Vol. 17 No. 9
FREE PUBLICATION
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Ready to roll
Kaspa Moriarty, 10, and Ethan Suter, both of Horsham, prepare for a Wimmera Roller Derby League Roller Disco on Sunday week. The Roller Disco, at Horsham’s Maydale Pavilion is open to all pre-school and primary school children. League spokesperson Christie Suter said the event was designed as something alternative for children who could use the occasion to learn to skate in a safe environment. “It’s also to generate interest, build membership and raise money for our league. The long-term plan is to put together a Wimmera representative team based in Horsham,” she said. The Roller Disco will be from 1pm to 3.30pm and feature music by DJ Chazz. Ms Suter said all children had to supervised by an adult and had to supply their own skates and protective gear. Picture: MICK SHANNON
Wind farms in limbo
T
he Victorian Greens have weighed into debate involving stalled renewable energy projects across the state, including proposed multi-million-dollar wind farms in the Wimmera and Grampians-Pyrenees regions. The Greens parliamentary leader Greg Barber said Victoria needed to commit to securing the projects regardless of Federal Government support. He said The Greens had made a commitment to rekindle a Victorian Renewable Energy Target scheme and urged major political parties to do the same. “The local renewables industry has ground to a halt due to uncertainty
Greens call for State support
around the federal target,” Mr Barber said. “There are 18 wind farms on hold across Victoria, and just last week a Mildura solar farm was shelved. This freeze is costing jobs, investment and slowing transition to a cleaner future.” RES Australia is considering building a 32-square-kilometre $600-million wind farm at Murra Warra, between Horsham and Warracknabeal. But it is waiting for results of a review into a Federal Government Renewable Energy Target or RET scheme before pursuing the project. The RET scheme provides financial
incentives for firms to ensure that renewable sources generate 20 percent of Australia’s electricity by 2020.
Murra Warra
While RES Australia is considering the Murra Warra project, which would involve more than 100 windmills across 22 properties, it is already well advanced in developing a 75-mill Ararat Wind Farm. Mr Barber: “The Victorian Renewable Energy Target was never abolished, it was just mothballed in 2009 when participants moved over to the federal scheme. It has become clear that the national RET isn’t doing the
job, so we need to fire the Victorian target back up. “The VRET would co-exist with the Commonwealth target and benefit Victoria, even if the federal scheme is saved. “The reactivation of the VRET will use the minister’s existing powers to initiate an expert independent review, which would examine how to encourage new renewable energy creation, regional investment and employment, new technology development and diversity in power generation.” The Greens candidate for Lowan Nkanda Beltz echoed Mr Barber’s
sentiments, adding that the region had an opportunity to develop a value-adding resource while creating jobs. “When I talk to people the main issue here is jobs creation and these developments represent a lot of untapped potential,” she said. “This is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. We need to do something about it and we need to do it now.” Pacific Hydro, operating operating a wind farm near Ararat since 2003, started construction of a 41-turbine farm at Crowlands in August 2013 and Enerfin Energy Company of Australia is considering developing a 76-turbine farm at Balgana near Great Western.
IN THIS ISSUE • Seven arrested in drug busts • Wimmera Football League finals 12-page lift-out
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