The state government of South Australia (SA) has firmly opposed the Southern Ocean offshore wind farm zone that runs from Warrnambool in Victoria to Port MacDonnell in South Australia.
It comes after Victoria’s open-arm embrace of offshore windfarm within its territory.
In its submission to the Commonwealth, the SA state government has expressed concerns about the potential negative impact of offshore wind farms on its southern area fisheries, marine environment, and the livelihood of residents.
“The South Australian Government is committed to renewable energy projects that improve our state’s energy security, but we cannot support ones that have the potential to cause significant harm to local industries and the environment,” she said.
“This is particularly the case when they have no net benefit to South Australians. The zone’s proximity to our marine parks and the Bonney upwelling is also of significant concern given the rich biodiversity in the region.”
This view was also echoed by Clare Scriven, SA Minister for Primary Industries, Regional Development and Forest Industries.
“The sector needs certainty going forward that some of its most productive fishing grounds will not be impacted by a project that, while impacting on South Australia, will deliver energy to Victoria,” she said.
SA’s local rock lobster industry welcomes the news, arguing that it has generated a $187.5 million (US$121 million) industry with 1,068 full-time equivalent jobs created for the local economy.
Nathan Kimber, Executive Officer of the South Australian Rock Lobster Advisory Council, expressed his appreciation for the SA government’s stance on this issue.
“We congratulate and thank the government for its strong show of support for South Australia’s most valuable seafood resource, the Southern Rock Lobster fishery, which has been generating economic and social outcomes for our state year on year for 80 years.”
Mr. Kimber added that given the recent pandemic and trade disruptions with China, “Having an offshore energy zone declared off South Australia’s Port MacDonnell in an area critical to our fishery will only add to the uncertainties and stress that the industry and Limestone Coast communities have experienced over this period.”
He hopes that Chris Bowen, the federal minister for climate change and energy, listens to the submissions by the South Australian Government and the industry and amends the proposed Southern Ocean offshore energy zone to exclude any waters that overlap with SA’s fishery boundaries.
Besides the important local rock lobster industry, abalone, marine scale fish, bluefin tuna, and recreational fisheries are also part of this marine park sanctuary zone.
In addition, commercial fishers have raised concerns about biomass, juvenile recruitment and settlement, the impact of noise, vibration and loss of habitat, and electromagnetic fields—all of which may impact future catches.
Furthermore, the proposed ‘declared area’ is also in direct contradiction with an area that is well recognised for its biological and oceanographic significance at an international level. The area is well known for the Bonney Coast upwelling.
There could also be negative impacts on a wide range of wildlife, such as pygmy blue whales, southern right whales, white sharks, Australasian gannets, wedge-tailed shearwater and several species of albatross.
Victoria Supports Offshore Windfarm to Generate Mega Energy
Having been formally admitted to the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) as its first sub-national jurisdiction this week, the Victoria state’s offshore wind industry is expected to create over 6,000 jobs and play a crucial part in its journey towards achieving 95 percent renewable energy production by 2035 and attaining net-zero emissions by 2045.Victoria aims to create 2 GW from the offshore wind capacity by 2032, 4 GW by 2035, and 9 GW by 2040.
Last year, the federal government declared an area in Bass Strait off the Gippsland coast in Victoria as Australia’s first offshore wind zone and is now exploring feasibility licenses for potential developers. Successful applicants are expected to be announced later this year.
The state is ready to support the offshore wind industry with a well-qualified and skilled workforce, advanced manufacturing, stable supply chains, and first-class infrastructure such as ports and transportation.
Andrew’s Labor Government also established Offshore Wind Energy Victoria, which is working towards a formal competitive acquisition process for the first batch of offshore wind energy capacity in 2025.
