John Madigan (Victoria, Democratic Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

  (a)   notes that:

     (i)   the Bald Hills wind farm in South Gippsland was approved by the Commonwealth in 2006 and has not yet been built,

     (ii)   the Commonwealth has allowed the project proponent to increase the height of the proposed 52 turbines from 110 metres to 135 metres without any assessment of the environmental impact of this increase,

     (iii)   the Commonwealth's 2006 conditions of approval failed to specify the height of the turbines permitted in the project,

     (iv)   the conditions of approval permit the proposed wind farm to cut directly across a migratory shorebirds flyway connecting three sites of international significance for six migratory shorebird species,

     (v)   the species are listed under the Commonwealth's 2009 Significant impact guidelines for 36 migratory shorebird species,

     (vi)   the three sites of international significance flanking the Bald Hills area are identified in the Migratory Shorebirds of the East Asian – Australasian flyway: population estimates and internationally important sites report which underpins the Commonwealth's Significant impact guidelines for 36 migratory shorebird species, and

     (vii)   the Bald Hills Wetland Conservation Reserve and the Kings Flat Flora and Fauna Reserve that directly abut the proposed wind farm site are an important habitat for a seventh species listed in the Commonwealth's Significant impact guidelines for 36 migratory shorebird species; and

  (b)   calls on the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Mr Burke) to remove the Commonwealth's approval for the construction of the Bald Hills wind farm and to refer the project proposal for review as per the terms of the Significant impact guidelines for 36 migratory shorebird species, and in line with Australia's obligations under the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement, the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement, the Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Question negatived.