Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Day for both the question and some advance notice of the question.

Mr President, through you to Senator Day: of course, as you acknowledged in your question, the Senate Select Committee on Wind Turbines tabled its final report on 3 August. That was just nine days ago. The government will respond in good faith to the recommendations of that report, but of course it will take a little longer to consider the detail of those recommendations. It is worth noting that, while the government is still considering its response to all of the recommendations, we are taking action in a number of ways. The government has agreed to appoint an independent scientific committee to provide research and advice on the impact on the environment and on human health of wind turbine sound and infrastructure. The government has also committed to establishing a wind farm commissioner to resolve complaints about the operation of wind farms. While the consideration is taking place the government certainly will make sure that it gives full consideration to the details of the report, which I know you, Senator Day, and other members of that committee worked very hard on, and the evidence that you received. We will make sure that we have all thought and proper consideration and we will respond in the usual way, as the government does to Senate reports.