00:00On the vast Hay Plain, renewable energy is just over the horizon.
00:10This will be the largest economic and physical change this community has experienced in settlement.
00:16Construction of high voltage transmission lines will make large scale wind and solar
00:21possible with community support and conditions.
00:26We are going to welcome this transition, but you are going to consider us at every
00:30point.
00:31While projects still need final approval, Hayshire Council's negotiated agreements
00:36with developers that include long term housing projects, subsidies for rooftop solar and
00:43cheaper electricity for the whole town.
00:46Residents could receive a $1,000 rebate on their energy bill every year for the next
00:5230 years.
00:54It will actually embed wealth into the whole community.
00:58South of the Murray, Independent MP Helen Haynes is calling on the Federal Government
01:03to help other regions do the same.
01:06We've got to move our mindset away from purchasing social licence from communities into long
01:13term regional development.
01:18In many parts of the country there's been fierce opposition to renewables, but French
01:23multinational NG says that's not the case at Hay.
01:27We received zero local objections, which is extremely rare for an energy project in the
01:31country.
01:34The company wants to build almost 200 wind turbines and 900,000 solar panels plus battery
01:40storage.
01:42Some of the turbines would be on Richard Cannon's land, providing drought proof farm income,
01:47but he wants the benefits to stretch further.
01:50Landholders can see it to their business, the community can see it to support for projects
01:57in Hay, and it's an industry not relying on agriculture.
02:02On the floodplains at Gayini west of Hay, pelicans are feasting.
02:06These environmentally significant wetlands are being restored by the Ngari Ngari Tribal
02:11Council.
02:12It's looking to renewable energy to help fund conservation and social programs for indigenous
02:18youth.
02:19Turn country back to its near natural state and having the financial base to do that,
02:25to have that impact on people and country, that's the biggest outcome you can give.
02:30The wind farm footprint for us is just in here on our boundary.
02:33Partnering with Kalara Energy and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, they plan to build
02:38more than 70 turbines, 30 kilometres away from the wetlands on grazing land.
02:44Less than 1% of renewable energy developments in Australia have indigenous ownership, compared
02:49with 20% in Canada.
02:52This project is showing that traditional owners can not only claim income from hosting turbines,
02:57but share in the equity and the decision making.
03:00It makes us independent and that's what we've thrived to do for many moons and we're not
03:06far off doing it.
03:07Putting the power in the hands of the people.
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