Antinuclear

Australia’s fossil fuel, nuclear lobbies behind anti-wind power movement

The British equivalent of landscape guardians, ”country guardians”, was funded and supported by elements of the British nuclear energy industry.

Wind farm opponents ‘aided and abetted’ by climate sceptic groups SMH, Ben Cubby, Josephine Tovey, 20 Dec 11 THE anti-wind farm movement that is gaining influence in the NSW Parliament is being ”aided and abetted” by climate sceptic groups and some mining figures.

The cabinet debated new wind farm guidelines yesterday, with division over whether NSW should follow Victoria and order wind turbines to be set further back from houses. The Shooters and Fishers Party, which shares the balance of power in
the upper house with the Christian Democrats, said yesterday it wanted a moratorium on new wind farms.

Industry sources said a US Tea Party-style ”astroturf” campaign, which mimics grassroots local opposition but is at least partly directed from elsewhere, was being waged against wind energy in NSW, which was expected to bring up to $10 billion in investment this decade as it accelerated to meet the national 20 per cent renewable energy target.

Wind farm opponents include a coalition of local groups under the banner ”landscape guardians”, and the Australian Environment Foundation, which sprang up seven years ago from a conference run by the right-wing think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, but is now a separate group.

”Our role is, if you like, aiding and abetting what local communities
are doing and helping them voice their disapproval over wind farms,”
said the foundation’s executive director, Max Rheese.
While local groups say they believe the inaudible noise and vibration
from wind farms affect human health, the foundation does not think
humans have a role in causing climate change and therefore believes
wind farms are an expensive extravagance.
It hosted the British climate sceptic Lord Monckton last year and says
it ”questions the whole science behind anthropogenic global
warming”.
Mr Rheese said the foundation had paid for anti-wind signs at public
meetings and lobbied the Shooters and Fishers Party, and the National
and Liberal parties in NSW…..
The Premier, Barry O’Farrell, said in August it was his opinion that
no new wind farms should be built in NSW, but it is understood there
are divisions in cabinet about the issue.
The Nationals MP and Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, said yesterday his
anti-wind farm views were well known and he hoped yesterday’s cabinet
meeting ”addresses the sins of the past”…..
The British equivalent of landscape guardians, ”country guardians”,
was funded and supported by elements of the British nuclear energy
industry.
Labor’s environment spokesman, Luke Foley, said ”flat earthers” were
running a scare campaign against wind power.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/wind-farm-opponents-aided-and-abetted-by-climate-sceptic-groups-20111219-1p2l6.html

December 21, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, spinbuster