There’s Nothing Ugly About Victorian Jobs

While Tony Abbott tries to shut down Australia’s wind industry and take the country backwards, Premier Daniel Andrews visited the Ararat wind farm to inspect its $450 million expansion – a project that will boost the local economy and Victoria’s green energy supply.

The Premier was joined by Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Anthony Carbines at the site. A global consortium – including Renewable Energy Systems, GE, Downer, Partners Group and OPTrust – has announced that it will build 75 new turbines at the wind farm, making it the third largest of its type in the country.

The Minister for Planning has just recently amended the wind farm’s planning permits to allow for the micro-siting of turbines. The amendment was supported by both North Grampians and Ararat Shire Councils and means that construction of this wind farm can now continue without unnecessary delay.

The Ararat wind farm is expected to have a life span of 25 years and will generate enough electricity to power around 123,000 Victorian households.  It is estimated that the project will employ around 285 workers and inject more than $7 million into the local economy around Ararat over two years.

The Andrews Labor Government is supporting renewable energy investment because it will protect our environment and boost jobs across the state. The Government’s $20 million New Energy Jobs Fund will continue to support community groups and businesses developing renewable energy projects.

The Government is also currently developing a Renewable Energy Action Plan, which will outline a comprehensive set of measures to attract Victoria’s share of the significant investment in renewable energy forecast to occur in Australia by 2020. The roadmap for this plan will be released later this year.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“Tony Abbott thinks wind farms are ugly – but there’s nothing ugly about a clean environment and there’s nothing ugly about hundreds of new Victorian jobs.”

“Tony Abbott is trying to kill off the wind industry, but we won’t let him. These projects create jobs and protect our environment. Under a Labor Government, green energy gets the green light.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio

“We’ve streamlined the process for investment in wind farms and we will release our Renewable Energy Action Plan over the coming months.”

Quote attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Environment Anthony Carbines

Climate change is happening and it is threatening our communities, our environment and our way of life. Tony Abbott is taking us backwards but Victoria is taking the lead.”

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