LETTER: Response to Wind Farm

I offer my thoughts in response to the article in the Yass Tribune on the Rye Park wind farm.  I am a sheep farmer and prospective host of the Crookwell 2 wind farm and I work part time for the community advocacy group, the Australian Wind Alliance (AWA).  As someone who understands the challenges facing agriculture I have long advocated for the role wind farms can play in delivering greater financial security to farming communities.

The commitment from Trustpower to involve immediate neighbours to the Rye Park wind farm through direct payments should be loudly applauded.  For wind farms to fully deliver for communities, they have to engage a much broader section of the community than just the turbine hosts and deliver equitable outcomes. I’m pleased to see that this approach is becoming more prevalent across the industry. 

The Community Enhancement Funding is an important part of the broad based income stream flowing to the community and as far as possible I believe the Rye Park community should, in conjunction with the three Councils involved, have the final say in how these funds are distributed.  

Positive and active involvement of the community and a good benefit sharing model can set the Rye Park wind farm up as an example of good development, corporate involvement and governance for other farming communities into the future.

Charlie Prell

CROOKWELL