Tuesday, 12 August 2025

Ballyrogan wind farm

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (18:21): (1821) My adjournment matter is a very concerning one for the Minister for Planning. I raise an issue regarding a planned wind farm at Ballyrogan and Tatyoon. I raise it on behalf of the Ballyrogan & Tatyoon Community Alliance, which is a community group. A number of people involved in this are advocating to different levels of government. They have raised concerns about a proposed 149 wind turbine development on 14,000 hectares of prime agricultural, cropping and grazing land south of Ararat. This is on top of the emergency services tax which these people are already dealing with. It is on top of the VicGrid legislation. It is on top of a drought. I do not understand why the government cannot see the plight of the farmers and the people in these rural communities, I do not understand why the government continues to ignore what is right in front of them and I really do not understand why the people who are supposed to represent these communities, such as the member for Ripon, will not go in and even talk to them. She is refusing to advocate on behalf of her community, the very people she is supposed to represent in this house of Parliament.

Community members are telling me that the consultation process has been awful. Squadron Energy, which is the proponent of this proposal, has a lot to answer for. A community consultation committee was meant to be established with a number of different aspects to it, including an independent chair. That has never happened, let alone all the other concerns that local community members have, including environmental damage. Many farmers have put in various aspects of environmental care on their land, which are set to be bulldozed through with a development like this taking place. I do not want to ignore the mental health impact this is having. Combined with all the other things that are going on with farmers, now they have got to fight a proposed wind farm that is in front of them. How is that fair? It is a kick in the guts. The action I seek is for the minister to immediately review the proposed Tatyoon wind farm; ensure locals actually have a reasonable, fair and genuine voice throughout this process; and ensure that process is enforced so that consultation can actually happen, rather than it just being a tick-a-box exercise. Farmers deserve better. We on this side of the chamber will never apologise for standing up for farmers.