WIND FARMS: HEALTH EFFECTS

13 August 2010 COUNCIL

Mr KAVANAGH (Western Victoria) -- My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, the Honourable Daniel Andrews, and it relates to the effects of wind turbines. Yesterday the government announced a new and extremely large wind turbine development in this state. As a member for Western Victoria Region it seems to me that perhaps the government does not understand the extent of hostility and concern about wind turbines in western Victoria about the noise nuisance and even the degradation of the landscape, which comes from dotting the prettiest parts of our state with gigantic pieces of industrial equipment.

The government has already done some perfunctory studies of the health effects of turbines and has concluded that they do not show clear health risks. This is a conclusion inconsistent with some published studies.

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The action I seek is for the minister to commit to reviewing new, just-published studies of the health effects of wind turbines, some of which suggest that there are good reasons to be concerned.

Wind Farms - Health Effects

Victorian Parliament Hansard 24 March 2010

Mr KAVANAGH (Western Victoria) -- My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission in his capacity as minister for workplace safety.

Last year the minister undertook to do a study of the possible health effects of wind farms. Some affected people from my electorate are concerned that this study has apparently been restricted to reviewing literature on the subject. Some of them want on-site investigations. They want investigators to see, feel and hear the effects of the neighbouring wind farms. The action I seek from the minister is an undertaking to have on-site inspections done of wind farms by work safety inspectors.