Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, and I am very interested. Senator Singh says there will now be certainty as a result of this 33,000 gigawatt hour deal. Minister, how much new wind energy investment do you expect is going to roll out as a result of this deal given that the government, to satisfy the crossbench in their opposition to wind, has agreed to set up a national wind farm commissioner to resolve complaints? The government wants to seek agreement from the states to update and implement national wind farm guidelines. It wants to obtain the agreement of the state and territory environment ministers. It wants more transparency on wind farms, including the location and the renewable energy certificates received by them. It wants data on wind farm operators, including operating times, wind speed, power output and sound monitoring. As well, it wants more research published. All of these things are direct attacks on the wind industry and direct attacks on undermining investment in wind. So I specifically ask the minister: do you expect that the certainty that the Labor Party think they are delivering will result in new wind farm investment? If so, what is your modelling or projection for the amount of that new renewable wind energy in the foreseeable future? It will be fascinating because you are telling the crossbenchers there will be no new wind and Senator Singh is telling us this is going to guarantee wind investment. Which bank or financial institution would front up to support wind in Australia with the hostile behaviour of a government that is, as I said before, absolutely anti science and anti any sort of rational behaviour and is setting up a commissioner to look into wind farms?

I want to point out to the minister—and this is extraordinary—that Denmark wants to go to 50 per cent wind in its energy mix by 2020. According to you and the crossbench, that would make Denmark one of the sickest countries in Europe—'sick'. And what an extraordinary thing it is that wind farm sickness only affects people who speak English. I find this quite fascinating. There is no wind farm sickness in Denmark, there is no wind farm sickness in Germany and there is no wind farm sickness in Spain. In fact, you can go all over Europe and not find wind farm sickness. But where does wind farm sickness occur? In Australia, America and the UK. Why? Because the anti wind farm lobby is driven by the fossil fuel industry. The Waubra Foundation started it here, and they shared a post office box with the resource based industries. The fact of the matter is that this is another anti-renewables campaign, run by the fossil fuel industry, designed to suck people into stopping wind while not asking a single question about the proven health impacts of coal, particulate matter et cetera. Minister, exactly how much new wind do you expect as a result of your so-called certainty deal which is directed at killing wind at every opportunity?