27 June 2008
The member for Nicklin, Peter Wellington, is calling on the minister for mines and energy, Geoff Wilson, to uphold his end of the bargain and meet with Eerwah Vale residents to discuss their concerns about a proposed powerline through the Noosa hinterland area.
Powerlines Action Group Eumundi representative Graham Smith said the minister’s office had told the group they had to meet with Powerlink first, then a meeting with the minister could go ahead.
Mr Smith said the meeting with the state government owned corporation was scheduled for July 14, and Powerlink confirmed that a meeting with PAGE representatives would take place in mid July.
Mr Wellington met with PAGE members on Monday and said he would write to the minister and remind him of his obligations.
He also offered to table a question in parliament when it resumed on July 15, asking the minister to respond to a PAGE petition, with 487 signatures, that had been presented to parliament on February 14.
“The normal process is that if you do a petition and it meets the basic requirements the minister responds within a month,” Mr Wellington said.
“We don’t know why the minister is playing hard ball, the petition wasn’t unanswerable.”
Mr Smith said the group wanted to express its concerns about the way the process was being handled and to seek an explanation from the minister in regards to a letter from Powerlink CEO Gordon Jardine to Mr Wilson, dated January 4, 2008, in which he described PAGE’s campaign as scaremongering, deceitful and dishonest.
Mr Wilson has issued a statement in response to the request from Mr Wellington and PAGE.
“Once PAGE has met with Powerlink, if there are remaining issues the group wants to raise with me, I will be happy to make arrangements to receive a delegation led by Mr Wellington,” he said.
Recent Comments
Geoff Wilson is the Qld Minister for Mines and Energy. He has refused to respond to our concerns and letters and will only meet with 'a delegation led by Peter Wellington' if we meet Powerlink on their terms. This whole process has been so one sided that I am continually being reminded of my fundamental rights.We have a right to know what is going on in the community. We have the right as citizens of Australia to be respected, especially by the Government.
We have the right to protect our environment. We have the right to be concerned about this Powerlink project that is being imposed on this community.It is being imposed through a significant nature corridor and on productive prime agricultural land.
I am sure if Powerlink were to propose a sub station and high voltage transmission towers and lines through Brisbane Forest Park, Geoff Wilson, (who is passionate about this area) would be the first to demand an alternative route and demand answers.
Minister Wilson, we are a community of respectable and concerned citizens. We have family and children that we love. This area is our home. We live in harmony in an environment which is fragile. The environment is home to rare and endangered flora and fauna. We look forward to meeting with you as a priority as soon as you return from your holidays.
To put this in context for you if we assume a conservative ten percent reduction in property values in the 2km by 8 km study corridor, this equates to a 25 million dollar loss to the owners at current market value. The reality is likely closer to 30-50 % reduction in land values.
“Mitigation strategies” feature prominently in Powerlink brochures and their web site. The only mitigation that will physically be able to block the towers is a bag over your head. The much-heralded EIS is a rubber-stamping process. Of course Mr Wilson could never acknowledge this and still remain in parliament .The “community consultation” sounds like a very interactive process, let me assure you it is not. Since our first meeting with Powerlink on our property 8 months ago we have heard nothing. It was made clear at this meeting that if the structure did not cross our property Powerlink was under no obligation to do anything for us. The movement of the pylons from 1.5 Km away to 200m away did not apparently warrant any consultation we discovered this move only by searching the web site. Powerlink refused repeated invitations to talk at community meetings in spite of police presence being offered to allay their ludicrous “safety concerns”. Consultation is a word on a brochure not a real process.
Keep for those reading this and feeling relief that they have been spared consider if it is likely that Powerlink would stop a 275 KV line in a paddock outside Eumundi. Not likely, there is much more to come.
Well, think again. Not only is it possible, but it is actually happening to me. In my late forties, and having put all of my spare earnings from a workaholic career of almost 30 years into my property on the Sunshine Coast, Powerlink has announced that they intend running a huge 275kV power line with 45m high pylons along the eastern border of this property. The consensus among estate agents in the area is that my property will lose 50% of its value. Because the line is not actually on my property, but just over the border, Powerlink will not pay a single penny in compensation – 50% of life savings gone. Is this just? Is it even constitutional? If not, how is it happening in our society? In effect, I have done 15 years hard labour for Powerlink - some killers have received lighter sentences. I am not the only one - there are many other people facing the same situation in Eerwah Vale. The same area, by the way, is also a tourist route and is regarded as some of the most beautiful country in the state. If it were the other way around - if I summarily helped myself to something of the same value from the government, I would be incarcerated into my old age and their property would be returned forthwith. If anyone has any advice on how the residents of Eerwah Vale might deal with this gross miscarriage of justice, I would be very glad to hear from them.
As if that were not enough, our family has been simultaneously stricken with breast cancer (my wife has it), and Powerlink is now taking on the appearance of a diabolical monster which is hell-bent on destroying our lives. Please read about the links between power lines and breast cancer if you would like to know more about this.
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