Advocacy to focus on key areas for community
Published on 30 April 2024
Moyne Shire Council will advocate for local employment initiatives, investment in community facilities, environmental sustainability projects and discounted power from any offshore wind developments, following a recent survey which more than 200 people responded too.
Mayor Cr Ian Smith said there were 242 responses to the survey and while 90 percent of respondents indicated they were not in support of the Southern Ocean Offshore Wind Zone, they also provided information about their concerns and on which issues Council should focus its advocacy efforts.
Cr Smith said while Moyne Shire Council was not a decision maker on any developments, it can play an important role in advocating for community benefits from any wind farm development offshore from Moyne Shire.
“The Federal Government will have the final say if a development goes ahead – they control the waters where any offshore wind farms will be built – so Council’s role in this is advocacy,” Cr Smith said.
“We sought the views of the community and now it’s our job to relay that information to the people who will be making the decision. I will write to Minister Bowen and Minister D’Ambrosio to make them aware of the results of this survey.
“In situations where you don’t have decision making authority, you have to go in with the view of how to get the best result possible for the community - so we will go to the table with what our community has told us to focus on in terms of advocacy.”
“This is all really valuable information for us to go to the table with, to make sure the Minister’s know not only the sentiment of the community but what we are asking for is backed up with evidence of the community’s desires,” Cr Smith said.
“Moyne has 25 years’ experience in dealing with renewable energy development, we know that you have to go to the table with evidence that what you are asking for is what the community wants.”
Position Statement – Offshore Wind Zone.
Moyne Shire Council acknowledges the declared Southern Ocean Offshore Wind Zone as a federal government commitment to meet its 2050 zero emissions targets. Moyne Shire Council has consulted with its community which has declared its overwhelming opposition to the offshore wind zone in this place.
In expressing their views, residents have articulated a number of issues they wish Moyne Shire Council to advocate for on their behalf. These include impacts on:
- Landscape and viewsheds
- Marine flora and fauna
- Fishing industry
- Local economy
- Transmission infrastructure
Moyne Shire Council will advocate to be engaged during the feasibility and all subsequent licencing stages for the Zone, and to seek firm commitments for community investment, including:
- Local employment initiatives;
- Funding programs for local coastal environmental sustainability;
- Investment in Community Infrastructure;
- Discounted power rates for Moyne Shire residents;
- Initiatives and offsets that respond to climate emergency and address climate change;
- Initiatives to boost the Moyne Shire economy.