated in, Mr President, and the Hon. Mark Parnell. The Hon. Robert Brokenshire obviously did not want to leave his snuggle rug and his home, so he did not come, nor did the Hon. Ann Bressington. Nonetheless, that was, I think, a useful exercise for us.

Those of us who were on the committee have had a number of people concerned that we took a lot of evidence but did not actually report, we did not get a chance to report. So, my move to establish this select committee is so that we can re-form the committee. You would see that in the terms of reference I say that the committee consist of three members, with a quorum being two members. Of course, the Hon. Mark Parnell, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire and myself are still members on the floor of the Legislative Council and I have taken some advice that perhaps it is not wise to have you, sir, on the committee now that you are in your role as President of the Legislative Council. It is really just so we can re-form the committee.

I know that our committee secretary, Leslie Guy, mentioned to me, when I discussed it with her, that we did not take evidence from the scientific fraternity. So I suspect that if the committee is formed we may take brief evidence from that particular group, and a cohort of interested people we did not actually hear from.

My intention is to reform or establish this select committee, if need be take a small amount of evidence from a group we did not hear from, and then report back to the Legislative Council. We met in Mount Gambier and in the Mid North and went to Yorke Peninsula; quite a lot of effort went into taking evidence, and those people would like to see a final report and it is only proper that we do so. I will not delay the proceedings of the house any longer, other than to commend the motion to the chamber and look forward to other comments.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.