The Queensland government has axed a 1-billion-dollar wind farm project in central Queensland citing community concerns and environmental impact.
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00:00These rolling ranges were set to host dozens of new wind turbines.
00:07Once wilderness is gone, it's gone forever. It can't be reconstructed.
00:12Steve Richards isn't against renewables, but says the land originally earmarked on the outskirts of Rockhampton is the wrong location.
00:20Why aren't we having wind towers in all the mountains around Brisbane? Absolutely perfect.
00:26The State Government has scrapped the $1 billion Moonlight Range wind farm in central Queensland,
00:32which would have included 88 turbines and a battery energy storage system.
00:37Two other wind farms in central Queensland have been reviewed and approved,
00:41while a future of a further three hang in the balance.
00:44If communities support these projects, they will proceed.
00:47I've unpaused two. They're going ahead.
00:49But the Moonlight Range wind farm, it was 88% of local residents opposed it.
00:54The State Government says concerns were also raised about native vegetation clearing and housing workers at the site.
01:01We back renewable energy if they back their communities.
01:05You have the most ridiculous excuse David Christofili provided, which was that this land is farmland.
01:12Well, that's just dumb. The fact is agriculture and wind farms can coexist quite happily.
01:20We're really concerned that the Queensland Government is moving back on its promise to reach the interim target of 75% emission reduction by 2035.
01:31To reach those targets, the Government is relying on pumped hydro.
01:35It's proposed a number of small projects, but where they'll be built, how many and how much it'll cost remains unclear.
01:42The Deputy Premier's promising all will be revealed in next month's budget.
01:46summit budget.