These people knew – and did nothing

Delahunty. Guilty.

Bracks. Guilty.

Brumby. Guilty.

Thwaites. Guilty.

Remember these faces. Burn them into your memory.

Long after the Royal Commission (we’re certain there will be one*), long after the books and documentaries and newspaper articles, long after the PhD theses, remember one thing.

These people knew. They were told. And they did nothing.

They chose to ignore that an industry was receiving government support to propagate a technology that made people sick. They actively supported that industry for their own political careers.

Before the Brumby government was wiped out in the 2010 Victorian election, it gave ministerial approval to a slew of wind farms in a frantic (and futile) attempt to hang onto power through the green vote.

But six years earlier, it was informed by an impeccable source that wind farms were causing problems with people’s health.

In 2004, Dr David Iser was the medical officer for health for the South Gippsland Shire.

He wrote to the then Premier, Steve Bracks, Minister for Regional Development John Brumby, Minister for the Environment John Thwaites and Minister for Planning Mary Delahunty.

Dr Iser said he had conducted his own survey of residents living near Toora wind farm.

He said he was writing to express his concerns about health issues in his community.

He enclosed a report he had presented to council. (You can view it here.)

Dr Iser wrote about people living near turbines suffering insomnia and stress. He said people felt powerless and concerned for the future – a “strong cause of stress and anxiety”.

He said wind companies had been secretive in their dealings with landholders and had avoided public consultation. He spoke about communities divided as a result.

Dr Iser received no reply from any Bracks’ Labor government minister.

Instead, in the months prior to the 2010 election, the Victorian Labor Government approved wind farms at Stockyard Hill, Yalloak South, Ararat, Mortlake, Berrybank, Yalloak and Moorabool.

… but they should if they enter politics and act like this bloke.

It also emerged Planning Minister Justin Madden’s family were potential turbine hosts. His time in politics was more than tainted with controversy.

Remember all these people.

When this issue is finally over, they will go down in history.

Note 1: View Dr Iser in the Waubra Foundation video here.

Note 2: Steve Bracks is now chairman of Cbus while John Brumby is now chairman of MTAA Super.

Both these superannuation funds have direct links to the wind industry.

* Extravagant claim, a Royal Commission? We keep looking at the ICAC inquiry into NSW Labor and Eddie Obeid, and the amounts of money are tiny compared with what’s gone on and going on in the wind industry.