Hundreds of farmers expected to protest at The Daily Telegraph Bush Summit against renewable energy proliferation
Hundreds of angry farmers will protest against the proliferation of wind and solar farms when Antony Albanese attends the The Daily Telegraph Bush Summit in Tamworth tomorrow.
Bush Summit
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bush Summit. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Hundreds of angry farmers will protest against the proliferation of wind and solar farms when Prime Minister Antony Albanese attends the The Daily Telegraph Bush Summit in Tamworth tomorrow.
“It will be noisy but peaceful,” said local MP and former deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce who helped put the group together.
The apolitical Renewable and Transmission Line Action Network (RATLAND) was formed weeks ago to give landholders a voice to speak out against solar and wind farms and transmission lines.
It has united more than 240 local action groups representing thousands of members stretching from Queensland to Tasmania.
“Renewables are not an environmental solution, they are an environmental catastrophe,” Mr Joyce said.
“Promoting a wind farm is like promoting the mumps, nobody wants them.”
RATLAND chairman James Gooden said hundreds of farmers were expected to protest peacefully outside the Bush Summit in the hope of being heard by the Prime Minister and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.
“The NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe has spoken to us but Ms Plibersek has not. She won’t engage,” Mr Gooden said.
“If she gives us 10 minutes it would be better than no minutes.”
The farmers are angry at the compulsory purchase of their land for transmission lines and the blight of thousands of hectares of prime agricultural land being leased by foreign companies to provide wind and solar power.
“I am just a sheep farmer from Cootamundra, really this is all above my paygrade,” Mr Gooden said.
“But I hope we can get the politicians to talk to us.”
Donna was waiting for a miracle in the bush — then it flew into town
Donna Synnerdahl still remembers the moment she hit the mine shaft floor. It’s this sensation of falling and her memories of the jolting pain that has kept her up at night — for 14 years.
Mine blast: Indigenous leaders lash ban; Minns backs development
As incensed Indigenous leaders say Tanya Plibersek’s move to axe a $1 billion gold mine undermines the planning system and puts their cause back 50 years, Premier Chris Minns moves to fast track it.