Robbins Island wind farm combatants deliver final arguments in Supreme Court appeal

A Hobart courtroom has heard the final arguments in a case that could potentially scuttle a $1.6 billion, 100-turbine wind farm proposed for the state’s remote North-West Coast.

The proposed site of the bridge/causeway for the Robbins Island wind farm development at Montague. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

A Hobart courtroom has heard the final arguments in a case that could potentially scuttle a $1.6 billion, 100-turbine wind farm proposed for the state’s remote North-West Coast.

The Circular Head Coastal Awareness Network launched the Supreme Court action after the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT) rejected the Network’s appeal against the approval of the Robbins Island electricity project.

The Network has challenged the TASCAT decision on a number of grounds, including that the tribunal failed to explore alternatives to a proposal by Philippines-based developer ACEN to build new infrastructure on the privately owned island to facilitate the transport of giant turbine blades.

Legal counsel for ACEN, Michael O’Farrell SC, on Wednesday told Acting Justice Shane Marshall that the Network’s case boiled down to whether the construction of a new wharf facility on Robbins Island was necessary for the project to go ahead.

Mr O’Farrell argued that despite there being no express provision compelling TASCAT to consider alternatives to ACEN’s proposed transport of the turbine blades by sea, the tribunal had, in fact, addressed the “insurmountable problems” of delivering the 83m components via road in its final decision.

Mr O’Farrell told the court that the wharf was an integral part of the overall development proposal, and had been approved by the “expert” tribunal.

“It’s incontrovertible that the tribunal found that the wharf was necessary,” he said.

Acting Justice Marshall thanked Mr O’Farrell, the Network’s lawyer Jason Pizer SC, and both parties’ junior counsel for presenting their cases, and reserved his decision.

Originally published as Robbins Island wind farm combatants deliver final arguments in Supreme Court appeal