Wagga MP Joe McGirr has flagged consultation and compensation as the major concerns with the future of renewable energy projects in the Riverina. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Member for Wagga Wagga Joe McGirr has admitted the Riverina may not have a choice but to accept the NSW Government’s renewable energy push.
However, he is adamant that consultation with landowners must improve.
During the NSW Premier’s recent visit to Wagga Wagga, Chris Minns said he won’t be stopping the state’s push towards Net Zero by way of renewable energy.
The call came following protests from local farmers and landowners during the Bush Summit on 27 August, attended by a number of state and federal politicians.
During the protests, farmers called for an end to renewable energy projects such as battery storage facilities and wind farms being built within the region, expressing concerns that they will devalue land and cause harm to prime agricultural land.
Mr Minns said the continued development of renewable energy projects outside of allocated renewable energy zones, located several hundred kilometres away from the Riverina, would likely continue.
“The renewable energy zones (REZ) are sort of a reverse auction,” Mr Minns said.
“The Government says we’ll build the transmission lines and in effect, the best price will come in on that [REZ] site. But if there’s another site that doesn’t have access to in this instance, Transgrid’s transmission lines, then it’s assessed.
“It’s just it’s more heavily incentivised and better economics if you are in a renewable energy zone, because you’ve effectively got direct access to transmission lines.”
Dr McGirr accepts that the Riverina will have to accept the renewable energy projects, despite heavy opposition from local residents.
“‘I’m not sure we have a choice,” he said.
“People might want to debate about Net Zero and so on, but the fact of the matter is governments across Australia are committed to this and it’s going ahead.”
Dr McGirr remained critical, however, of the current consultation procedures in place by the NSW Government and private projects. He said affected landowners should be properly advised and compensated.
“We’re not against renewable energy. But we do want to be considered in the transformation,” he said.
“Consultation with the community shouldn’t be a ticked box on an approval process. It should be the start of a process, so any company that comes into a community and wants to build a battery or a solar factory, the first thing they should do is talk to the community and the second thing they should do is work out what compensation.
“I don’t think the guidelines and the pressure on the companies to consult and compensate are strong enough at the moment.
“I don’t understand why we have to have this renewable energy infrastructure here. I think it’s connected to the fact that they can get into the Transgrid line.
“But the fact of the matter is that the renewable energy transformation is going ahead and what we need to have are tough guidelines around consultation and compensation.”
