GBSAN Stanthorpe Today Column
Much has been said on the need to improve community input into the development of wind projects in Queensland. GBSAN is on the record supporting not only ensuring local, host communities have a seat at the table during the planning stage of these developments, but that the developers of these projects need to compensate affected neighbours and make material investments in host communities beyond small grants to local organisations.
Thankfully this message is being heard.
The recent release of the draft Renewables Regulatory Framework is a welcome significant step in the right direction. Supported by the Queensland Farmers Federation, Agforce and the QLD Conservation Council, the framework will go a long way to ensuring regional Queenslanders are adequately consulted. We can only hope that whoever wins the state election the Renewables Regulatory Framework becomes mandatory.
After GBSAN’s discussions with the companies behind the next windfarm developments in our region, Acciona and Squadron Energy, it is abundantly clear that they recognize they need to lift their game in regards to giving the community a genuine say and responding to legitimate community concerns. Maintaining and improving their “social licence” is front of mind for both companies.
Given this shift, it is now up to us as a community to get organized in regards to what we expect from these developers in regards to minimizing the negative environmental, social and economic impacts of these projects while maximizing community benefits.
None of this is new. The Clean Energy Council has documented investments made by windfarm developers in host communities in NSW, Victoria and global examples. These case studies set a very useful benchmark in regards to what has been invested in and the size of the financial commitment.
We need to rally our community voice to position the Southern Downs to take advantage of the transition to cheaper renewables so we all benefit. But to do this we need a local process that includes all the major stakeholders which is informed by facts not opinions and designed to forge a broad consensus on the long-term vision regarding renewables and the type of investment this community wants in return for hosting these large wind farm developments.