The following speech was given on the floor of the Australian Parliament, House of Representatives, by the Member for Hume, Alby Schultz. Mr. Schultz addresses the failure of the Waubra wind farm and others to operate within the limits of their permits, the high cost and inefficient operation of wind turbines and, what he deems fraudulent issue of RECs to shell companies overseas.

This important paper by acoustics expert, Steven Cooper, challenges the current standards for siting wind turbines in Australia.

In October 2006, Palmerston North City Council and Horowhenua District Council received land use consent applications from Motorimu Wind Farm Limited to construct, operate and maintain 129 wind turbines as part of a proposal known as the ‘Motorimu Wind Farm’. In June 2007, consent was granted for 75 of the proposed turbines to be constructed with consent declined for the remaining 52 turbines. Motorimu appealed the decision arguing it needed all 129 turbines for the project to be viable. This month the Environmental Count granted Motorium permission to erect up to 80 turbines. Dr. Dave Bennett's testimony was entered into the record before the Environment Court.

Dr. Steven Cooper, an Australian acoustician with considerable experience measuring wind turbine sound emissions, prepared this important and detailed critique of a study sponsored by the South Australia EPA on low-frequency noise. The SA EPA report insisted that infrasound emitted by wind turbines was not different from infrasound from other sources in the environment. Dr. Cooper exposes the fatal flaws in the EPA's methodology for surveying the sound. Excerpts of his critique are provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.

Compliments of Andrew Chapman, the attached pdf files contain extensive documentation particularly with respect to the impact of wind turbines on wildlife as part of an ongoing effort to prevent the construction of the Bald Hills Wind Farm, South Gippsland, Victoria. While it has been approved by the Victorian State Government the presence in the Bald Hills area of migratory species of national and international significance that are protected by treaties with Japan and China in the Bald Hills has placed the final decision in the hands of the Federal Government. This decision is pending.

The government of South Australia issued two series of "Wind farms environmental noise guidelines" in 2003 and 2009, aiming to balance the advantage of wind energy development in South Australia with the protection of amenity of the surrounding commmity from adverse noise impacts. This briefing paper sums up a study undertaken during 2011 evaluating the efficiency and adequacy of these guidelines.

Western Australia Senator Chris Back prepared this document in support of his essay “Wind Turbines – The Untold Story”. The document focuses on supporting the statement that "There is a growing body of evidence that adverse health impacts are real and that they are occurring at greater distances from turbines than previously recorded.” The conclusion of his report is provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the link(s) at the bottom of this page.

Dr. Daniel Shepherd was invited by the Ohariu Preservation Society in New Zealand to provide an evaluation of the impact of turbine noise on health and well-being. The report specifically references the proposed Mill Creek wind energy facility proposed to be built on rural land northwest of Wellington, New Zealand in the Makara and Ohariu valleys. His full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page. The conclusions of his report are shown below.

These important comments prepared by Dr. Michael Nissenbaum respond to questions raised by the Australian Senate Environment & Communications committee during its inquiry into wind turbine noise. In particular, Dr. Nissenbaum explains how the 'nocebo' effect is not a factor and that health complaints reported by those living near large turbines are real and require attention.