MP lodges petition signed by thousands who oppose offshore windfarms

Mr Tehan submitted a petition in federal parliament on Tuesday afternoon, June 4, 2024, which has the signatures of more than 4500 people who are opposed to offshore windfarms in the south-west.

The report, obtained from the federal government and prepared by the Migratory Species Section of the International Environment Reef and Oceans Division and the Biodiversity Conservation Division, talks about the impacts on whales and other marine life.

Mr Tehan said the evidence in the report spoke for itself.

"It goes to the heart of this petition," he said.

He said he was particularly concerned about the potential impacts on southern right whales and seabird breeding areas.

"There are two genetically distinct populations of southern right whale within Australian waters, an east Australian population and a west Australian population," the report states.

"The eastern subpopulation currently has only one established calving ground; Logans Beach at Warrnambool in south-west Victoria.

"The eastern population of southern right whales is of particular conservation concern because it exhibits slow recovery from past whaling and abundance remains very low with an estimated 268 whales.

"The potential for impacts from anthropogenic underwater noise is of particular concern in areas within or close to habitats critical to survival for southern right whales where whales are resident for long periods (e.g., weeks to months) of time and pregnant and nursing females and calves are present."

Mr Tehan said the south-west community was opposed to the windfarm zone.

"What this petition says is that the local community strongly opposes the development of this offshore windfarm and has grave concerns for the pristine coastal and marine environment, local endangered species, the Logans Beach whale nursery and associated migratory whale pathway and unique marine life," Mr Tehan said.

"Deputy Speaker, this windfarm must be opposed - the local community have spoken with their feet - 4500 signatures against it."

Mr Tehan spoke about his fears over the wind farm zone at a community gathering in Warrnambool in March.

"The size and scale of these offshore windfarms is like nothing we've seen. They're taller than the highest CBD building in Melbourne."

Mr Tehan said governments would try and invest in the Port of Hastings so they could bring blades and towers from other countries and ship them around to Warrnambool.

"Do you think the Port of Portland will get expanded because of this? No," he said.

Mr Tehan said there would be no community benefit "whatsoever". "In fact, the community will lose. We will lose key industry from here," he said.

The opposition comes after the federal government in March 2024 announced an offshore wind zone between Warrnambool and Port Fairy. It is refusing to revoke the decision.