OPPOSITION leader Daniel Andrews announced in Ararat last week that Labor will get Victoria's wind energy industry back up and running, employing thousands of Victorians and creating energy for Victorian homes.
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Mr Andrews announced that Labor will wind back the restrictive planning controls the Liberals implemented in 2011, which have stopped dozens of wind farm projects, cost thousands of jobs and driven investment interstate.
An Andrews Labor Government will reduce the exclusion zone around dwellings from two to one kilometre. The current buffer zone has stymied wind farm projects across the state. Only two wind farms have been approved since 2010.
Labor's plan will protect state and national parks and other environmentally and culturally sensitive areas across Victoria. The Minister for Planning will be the responsible authority, and local councils will play an important role.
Labor will also create the $20 million New Energy Jobs Fund which will offer grants of up to $1 million to firms and companies specialising in high-growth renewable sectors like new energy technology.
The funding will encourage investment in the renewables sector and will be focused on the development of technology associated with the generation and storage of clean energy. Examples would include new blade technology and advanced solar energy capture and storage.
"Victoria can lead the world in wind energy. We have the manufacturing expertise but we need a Labor Government," Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said.
"Denis Napthine's disastrous anti-jobs agenda has driven wind energy into the ground and driven investment out of our state.
"Labor will get our wind energy industry back up and running - creating thousands of jobs, powering our homes and improving our environment."
