Qld politics: $1bn Moonlight Range wind farm axed by LNP Govt
The renewables sector has blasted the Crisafulli government for axing a $1bn wind farm, accusing the LNP of sending a message that “Queensland is closed for clean business”.
QLD News
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The state government’s move to can a major 88-turbine wind farm, that was set to generate enough energy to power 260,000 homes, has been slammed amid fears of rising power prices.
Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie has, for the first time, used extraordinary powers to cancel the $1bn Moonlight Range Wind Farm proposal 40km northwest of Rockhampton.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles on Monday slammed the Premier’s reasoning to reject the Moonlight Range wind farm as “just dumb”, while the Queensland Conservation Council accused the government of giving “mixed signals” and that revoking approvals was signalling to the industry that “Queensland is closed for clean business”.
Mr Miles believed the state government’s ideological “hatred” of renewables had obstructed $1bn in investment and jobs for Central Queensland.
The Moonlight Range Wind Farm project had received planning approval from Queensland’s State Assessment and Referral Agency in December 2024; however, in January, Mr Bleijie issued a call-in notice to pause the Rockhampton project, and three others, to allow for community consultation.
Opposition energy spokesman Lance McCallum at the time said the pausing of wind farm projects through extraordinary powers showed the LNP was fundamentally opposed to a renewable energy future.
But of the more than 550 submissions received during the 40-day public consultation process, 85 per cent supported the Moonlight Range wind farm project being reviewed.
Mr Bleijie on Monday revealed that following that review, the wind farm would not proceed.
He said the government was backing local communities who had raised concerns over wind farm developments, but were not consulted.
“For too long Queensland communities were ignored by Labor’s failed laws, which shut them out of the approvals process for renewable energy projects proposed to be built in their back yard,” he said.
“Queenslanders deserve to have a say on any major development in their local community, which is why our government introduced new nation-leading laws to give them a voice on issues that impact that future of their towns.
“Today’s announcement highlights how these laws are already helping to level the playing field by ensuring councils and communities have a seat at the decision making table.”
The state government this month introduced new planning law requirements to force renewable energy projects to gain local council consent and undergo mandatory community consultation before lodging development applications.
The 1269ha Moonlight Range Wind Farm by Greenleaf Renewables did not meet those requirements.
Mr Miles on Monday warned that without these new projects Queenslanders would increasingly be paying higher power prices.
“This project had been through very extensive community engagement, culminating in its approval by the … relevant local government,” Mr Miles said.
“Then you have the most ridiculous excuse David Crisafulli provided, which was that this land is farmland.
“Well, that’s just dumb. The fact is, agriculture and wind farms can coexist quite happily.”
Mr Miles said this was another example of the state government undermining local governments.
He also referred to the state government backing an LNP donor’s legal bid to build luxury accommodation in the Sunshine Coast against the wishes of the local council.
Queensland Conservation Council campaigner Stephanie Gray said revoking approvals was signalling to the industry that “Queensland is closed for clean business”.
“The Queensland government is sending a lot of mixed signals to the clean energy sector by revoking this approval, slowing work on renewable energy zones and considering keeping our ageing coal power stations operating past the end of their technical lives,” she said.
“Queensland’s ageing coal power stations were offline a staggering 78 times over the last summer period.
“We simply cannot afford to rely on these unreliable generators that drive up power prices when they break down.”
The Queensland Conservation Council opposed the Moonlight Range project due to a lack of community consultation and its impact on forestation and threatened species.
Ms Gray urged the government to create a renewable energy zones map to give certainty to investors.
“The renewable sector desperately needs certainty,” she said.
“We want to see David Janetzki and the Crisafulli Government commit to closing unreliable coal stations on time and responsibly plan the energy transformation via renewable energy zones.”
The Queensland Renewable Energy Council has called on the state government to guarantee all other projects with conditional approval will be upheld.
QREC chief executive Katie-Ann Mulder said the government needed to urgently clarify how its decision to cancel the already approved Moonlight Range wind farm would not set a precedent for other projects.
“The cancellation of the Moonlight Range Wind Farm in Central Queensland – despite it receiving conditional approval under the current Government on 5 December last year – risks undermining confidence among developers, investors, and suppliers across all infrastructure sectors, not just renewable energy,” she said.
Greenleaf Renewables is not a member of the QREC.
“We are not in a position to comment on the specifics of their project or their community engagement process,” Ms Mulder said.
Member for Mirani Glen Kelly, who had opposed the project, said the government had listened to community concerns.
“These large-scale developments impact on local infrastructure, people living and working in these communities and also the natural environment,” he said.
“Local residents affected by these projects had no say, and concerns around the impacts on their communities were ignored.”
Originally published as Qld politics: $1bn Moonlight Range wind farm axed by LNP Govt
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