‘Complex and significant’: Wind farm projects halted by LNP government

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has ordered bureaucrats to stop assessing plans for three renewable energy projects while he considers using his powers to call them in.

In an official direction gazetted on Thursday, while Bleijie was on leave, planning officials were told to halt their consideration of the projects for four months.

“Each of the developments are complex and significant projects in relation to their respective potential social, economic and environmental impacts,” states the direction from Bleijie, who is also the minister for state development, infrastructure, planning and industrial relations.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who joined the ceremony at the recent Brisbane International, has interrupted his holidays to halt work on three renewable energy projects.Credit: AAPIMAGE

One of the affected projects is the Fortescue-owned Wongalee wind farm, south-west of Townsville, which would have up to 175 wind turbines. It is part of the North Queensland Super Hub – the neighbouring Prairie wind farm received federal environmental approval this week – and intended to help power the North West Minerals Province.

The other projects are the Theodore wind farm (up to 170 turbines) and Bungaban wind farm (up to 204 turbines) further south.

The direction states that Bleijie may use his powers to call in the projects, subjecting them to different assessment criteria, within the next four months but not after that time.

It highlights the need for the government to provide a “safe, reliable, and affordable supply of energy for a sustainable Queensland” and consider the state’s planning interests.

According to the direction, the government also recognises the importance of “safeguarding biodiversity,” and notes the projects would all require “extensive clearing of native vegetation” and the haulage of heavy materials on the state’s road network.

In a statement on Friday, RWE Renewables Australia defended its Theodore wind farm project.

“RWE remains confident in the quality and compliance of our DA submission for the Theodore project, and we will be actively working with the Queensland minister and the department over the coming weeks,” the company said.

“The proposed Theodore Wind Farm will have numerous benefits for the local community and wider region, and we believe it is a quality project for the state that will support the energy needs of Queenslanders.”

Fortescue has also been contacted for comment.

On Friday, Bleijie reportedly proposed the Moonlight Range wind farm (88 turbines) be called in. The move was not formally gazetted.

The private sector projects were put on the agenda under the former Labor government as it promoted a switch to renewable energy.

However, the incoming LNP government cast doubts over the policy, raising concerns about the cost and reliability of alternative energy schemes. One of its first decisions was to scrap the Pioneer Burdekin pumped hydro scheme, and move to have coal-fired power stations remain in operation for longer.

The state intervention on wind farms comes ahead of the federal election, when the Coalition, led by Queensland MP Peter Dutton, will seek a mandate to go one step further and add nuclear power to the mix.

Comment has been sought from Bleijie’s office. He is due to return from leave next week, when Treasurer David Janetzki will hand down the long-awaited budget update.

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