Concerns that the voices of rural and regional communities are being ignored in the roll-out of renewable energy projects across the state has prompted the Country Women's Association (CWA) of NSW to convene a forum on the topic at the end of the month.
The online forum is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, and is designed to provide communities with a practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities renewable projects create, and offer some advice on how to navigate the process to achieve the best outcomes for local people.
"We're hearing concerns from our members whose communities are dealing with renewable energy projects. There's a lot of frustration and anxiety out there about how the process is playing out, and the fact many feel excluded and ignored when they have genuine questions and concerns about something that is going to have an impact on their local area," said President of the CWA of NSW, Tanya Jolly.
"This is not about being anti-renewable or climate-denying, it is about shining a light on the current process and calling for a more transparent and well-planned transition that acknowledges and accommodates the needs and expectations of rural and regional communities.
"We believe things can be done better and that communities deserve to be genuine partners in shaping the energy future of their regions."
The two-hour 'Regional Voices for a Renewable Future' forum will include four guest speakers:
• Emma Webb: Chair of the Binalong-Bowning Community Action Group and third-generation wool grower from Binalong.
• Emma Bowman: A fifth-generation farmer from Dunedoo and a passionate advocate for fair treatment of landholders affected by the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.
• Shanna Whan OAM: A community advocate from Maules Creek, a regional community facing a major solar development that appeared outside any designated Renewable Energy Zone.
• Reg Kidd: Farmer, former mayor of Orange, and Chair of the NSW Farmers Energy Transition Taskforce.
They will offer their perspective on renewable energy developments and how they're being currently managed and implemented, providing insights on both the impacts and opportunities for rural and regional areas.
"Many people have a feeling they're just being swept along in a process they have no control over, with a degree of inevitability about the end result. They feel they're not being heard, even through the likes of 'consultation', and when they have genuine questions around the likes of safety, insurance, and environmental, social and economic impacts," Tanya said.
"Our concerns are not about resisting climate action. Rural and regional communities have a deep understanding of the consequences of climate variability, drought, and land degradation and know that renewable energy is the way of the future. But, it's a matter of how we go about this, and right now the process is not standing up in the way it should."
To register, go to Webinar Registration - Zoom .
