Charlotte Varcoe
MEMBER for Barker Tony Pasin spoke to a large protest on the steps of Parliament House in Canberra this week.
Residents from more than 50 regional communities who claim to be directly and adversely affected by planned renewable projects rallied on Parliament lawns.
They called on the Federal Government to suspend the development of wind, solar and high-voltage transmission lines in rural, regional and coastal areas.
Mr Pasin was one of many speaking out against renewable energy, claiming proposals such as offshore windfarms were reckless for the environment.
Speaking to the protesters, Mr Pasin said if they wanted change there needed to be more community gatherings and less politics.
“We need to vote against this toxic, horrid, disgusting government,” Mr Pasin said.
“I am a farmer from the South East of South Australia and I also happen to be a member of Parliament,
“The reality is I am here today supporting my electorate but also thousands of cray fishermen off the South East coast of South Australia.”
He said offshore wind farms were “as toxic as anything” with the 500 square meters of ocean ground “locked up”.
“This is the equivalent of putting a fence around 5000 hectares of fertile land in Australia,” Mr Pasin said.
“Nobody would be allowed to do that but these merchant bankers talking gobbly gook have convinced this is the solution for them.
“They do not want to see these things on dry land because of course that leads to protests like this.”
He said to drill into a reef and pour concrete into it to erect turbines reaching 250 metres above sea level was “contrary to efforts the community undertakes to protect it”.
“The Labor Government are completely out of touch with rural and regional Australia. Worse still, the Minister is attempting to exploiting the fact that most of their planned renewable projects are located in or near coastal and farming communities with small populations who they think won’t be able to impact them politically,” Mr Pasin said.
“The size of the crowd on the lawns of Parliament House says otherwise.
“To disregard the voices of our farmers, our fishers and our regional communities to win the votes of inner-city electorates of Sydney and Melbourne would be a travesty against our national interest.”
