Letter to the Premier, Hon. Dr. Denis Napthine – RE: Macarthur Wind Farm

Saturday 20th April 2013,
Letter to:

Hon. Dr. Denis Napthine,
Premier of Victoria,
Level 1, 1 Treasury Place,
Melbourne, VIC 3002

Dear Premier,
Congratulations for supporting the 140-turbine Macarthur wind farm in your electorate. I hope, as the Herald Sun reported last week that you truly believe “those opportunities should be pursued at every opportunity.”

Can you please now support households going solar by improving subsidies but also negotiating better feed-in-tariff terms, which are at the moment so low to be almost negligible. There is also a lot of inequity between those households who are trying to ‘do their bit’ because depending on when you were able to afford solar panels the feed-in tariff varies considerably.

There is also the issue of protecting our national parks – not only part of our heritage and tourist assets but so important to reduce the impact of climate change. The possibility of allowing prospecting and open cut gold mining and increased logging is appalling on so many levels and will be devastating for fragile ecosystems and habitats of native animals and birds already endangered.

We are aware that green wedges are so important for our health and recreational needs yet they are eyed and under attack from developers to such an extent that local residents feel constantly threatened and worried about keeping abreast of council decisions and plans. This should not be the case if you show decisive leadership and state in no uncertain terms that green wedges are safe and ensure Planning Minister Guy acts accordingly. We don’t need more consultations we need honest and commitment.

Finally, it is disappointing Victoria is going to be known as the ‘Brown Coal Capital of the World’ – the majority of scientists are not wrong. Climate change is a reality – we owe it to our children to do as you suggested to your electorate, “I am very proud and will, at every opportunity, advocate that southwest Victoria is not only the home of renewable energy, but we’ve only just started in terms of the potential for renewable energy in this area.” Please extend this concept to all of Victoria because you are now Premier and govern for us all. We must stop the reliance and further production of brown coal.

Yours Sincerely,

Signed,
Mary Rimington
Secretary
MBCL.

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