The wind power lynch mob, formally known as the Select Committee on Wind Turbines, has left the building.
After dropping a hand grenade in the form of its Final Report, it appears the Committee’s taxpayer-funded stint is over according to a statement posted on Parliament of Australia site.
“The Select Committee on Wind Turbines has completed its work. With the tabling of the committee’s final report on 3 August 2015, the committee has formally ceased to exist.”
Like the reaction to having a flaming bag of dog poop placed on your doorstep, wind power supporters have been stamping out the flames of the Committee’s work; with their noses wrinkled in disgust at the contents. The report had been leaked to journalists before it was seen by industry or Parliament.
The Clean Energy Council last week called it a “biased political stitch-up by a small group of senators opposed to the cheapest forms of renewable energy.”
“Australians should be disappointed with this Senate inquiry, given the clear breach of proper parliamentary process and the way it has been used to prosecute a personal crusade by a small number of senators,” said Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton.
The Committee was led by David Leyonhjelm, John Madigan and Bob Day.
In addition to reducing support for wind power, recommendations in the report included wind farms being ineligible to generate renewable energy certificates unless they were located in a state observing yet to be developed national noise restriction standards. Wind farms would also only be able to create certificates for 5 years instead of until 2030.
The report criticised the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC’s) research on the issues of wind turbines and human health. Last year, that body found no reliable or consistent evidence that wind farms are directly responsible for negative health effects in humans.
The Committee also criticized the Australian Medical Association for not fronting the enquiry. The AMA has previously stated Australian and international evidence does not support accusations wind farms cause adverse health effects – but said the heightened anxiety caused by misinformation about wind turbines may do.
The 350-page Select Committee on Wind Turbines final report can be viewed here (PDF).
