‘You guys are drip-feeding us’: Farmers clash with Net Zero execs

Locals in a small NSW town overwhelmingly rejected a plan to build 90 wind turbines, each roughly the size of Sydney’s tallest building in Barangaroo taking green energy executives to task in a heated meeting.

Pictures from a community meeting at the Bowning Town Hall – where locals overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a 90 turbine wind farm in the area near Yass in NSW. Picture: Martin Ollman

Angry farmers have clashed with green energy executives, as they overwhelmingly rejected plans for a giant wind farm in their community.

The Daily Telegraph was present at the Bowning Town Hall last week, 10 minutes outside Yass in regional NSW, as residents expressed their furious opposition to the project.

A consortium of companies, led by Wind Prospect, are behind the proposal to build 90 turbines, which will each be almost as tall as Sydney’s Crown Barangaroo, between Binalong and Bowning, which have combined populations of about 1000 people.

Local landowners fired an onslaught of questions during the marathon forum, ranging from loss in property value, to other potential issues such as noise, fires, environmental damage and the threat to the majestic wedge-tailed eagle. Indigenous leaders also spoke in opposition to what was unfolding.

“You guys are drip-feeding us. God almighty” sheep farmer Glen Miller said during an emotional address.

Mr Miller said he had been “paying the Commonwealth Bank for 40 years” to save enough money to purchase multiple farms and support his family. His money is tied up in the land.

If this goes ahead, the 260m turbines will tower along the edges of his property.

“Everything I’ve been building – and you guys come along. My plans are shot because of these turbines. Let’s talk about mental health … this is bulls...,” Mr Miller said.

Dr Paul O'Mara, a former economist with federal Treasury, speaking at the Bowning Town Hall, believes the loss in land value over new wind turbines will be significant. Picture: Martin Ollman

Brad Croxford and Ben Purcell from Wind Prospect, who are behind the Bendenine Wind Farm, involving 90 turbines. Picture: Martin Ollman

This David v Goliath battle is a metaphor for one of the underestimated consequences on Australia’s path to Net Zero, where small country towns have been made to shoulder the burden of policy decisions made by MPs and bureaucrats living in the city.

Dr Paul O’Mara, a former economist with the federal Treasury and now a local at nearby Goondah, claimed the loss of land values could be up to $100m.

Several recent property sales have also settled for lower than market value.

Speaking on behalf of Wind Prospect, managing director Ben Purcell replied: “We’ve heard from quite a lot of people talking about land values. There have been figures of 30 or 40 per cent reduction.”

Pictures from a community meeting at the Bowning Town Hall, where locals overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a 90 turbine wind farm near Yass in NSW. Picture: Martin Ollman

However Mr Purcell then said: “there are a lot of figures that can influence land values.”

Mr Purcell, whose company is based in Melbourne, was unable to provide answers to many of the concerns raised by people on the night. He insisted however the project was necessary “to keep the lights on” in the NSW energy grid.

At one point he was asked: “do you go home at the end of each day happy that you are destroying the landscape and people’s lives?”

“It sounds like you are making a judgment of me personally. I sleep quite comfortably thank you” Mr Purcell responded, as a chorus of jeers echoed through the crowd.

If there was a local in favour of this wind project – they did not speak at this meeting.

In a statement Wind Prospect said it “recognised there are differing views” on the project but that it would continue to engage “respectfully and transparently with the community”.

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Originally published as ‘You guys are drip-feeding us’: Farmers clash with Net Zero execs