Boos for Chris Bowen amid Hunter offshore wind fury

Frustrated Port Stephens residents say their calls for consultation to be restarted over the controversial 5GW Hunter offshore wind zone have been denied.

Protesters in Port Stephens on Tuesday. Picture: Facebook

Frustrated Port Stephens residents say their calls for consultation to be restarted over the controversial 5GW Hunter offshore wind zone have been denied and warned that voters in the heartland Labor seats will abandon the Albanese government if the project proceeds.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who met with a handful of community representatives in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, received a hostile reception from around 100 protesters holding placards and banners and calling for the offshore wind farms to be axed.

In a meeting with around 12 community members, Mr Bowen was urged to consider a mix of solar and onshore wind farms in place of offshore turbines, which locals say will devastate their coastal economy and marine environment.

Imagine Cruises chief executive Frank Future – who attended the meeting – said there were “thousands of hectares of land” that could be used for renewables.

“To park it off Port Stephens … well our tourism industry brings in over $660m-a-year, it employs thousands of people and we’re worried,” Mr Future said.

“It seems to be pushed through with haste. We’re really trying to emphasise that maybe we can come up with a community solution, of batteries and solar and maybe a mix of wind on land … rather than spoiling another pristine environment … it just doesn’t seem to make sense.”

The whale-watching tourism operator warned that the renewables stand-off would soon “become political” if voters felt their concerns were being ignored.

“It’s probably the only thing left for people to do, if they feel like they’re not being listened to and it’s being pushed through at an alarming rate. It just builds on people’s suspicion that federal governments sit in their ivory towers and really don’t care about regional Australia,” he said.

Tackle World owner Brent Hancock, who attended the meeting with Mr Bowen, said the discussion with Mr Bowen failed to adequately address community concerns about the lack of consultation.

“In a word, I’m disappointed,” Mr Hancock told The Australian.

Mr Hancock said he asked Mr Bowen whether the government would restart the consultation process and properly engage with community leaders.

“He said no. That’s a devastating kick in the rear end to the Hunter community,” he said.

“It’s crazy to think what’s going happen to that ecosystem. We’re already wrecking ecosystems on land, what are we going to do in the ocean?”

Mr Bowen’s spokeswoman told The Australian that “the community will have further opportunities for consultation”.

“Before a project can commence, proponents must seek and receive approval for feasibility licences and comply with strict environmental regulations. These processes will give the community three further opportunities to have their say on individual projects,” she said.

“The government will only be licensing projects that work well with existing industry and the environment, and deliver meaningful, long lasting community benefits.”

Opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien visited the region on the same day as Mr Bowen, holding an open town hall for residents to canvas their concerns.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Moonshadow Cruises business operations manager James McArthur said the community was disappointed the offshore wind zone remained “on the agenda” for Labor.

“That original consultation … we weren't satisfied with it. But (Mr Bowen) shut that down to say ‘well, I’m not opening that back up for more public consultation’. That’s not to say we won’t get our chance to hear what’s going on and communicate our views,” Mr McArthur said.

“We’re opposed to wind farms. We think that the location is on a massive, very important ecosystem off Port Stephens and is untouched. To have a wind farm of that magnitude go into that area would not be ideal.”

Local seafood producer Greg Finn said he was grateful the meeting was conducted and that community concerns had been considered by Mr Bowen and local Paterson Labor MP Meryl Swanson.

Protesters in Port Stephens on Tuesday. Picture: Facebook

Ms Swanson, who has not responded to queries from The Australian about her views on the community outrage, was quoted in local media this month saying she was “personally not in favour of having a wind farm that is going to upset our environment”.

“But the only way we are going to, in the bigger picture, save parts of Australia and Port Stephens is by embracing renewables. I know that,” Ms Swanson reportedly said at a mobile office meeting, according to News of the Area.

“I totally get that people are very concerned.”