Premier Palaszczuk has snubbed Mount Emerald locals and refused to explain why her government disregarded its own expert advice about health impacts of wind farms.
Shadow Environment Minister Stephen Bennett said Labor’s handling of reasonable requests for a meeting regarding the proposed wind farm near Tolga, southwest of Cairns, had insulted residents and highlighted the Premier’s and her office’s sheer incompetence.
“Not only did the Premier’s office reject invitations to meet with residents, to add insult to injury, their request for an official investigation was passed on to the wrong Minister,” Mr Bennett said.
“It’s appalling to treat people the way the Premier’s office has treated the hundreds of residents living around Mount Emerald.”
Mr Bennett said residents documents obtained under Right to Information appeared to show the Palaszczuk Labor Government had deliberately ignored expert advice to ensure the wind farm did not have to meet the requirements of the government’s Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 2008.
“At best, this looks like the Palaszczuk Labor Government has made a rushed decision before considering all the facts, including those from its own scientific expert.
“At worst, the Premier and her Ministers are deliberately hiding expert advice which supports the legitimate concerns of residents.
“The people of Mount Emerald deserve some straight answers. They deserve a meeting with the Premier and an end to the run-around they’ve got from her government.”
Mr Bennett said noise standards were the responsibility of the Environment Minster, not the Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports, Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply – to where the Premier’s office had sent the residents’ request for investigation.
“Mount Emerald residents have every reason to be angry with the way the wind farm approval has been handled, and especially with Labor’s refusal to consider the risks related to excessive turbine noise,” he said.
