The Victorian Liberals are calling on the Albanese Federal Government to stop the offshore wind development off Warrnambool and Port Fairy, warning it risks devastating impacts on whale migration and breeding grounds.
Deputy Opposition Leader David Southwick joined Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell at the Logans Beach Whale Nursery to formally announce its opposition to the project.
“We do not oppose offshore wind – but we do expect proper environmental standards to be upheld, not an automatic green light. “ He said.
The 1,000 square kilometre project is proposed for waters that are part of a recognised whale nursery, where endangered southern right whales return each year to breed and raise their calves.
“Labor cannot claim to care about the environment while approving industrial-scale developments in one of the most sensitive marine environments in the country.” Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell said.
“Local communities have been ignored, legitimate environmental concerns have been brushed aside, and regional Victorians are being asked to accept all of the risk with none of the answers.” She said.
The project also threatens other whale species such as the vulnerable fin whale and the endangered pygmy blue whale.
Whale tourism delivers enormous economic value to the Warrnambool egion, supporting local jobs, small businesses and the broader visitor economy.
“Hundreds of turbines and years of construction activity in the sensitive ecosystem represents serious and undesirable risk to our threatened whale populations, their migratory paths, and breeding patterns,” Shadow Minister for Environment Nick McGowan said.
“South-west Victoria is world-renowned for its marine ecosystems and under a Jess Wilson Government, they will be protected,”
According to the MP’s , the Commonwealth Government has deepened community suspicion of the project by redacting information about sensitive whale migratory routes from documents released under freedom of information laws.
The Victorian Liberals oppose this project given the serious environmental oncerns and its lack of social licence in the South West Coast community.
