The Impact of Victoria's New Wind Farm Laws for Permit Decision-making

"Clean, renewable energy is an environmental goal well worth pursuing. On face value wind power is forward thinking and ecologically responsible. But towers appearing across the state, often in local beauty spots, are also huge and noisy. Their presence is dividing communities ..."  These are the conflicting sentiments that have plagued wind farm development in Victoria since the wind rush first arrived in 2001, 2 with the opening of the State's first commercial wind farm. Since this time, the growth in installed capacity of wind energy has vastly exceeded other renenewables. However, despite a decade of victories, wind farms were arguably delivered a significant blow at the 2010 Victorian state election when the Liberal Nationals Coalition successfully obtained government, bringing with them a resolute promise to 'restore fairness and certainty to the planning system for wind farms' […]