Farmers protest renewable projects at rally outside parliament house

Angry Queensland farmers have lashed Annastacia Palaszczuk for a plan that they say will result in “irreversible damage” to the rainforest, rallying outside parliament house. 

Michelle Landry and David Littleproud join protesters outside Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Mohammad Alfares

Farmers from all over Queensland have gathered outside Parliament House in Brisbane hitting out at renewable energy projects which they say is threatening their livelihood and endangering wildlife.

They were joined by Nationals leader David Littleproud and federal MP Michelle Landry who addressed the crowd calling for a senate inquiry into how the development and transmission lines were being managed.

Protesters outside Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Mohammad Alfares

The group from the Far North to Central Queensland protested the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro scheme in Eungella, the Moah Creek wind farm west of Rockhampton and the Calumbin wind farm near Ravenshoe, south of Cairns.

Signs were carried around saying “Platypus Killer” and “Don’t sacrifice nature” while protestors screamed “no to renewable energy”.

Mr Littleproud said the race to achieve 82 per cent renewables by 2030 needed a senate inquiry because it had a human toll.

“The Nationals have been attempting to get a Senate Inquiry into renewables because irreversible damage to Queensland’s rainforest and wildlife is at risk,” he said.

“That human toll stands behind me, the men and women who will bear that cost.

“They’ll bear that cost with our land being consumed with solar panels and wind turbines taking out prime agricultural land, taking away our food security, but also… destroying remnant vegetation in which renewable energy is losing its social licence to operate in this country.”

Mr Littleproud said there was an opportunity to pause and plan and get it right.

Ms Landry said there was a reason farmers, businessmen, landowners and politicians gathered outside parliament house.

“We’re all here for one reason: to bring the bush to the city,” she said.

“So the people in Brisbane and surrounding areas realise what is happening to our regional areas.

“This push for reckless renewables is out of control. Our land is going to be covered with wind towers, solar fields, they are destroying our pristine environments.”

Katy McCallum from Kilkivan, 50km from Gympie, said the people of her hometown went through “mental and emotional anguish” when they found out their multigenerational properties were going to have the Borumba Pumped Hydro project near it.

Members of the fishing industry protest outside Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Ms McCallum said it wasn’t just about the people but also the wildlife.

“There is more to this – who is defending the homes of the wildlife?” she said.

“They have no choice about what is going to happen to them.”

Beef cattle farmer Neville Hansen said the Moah Creek Wind Farm was going in next door to his land.

“But because we’re just neighbours we don’t have any say in what is going on,” he said.

“We will have all the downsides of it, all the dust and pollution.”

Rainforest Reserves Australia president Carolyn Emms said the Chalumbin Wind Farm proposed in the far north was destroying our coastal range.

“From an environmental point of view, it is catastrophic,” she said.

“Chalumbin, if that falls we’re in big trouble, because that should be a national park.”