Wait continues for wind farm code legislation

The review was announced at the end of 2023 but the release date for the new legislation is still unknown.

A spokesperson for the department of housing, local government, planning and public works said it had undertaken a review of the wind farm state code and the outcomes of that review were currently being considered.

"More than 180 submissions from a range of stakeholders received during the consultation period have been reviewed," the spokesperson said.

"The amended wind farm state code will provide greater certainty and clarity for proponents while ensuring that areas of high ecological and biodiversity value are protected, and construction impacts are better managed."

AgForce land protection policy advisor Anna Fisbek said that amendments to the wind farm code should include changes to decommissioning clauses that would better protect landholders.

Ms Fisbek said while AgForce weren't against renewable projects, they wanted to ensure landholders had information to help them negotiate the best possible outcome that safeguarded them against potential pitfalls.

"It would be good for the code to state that when renewable projects were sold on from the original developer to other companies, the fund for decommissioning would be put away from the beginning of the project, not at the 25 year point or beyond that," she said.

"That needs to follow through with any future owner of the project...I think that is a gap that needs addressing in the legislation.

"A lot of the smaller firms don't seem to have the knowledge that perhaps some of the bigger city firms do about the renewable project legislation."

Ms Fisbek said while the financial aspect had been appealing to some landholders, who welcomed the opportunity to diversify, there was increasing awareness of the pitfalls of renewable energy projects.

"From an economic sense they think it's a good safeguard if the cattle market or grain prices fluctuate, but that might all get washed away at the decommissioning point.

"Once the turbines that are currently established start to get towards the stage of decommissioning, the downfalls would be exposed at that stage."