Analysis

Tanya Plibersek’s wind farm veto explained

Ben PotterSenior writer

Jan 9, 2024 – 5.38pm

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Key Points

Why it’s important: The Victorian government is relying on offshore wind to help meet its ambitious clean energy goals.
Context: The decision is the latest to pitch clean energy development against local environmental impacts.
What’s next: Reforms to the federal legislation may allow the minister to consider wider benefits such as climate.

Federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek said the damage to globally recognised wetlands could not be mitigated when she vetoed a Victorian plan to build a hub for offshore wind developers.

Ms Plibersek said the dredging and drilling to build the hub would cause irreparable harm to threatened sea creatures, plants and ecosystems in Western Port Bay, and could not be avoided even with international best practice.

Ben Potter writes on energy, climate change and innovation, and has been Washington correspondent, opinion editor and companies editor.