Tuesday, 17 October 2023

 Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (16:41): I want to use this opportunity to raise an issue with the state ministers for environment, agriculture and outdoor recreation over considerable concerns that I and others have with the proposed wind farm developments off the Gippsland coast. It is also an issue that I have raised with the federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The issue that has arisen, after a series of meetings with the Lakes Entrance’s Fishing Fleet, is the footprint for wind farm developments in Bass Strait, the eastern end of it, is over very, very significant fishing grounds. It is not possible to have a wind farm development in that area without impacting very, very severely on Lakes Entrance commercial fishermen. It is an industry that is so important to not only the Lakes Entrance economy but also the Victorian economy. It is an industry that has had a spatial squeeze in the past from the oil and gas industry expansion, and these fishermen do not want to see the loss of more commercial fishing grounds. I am advised that the federal government will be issuing feasibility licences potentially later this year, and we want to make sure that there are no feasibility licences issued for the eastern end of that zone, because that will be another step towards a development that will impact on the fishing fleet. They are happy to coexist, but they want to be included in discussions to make sure that their fishing areas are not impacted.