Senate gives air to a sensible debate

THE Senate inquiry into wind farm developments was never about whether or not wind energy was a good way to combat climate change.

Many of the people at the forefront of the challenge to wind farm developments do not oppose wind power at all.

At issue is whether enough has been done to protect the health of those who live near them.

It is possible to support wind farms, but also to insist they be located far enough away to ensure they do not injure the neighbours.

This is particularly so as the wind turbines get bigger and the possible consequences continue to await proper investigation.

The Senate inquiry has exposed a culture in which belief in wind power has been allowed to railroad minority rights.

Serious questions have been raised about whether the National Health and Medical Research Council has been thorough enough in investigating concerns.

Has it allowed itself to be used by vested interests who stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars from the development of green energy?

If properly adopted, the Senate recommendations may slow down wind developments and make the federal government's mandatory renewable energy target harder to achieve.

But public health should always be the dominant consideration.

The Senate call for proper scientific inquiry is really the only good conscience choice it had, given the evidence with which it was presented.