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New Energy Legislation Gets It Wrong: NationalsProposed changes to the energy legislation will see another ‘slug’ for brown coal generators and hydro power generators also miss out, but wind developments get another handout from the State Government, according to The Nationals. By Peter Hall - 16th June 2005 - Back to News The Nationals are opposing the Energy Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, based largely on the increase in payments in lieu of council rates imposed on the brown coal industry and the decrease in costs to the wind industry.
Gippsland MP Peter Hall put the case against the proposed changes in the Parliament this week.
He pointed out that under changes in payment methods, each of the Latrobe Valley generators would be paying substantially more – an increase $411 000 for Hazelwood power station to almost $1.5 million per year, a jump of $276 000 for Yallourn W, an increase of $91,000 to just under $2 million for Loy Yang A, and an increase of $17 000 for Loy Yang B. The recently announced state coal levy was a further impost, Mr Hall said.
"If you look at the patterns of the gas power stations, you see that Jeeralang gas power station will be paying rates that represent an increase of $174 000; Valley Power will pay rates that represent an increase of $31 000; and Bairnsdale, which is a gas-fired power station and is the only actual fossil fuel generator, will pay rates that represent a decrease of $38 000.
"The three hydro power stations, Kiewa, Dartmouth, and Eildon and Rubicon, will also pay significantly more in local rates under these provisions - Kiewa, $50 000 extra, Dartmouth, $99 000 extra, and Eildon and Rubicon $78 000 extra.
"Surely if this government was really trying to promote the use of renewable energy one might think it would be more sympathetic to the hydro-electricity generators than it appears to be under this proposal."
At the same time, Mr Hall said, the Toora Wind Farm would enjoy a decrease in rates of about $18,000, a significant drop from the $77,000 it paid last year.
Mr Hall said The Nationals wanted to see a two-tier rating system that treats each type of facility differently, taking into account issues such as economic and community benefit.
"The brown coal generators have been the base for economic growth and employment in the whole Latrobe Valley region. They have provided a very significant community benefit over the time they have been established.
"I make the comparison with wind power stations. At best there is one permanent job being created from the establishment of the Toora wind farm. Compare that with the brown coal power stations, where many hundreds of permanent jobs are created. Brown coal power stations therefore have a much bigger long-term impact on the local economy.
"Secondly, wind power stations devalue the land around them. Neighbouring land values have fallen. The valuation applied by the Shire of South Gippsland to neighbouring properties to the wind farms at Toora have shown a decrease in their
valuation. Consequently the local shire is picking up less in terms of rate revenue from those neighbouring properties."
Mr Hall added that wind power stations had stifled economic growth in their local areas, while also introducing a range of new environmental negatives, including visual impact of 110 metre towers, noise issues, blade glitter and bird kills.
"If you talk to the real estate agents in the Foster and Toora areas, you will note that the number of property sales around the locations of that existing wind farm and the proposed wind farm at Dollar have virtually ceased because people do not like to buy land around wind farms."
Mr Hall concluded by saying: "How can we possibly support legislation that gives a further handout to wind farm operators and places an additional burden on coal generators - and indeed places additional burdens on most of the gas generators and all of the hydro generators in Victoria? That simply does not make sense."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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