The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), along with other unions and environmental groups, is campaigning to for an offshore wind farm industry in the Illawarra, near Wollongong.
The聽unions are calling on people to 聽to a federal consultation about an offshore聽renewable energy area in the Pacific Ocean聽off聽the Illawarra coast. Submissions .
The plan, if approved, would cover 1461 square kilometres of ocean between 10 and 30 kilometres聽offshore from Wombarra to Kiama.
that it an opportunity 鈥渢o build the renewable energy infrastructure we need to create thousands of good union jobs and meet our climate obligations at the same time鈥.
It said in its submission that offshore聽wind聽could provide the 鈥渞enewable energy to keep聽Illawarra聽manufacturing going and allow the furnaces at BlueScope to keep making the steel we need鈥. Climate change and the heating of oceans is the greatest threat to ocean life, it said.
It said that with a 鈥渟killed workforce, great electricity grid connections and port infrastructure鈥 and a location close to large electricity loads and with strong and consistent聽winds, the initiative needs to be supported.
The MUA rebutted a number of allegations made against the wind farm proposal. 鈥淭he wind turbines will not affect the swell on nearby surf beaches鈥, it said. Studies overseas and in Gippsland show that the marine environment will not be negatively affected by wind farms and that 鈥渃limate change is the main threat to marine life鈥.
It also said wind turbines 鈥減ose no significant threat to birds鈥 and that there is 鈥渘o evidence that whale migration patterns are affected by聽offshore聽wind聽turbines鈥.
However, a local opposition campaign, backed by right-wing politicians, organised a rally Flagstaff Hill near Wollongong on October 29, calling on the federal government to 鈥渒eep the sea free鈥. Speakers included Gareth Ward, Liberal MP for Kiama, and representatives of One Nation and the Shooters and Fishers Party.
say they support the offshore聽wind聽zone subject to it meeting the highest environmental, social and cultural standards.
on October 7 the group said offshore聽wind聽was the most viable way of ensuring renewable energy grid security for the National Energy Market. In their submission, the group said:聽鈥淭o put this in perspective, just two聽wind聽farms of 100 turbines would produce more energy than Eraring, Australia鈥檚 largest coal-fired power station, located near Lake Macquarie in NSW.鈥
[ to the Illawarra wind farm consultation by November 15.]