SHADOW Minister for Primary Industries Steve Whan has labelled a protest from three state MPs, one Federal MP and a local mayor a "spectacle".
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The protest against the ACT Government developing wind farms in regional NSW, took place on April 1 at Red Hill in Canberra. It was attended by State Member for Monaro John Barilaro, State Member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson, State Member for Goulburn Pru Goward, Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor and Goulburn-Mulwaree Mayor Geoff Kettle.
The ACT Government hopes to source 200 megawatts of power from wind farms in NSW to power 80,000 Canberra homes by 2020. Its plan is to generate 90 per cent of Canberra's energy from renewable sources within the next six years.
Mr Barilaro said he and his constituents wouldn't allow it.
"Each of us represents electorates which stand to be deeply affected by the ACT Government's current wind farm obsession," Mr Barilaro said.
"If the ACT Government wishes to continue implementing its renewable energy scheme, it needs to look some elsewhere to house its wind turbines."
But Mr Whan argued that the ACT Government wasn't in the wrong.
"Pru Goward, Katrina Hodgkinson and John Barilaro are all part of the NSW Coalition Government which still lists on its website the 'renewable energy precincts' initiative- a program designed to encourage wind farm development in the capital region," he said.
He claimed the ACT was just a customer interested in purchasing wind energy that the NSW Government already approved under its own planning and environmental laws.
"The hypocrisy of these Nationals and Liberal MPs is breathtaking and is an obvious attempt to leap on some NIMBY bandwagon, while being too politically gutless to criticise their own Government- who is actually directly responsible.
"I've seen a lot of political attacks on planning authorities over the years and many on the proponents of these projects but this is the first time I have seen anyone attack the customers."
Mr Barilaro said it was disappointing that Mr Whan had chosen to "misrepresent the views of the community".
"Three hundred people attended a recent meeting in Tarago to express their concerns over wind farm developments. I'd like to see Steve Whan show his face and explain his views to the communities that are potentially facing wind turbines in their backyards."