MEDIA STATEMENT: OFFSHORE WIND FARM FEASIBILITY LICENCE

This week, I issued a Media Statement in response to the offering of a feasibility licence for the Hunter Offshore Wind Farm.

Here is what I had to say on Thursday:

"Today’s announcement by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy the Hon Chris Bowen MP that a feasibility licence has been offered for the Hunter Offshore Wind Farm is a slap in the face to the Port Stephens and Myall Coast communities.

There are no number of conditions on the licensee that can make this anything other than a bad project.

I opposed this project from the beginning in solidarity with the Port Stephens and Myall Coast communities.

I trust their knowledge and judgement. This is not a community opposed to renewables, just opposed to renewables that threaten their livelihoods and the environment they treasure.

The Minister continues to try and sell this project as providing reliable renewable energy.

There is nothing reliable about wind energy. While the Minister likes to quote nameplate capacity, we know that the average actual capacity for a wind farm is 35%.

The costs of this project far outweigh the benefits. It’s time the Albanese Government put a stop to this project. If not, the Nationals will."

Meanwhile, two weeks of parliamentary sittings are coming up and I will be working to lodge the petition of over 12,000 signatures to stop the Hunter Offshore Wind Farm that was presented to me at Jimmy's Beach by the Newcastle Port Stephens Game Fish Club.