00:00 Standing below the 80 metre tall towers, Ken Eichen confesses he's a wind farm convert.
00:07 Initially the information that we had about a wind farm wasn't favourable and we thought
00:15 that the world was going to end for us.
00:21 But after listening to the developer, he opted in. Now the income he's earning has enabled
00:26 him to expand his farming operation.
00:29 We've increased our capacity from about 40 cows to closer to somewhere between 300 and
00:36 400 cows.
00:37 We need to ensure that more people have a story like Ken's.
00:41 Across regional Australia, wind and solar farms are being built on an industrial scale
00:46 backed by a new network of high voltage transmission lines. While farmers like Ken are cashing
00:52 in, others feel they're bearing the costs.
00:55 This revolution is very much in the nation's interest. I want to see it's in the interest
01:00 of regions, of landholders, of farmers.
01:04 Amid growing grassroots resistance, the Energy Infrastructure Commissioner conducted a review
01:10 finding widespread dissatisfaction with the level of engagement from developers and a
01:15 general sense of uncertainty.
01:17 The review report is a blueprint for governments to chart the pathway forward.
01:23 He's made nine recommendations, including improved complaints handling processes, tighter
01:28 regulations over developers and a new rating system.
01:32 It's about giving communities and landholders and farmers assurance that if somebody knocks
01:38 on their door, they can check and see whether these guys are serious, to be very frank,
01:43 or these guys are cowboys.
01:45 The government's accepted all nine recommendations in principle with the backing of the nation's
01:50 farm lobby.
01:51 The report confirms what has been a breathtakingly poor reflection on the intersection between
01:59 agriculture and renewable energy.
02:02 Hopes for a smoother road ahead.
02:05 [BLANK_AUDIO]
Comments