Council
26 February, 2025
Mackenzie defends offshore wind zone plan
FEDERAL Labor Candidate for Wannon Fiona Mackenzie has thrown her support behind the Federal Government’s Southern Ocean Offshore Wind Zone, saying she hopes to counter the concerns expressed by some for the project.
The zone has been a controversial topic since it received declaration in March last year.
Earlier this month Coalition leader Peter Dutton announced a commitment to rescind the plan for an offshore wind farm if he’s elected at this years Federal Election.
But Ms Mackenzie defended the project as one which would bring an economic boost to the region, help to address cost of living concerns and take a vital step towards combating the threat of climate change.
“We are in a climate crisis,” she said.
“Our Australian oceans have risen in temperature - we have to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
“Fortunately, the work underway to act on climate change is also good for our region too – delivering lasting jobs here.
“Labor is achieving this goal, with renewable energy – wind and solar and storage.
“We have more renewable resources than we need in the south west.”
Ms Mackenzie said the development of a local offshore wind industry would produce more than enough to meet the energy requirements for households and industry, and assist in both reducing energy prices and tackling cost of living.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has said the development possesses a total potential power generation of 2.9 gigawatt, enough to power three million homes, and create 1740 jobs during construction and 870 ongoing jobs.
Ms Mackenzie said the development would be a gamechanger for the region, the environment and Australia’s transition to renewable energy.
“This new industry will provide more local jobs for the area and provide secure energy supply,” she said.
“Future projects will be at least 15 kilometres offshore.
“Offshore windfarms exist in the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and the United States, and they are growing in numbers because they work.
“We have the wind power of the Southern Ocean - and need to use it if we are to save our oceans and keep our regional economies humming.
“Renewables will help our oceans and all life – Wannon will have real jobs with renewables for a real future.”
Ms Mackenzie also hit back at claims off-shore wind farms posed a threat to whales which migrate to the region annually.
Claims of mass death and strandings in record numbers have been perpetuated in recent years from notable figures such as United States president Donald Trump.
Agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service, and peer-reviewed scientific studies such as from Yale, have also slammed the claims as having no scientific basis.
The findings instead pointed to post-mortem examination of whale deaths and strandings which indicate human interaction including vessel strikes and fishing net entanglement had been the cause.
“Offshore wind doesn’t kill whales – they are clever and swim around,” Ms Mackenzie said.
“As for strandings, the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission stated in February 2023 there was no evidence to link strandings to off-shore wind energy development.”
Ms Mackenzie said she was also frustrated seeing ongoing mention of seismic blasting associated with the off-shore wind zone, despite this not being the case.
Offshore wind farms utilise sonar mapping as the less-intensive approach requires only mapping of the seabed – as opposed to gas and oil exploration which requires blasting to reach several kilometres into the earth.
“The surveys use sound waves for milliseconds, as they are just mapping the sea beds,” Ms Mackenzie said.
“It’s a bit like having the radio turned down in the background – if the sea creatures don’t like the music for that time, then they swim away – but they also return.
“I’m an active environmentalist, checking the science and evidence.
“I have studied Marine Science and gone scuba-diving, and saw marine life make objects within the sea their home.”
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