The Western Plains Landscape Guardians are constantly advocating for freedom of information, transparency, fairness and due diligence regarding wind energy policies and procedures both in Victoria and nationally. This section contains some of our submissions made either directly by the WPLG or by our members.
FOI Request to see Brumby’s wind energy secrets
The Victorian Government threw the full weight of their considerable legal resources into a VCAT hearing to prevent Victorians from learning the true costs of John Brumby's expensive and inefficient experiment with wind energy. The Western Plains Landscape Guardians Assoc (WPLGA) had spent over 2 years seeking access to documents prepared by the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission, which provided advice to Government on the Victorian Renewable Energy Act.
It is beyond belief that the Government will not make public documents, which by its own account, were prepared solely for the purpose of ensuring a rigorous assessment of these legislative proposals and their alternatives. What has Mr. Brumby got to hide? What do these documents contain which make the Government determined to prevent their publication? Why did the Government spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to stop these documents becoming public?
VCEC is known for its rigorous analysis. If that analysis was positive, these documents would have been publicly used by Mr. Brumby to justify his wind energy subsidy scheme. The only plausible reason for this blatant gagging is that VCEC has told government the truth about this inefficient scheme, and the Government has been forced to hide the truth from us.
Documents available for download on the left menu of this web page are:
· FOI Submission to VCAT by Mr. Mitchell · FOI Summary Arguments by Mr. Mitchell’s Barrister
· FOI Summary Arguments II by Mr. Mitchell’s Barrister · FOI Refusal by VCAT
Submission to the Environment And Natural Resources Committee - Inquiry Into the Approvals Process for Renewable Energy Projects in Victoria
Documents available for download on the left menu of this web page are:
· Submission – The Approvals Process for Renewable Energy Projects in Victoria · Suggested Formal Development Process for Wind Energy Projects in Victoria · A Commentary on the Planning Policy Guidelines for the Development of Wind Energy Facilities in Victoria · Suggestion for Changes to the Planning Panel Processes for Wind Projects in Victoria
The Hon John Pandazopoulos, MP, Chair of the Inquiry, has in a letter dated 10 September, 2009 given permission to publish the above material provided acknowledgement is given to the fact that the material was provided to the Committee as a submission and as supplementary information.
·Submission – The Approvals Process for Renewable Energy Projects in Victoria
·Suggested Formal Development Process for Wind Energy Projects in Victoria
·A Commentary on the Planning Policy Guidelines for the Development of Wind Energy Facilities in Victoria
·Suggestion for Changes to the Planning Panel Processes for Wind Projects in Victoria
The Hon John Pandazopoulos, MP, Chair of the Inquiry, has in a letter dated 10 September, 2009 given permission to publish the above material provided acknowledgement is given to the fact that the material was provided to the Committee as a submission and as supplementary information.
