21 December 2006

Peter Garrett MP
Member for Kingsford Smith
Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Heritage

Today’s decision to approve the Bald Hills wind farm project is a humiliating backdown for Environment Minister Ian Campbell.

The Bald Hills wind farm debacle puts the full stop on a horror year for Ian Campbell and places a question mark over his future as a Minister.

This has been a sorry saga of spin. The original proposal was approved by the Victorian Government two years ago, but the Federal Environment Minister stopped the wind farm to help win a marginal seat, putting political interest ahead of the national interest.

There were never any serious grounds for Minister Campbell to refuse to approve this wind farm. But wasted resources, wasted time, and a total failure to commit to the broad renewable sector are the overlays of this extraordinary backflip.

Senator Campbell has finally been forced to do what he should have done in the first place, instead of delaying a $220 million project with the potential to reduce Australia’s greenhouse emissions by 435,000 tonnes a year.

2006 was the Howard Government’s annus horribilus on climate change.

Yesterday, the Government failed to meet its Kyoto target, and today, its humiliation on serious climate change policy is complete.

If Mr Howard goes into the Christmas break considering a cabinet reshuffle, the first minister on his agenda needs to be Minister Campbell, following a year of dismal, wasteful incompetence.

Contact: Kate Pasterfield, 0439 852 118