Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question without notice is to Senator Abetz in his capacity representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage. I refer the minister to the environment minister’s decision not to approve the Bald Hills wind farm planned for the Gippsland area. Can you confirm that the decision not to approve this wind farm—a project worth $220 million to Victoria—was made on the basis of concern for the welfare of the endangered orange-bellied parrot? Is it the case that no sightings whatsoever of this parrot in the vicinity have actually occurred in recent memory? Can the minister confirm that the government’s consultant’s report on the planned Tasmanian Heemskirk wind farm was prepared by the same company as that engaged to report on the Bald Hills project? Did the Heemskirk report say that the project would in fact be located directly in the flight path of the same rare orange-bellied parrot? Is it correct that the minister has indicated he will approve the Tasmanian project despite this fact? What is the rationale for the decisions in both of these cases?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind senators of the length of questions.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can inform honourable senators, since they have such a deep interest in this topic, that Senator Ian Campbell made his recent decision not to approve the Bald Hills wind energy installation in Gippsland, Victoria, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 only after very careful consideration of all the relevant facts and advice. As environment minister, he had to balance the needs of development with the protection of our rare and threatened flora and fauna, ensuring that any development is sustainable. His decision in this instance was made on the basis of an independent report on the cumulative impact of wind energy installations, which concluded that almost any negative impact on the endangered orange-bellied parrot could be sufficient to tip the balance against its continued existence. The report concluded:

Given that the Orange-bellied Parrot is predicted to have an extremely high probability of extinction in its current situation, almost any negative impact on the species could be sufficient to tip the balance against its continued existence. In this context it may be argued that any avoidable deleterious effect—even the very minor predicted impacts of turbine collisions—should be prevented.

The EPBC Act requires that in light of such evidence the minister take a precautionary approach to approving any development. The precarious position of the orange-bellied parrot was recently recognised by the World Conservation Union, which has included the bird on its red list of endangered species.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not the orange list?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it is more serious than the orange list which your feeble attempt at humour referred to. The Victorian government has suggested that my decision to refuse approval of the proposed Bald Hills wind energy installation was simply a political decision. That is nonsense. The Victorian government refused a permit for a wind energy installation at Ballan in Victoria just last year due to unacceptable risks to the wedge-tailed eagle, which, unlike the Tasmanian population of the wedge-tailed eagle, is not on the threatened species list.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Have a go at the question now.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans interjects. The very last question from Senator Carr was: what was the rationale for the decision? I would have thought that any fair listener would have acknowledged that I had gone through the rationale for the decision. But of course what happens with those opposite time and time again is that they open their mouths before they get their brains into gear. Can I say to those opposite that this was a rational decision by the minister and I have outlined the rationale for it to the honourable senator.

In relation to other prospective wind farm proposals, the minister has made it clear that each one will be determined on its merits by the studies that will be undertaken in relation to each project. I would have thought that that would make it very clear even to those opposite.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question, Mr President. Minister, will you confirm that there were no actual sightings whatsoever of the orange-bellied parrot at the Bald Hills wind farm site? Given that the existing wind farms located on the north-west coast of Tasmania are centred directly in the flight path of the orange-bellied parrot and their breeding grounds, will the minister categorically rule out the shutting down of these facilities?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have outlined for the benefit of the honourable senator the report on which Minister Campbell based his decision. The rationale has been clearly stated and I will repeat it for the honourable senator. The conclusion of the report was:

Given that the Orange-bellied Parrot is predicted to have an extremely high probability of extinction in its current situation, almost any negative impact on the species could be sufficient to tip the balance against its continued existence. In this context it may be argued that any avoidable deleterious effect—even the very minor predicted impacts of turbine collisions—should be prevented.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order. I am seeking an answer to a serious question and the minister is avoiding answering it. I asked him a specific question regarding Heemskirk. When will he answer that question?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has 13 seconds left to complete his answer.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to Heemskirk, I already indicated that each wind energy installation is different. In certain areas the risk to birds from impacts with wind turbines will be higher than in others. As such, the potential for each project to have a significant impact on nationally threatened and migratory species will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, your time has expired, well and truly.