NORTHERN Tablelands MP Brendan Moylan has called for a moratorium and stocktake of renewable energy projects in the New England REZ, calling for certainty together with a fairer and more transparent process.
Mr Moylan said there is enormous pressure on councils and landholders and growing uncertainty within the community about proposed projects within the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
“The New England REZ is an issue I inherited, but I am determined to make sure that landholders and the community are treated fairly. It cannot be a free-for-all for developers,” Mr Moylan said.
“I am extremely concerned that in budget estimates this week the Premier admitted he did not know the intended network generation or the total capacity of the approved projects in the Central-West Orana REZ.
“According to council data, the total generation from the Central-West Orana REZ comes in at just over 12.5 gigawatts (GW), which is at least four times the original plan of 3 gigawatts.”
Mr Moylan is concerned that if the Government does not learn the lessons from the Central-West Orana REZ then the New England REZ will face the same problems.
“I’m the local MP and even I don’t have any information about the likely size of the REZ, the type of proposed projects or the location of the proposed projects. This information should be readily available not just for the local MP, but for everyone in our communities,” said Mr Moylan.
“Every potential project and each piece of proposed infrastructure should be assessed to ensure landholders and neighbours are treated properly, and that the community gets as much benefit financial as possible. We are the ones who are wearing this energy zone, so our local landholders and communities should receive significant financial benefit.
“I have said before that the owners of the land on which these projects will be located must be paid properly and treated fairly, all impacted neighbours should be paid proper compensation, the overall culminative impact of these projects must be carefully and constantly scrutinised and the community needs to benefit as much as possible. Unless each of those boxes are ticked then a project should not proceed.
“It infuriates me that developers are signing up landholders to punitive confidentiality arrangements which limits their ability to get a fair deal. The NSW Government should legislate against this unfair practice immediately. Developers should not be allowed to turn neighbours against each other.
“I’ve met with several councils in the electorate, including Uralla and Walcha recently, who are understandably concerned about the impact that REZ projects will have on their soil, water and waste – as well as issues around housing REZ workers and the impact on local council roads.
“I’m not saying all renewable projects should be scrapped, but the Minns Labor Government needs to be transparent, and we need to know how big this REZ is going to be and the detail of those projects. The Government should guarantee that the New England REZ won’t become a dumping ground for renewable projects like we have seen in the Orana REZ.
“For the sake of our New England communities, we need to take a breath and take stock of where we are at in terms of the New England REZ before this goes any further.”
