Unholy alliance: Dutton slams offshore wind to save birds and whales

It’s not the alliance you might expect, but environmentalists angry about the impact of offshore wind farms on wildlife have recruited Peter Dutton to be their saviour.

Local revolt against controversial offshore wind farms is spreading through NSW’s coastal Labor enclaves with residents in Nelson Bay recruiting Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to push back on the proposal.

In an unlikely alliance, locals concerned about the environmental impact of offshore farms have recruited Mr Dutton to push back against Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s desire for offshore farms in Nelson Bay and down the coast in the Illawarra. 

“They couldn’t give a rats about people in the regional areas but if they won’t put these wind turbines off coastal beaches within driving distance of Sydney or other capital cities then why should we rely on communities whose livelihood relies on the oceans to wear the costs?” Mr Dutton said while making a second visit to the seat of Paterson within the past three weeks.

“There’s a lot of anger and a growing anger on the ground from tourism operators, environmentalists, fishermen, groups that don’t normally see eye to eye.

“There has been no regard for the local environment on the tourism and fishing industries all in the blind pursuit of their 82 per cent (net zero targets)”.

There has been fierce pushback on the government’s offshore wind farms project. Picture: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB / AFP) /

Mr Dutton accused Mr Bowen of trading off the local environment, including wildlife in the region, to “save the planet”.

“Their views need to be heard by Chris Bowen and so far they have just been ignored. I am committed to coming back because I do think this is an absolute travesty. When you go out into the waters, the natural wildlife, the birds, all of that is at risk,” he said.

Mr Dutton is concerned about the impact on whales. Picture: Supplied

“When you look at the whales, the mother and the calf that we saw out there, all of that is at risk. There is no environmental concern about what these wind turbines … will mean for that wildlife and that environment.

“Why seek to destroy the natural environment here to try and save the planet. It’s not the trade off we should be talking about.”

The Daily Telegraph earlier revealed that locals in the Labor heartland of the Illawarra were pushing back against the government’s offshore wind farm proposal citing similar concerns around the risk of wildlife.