March 14 2013
From an STT reader: Don’t get too excited about getting a good run from the Liberal Party. Whilst in Far North Queensland in February, Tony Abbott was heard on a local news radio report referring to cutting red tape, especially on environmental issues. Reference was made to fishing on the reef and also wind farms. Perhaps none of his colleagues has bothered to put him in the picture?
March 7 2013
Victorian Federal Liberal candidate’s partner wanted to get turbines on the family land – but was shocked when it came to dealing with the wind company. Couldn’t believe the lack of ethics.
February 21 2013
Some of the residents around Capital are saying since a recent “noise audit” they have noticed the wind farm is generally quieter and has not given rise to as much disturbance as before.
After years of experiencing such noise they can tell the difference.
So what did the audit find? We don’t know because the results haven’t been released to the community – just to wind farm operator Infigen for their “checking”.
In our view, this sucks.
What year is this? Do we live in a democracy? There is no reason at all to keep the results secret from people who are being affected – unless there’s something to hide.
February 15 2013
Which person known as “tiny wind” was caught secretly tape recording proceedings at the Cherry Tree VCAT hearings this week? Answer: the same one who was later warned off badgering a witness. You could say he was court out.
And STT reader James commented: Could this “tiny wind” be the same person court telling Noel Dean he did not believe people became sick from turbines but they would build more hospitals if they did.
Yes, James, we think this could definitely be the same person. He has form, as the police like to say.
February 13 2013
Not rumor. Fact. Waubra wind farm in Victoria, operated by Spanish multinational Acciona, is still non compliant four years after it became operational. Yet the company continues to receive millions of dollars in Renewable Energy Certificates. Is this fraud – or what?
And what does this say about Planning Minister Matthew Guy? We’d say he’s a guy not doing his job.
Matthew, you’ve known about this since 2011. Where are your cojones? Shut the bloody thing down until the Spaniards fall into line.
February 10, 2013
Speaking of cojones, we’ll give a packet of Ginger Nuts to the first person who can guess who said this:
(We admit to tweaking only a couple of words.)
“I think we may be nearing an end game in Australia.
“Of all the 300 papers that I’ve published throughout my career, the ones that I am most proud of are the ones that have forensically exposed the wind industry’s malfeasance over the years … the lying to the public … the political interference, all of this sort of stuff.
“The public airing of this sort of track record has really poisoned the industry’s well and I think vastly reduced their influence.
“I’m fond of saying the wind industry is like cockroaches. They spread disease and they don’t like the sunlight. And a lot of my work is to put the sunlight right on them.”
January 29, 2013
A source told us: “STT has become the porn of the wind industry. Everyone is reading it, but nobody wants anybody else to know.”
Er … thanks … we think.
January 27, 2013
Rumor is a well known university academic has pulled back on his own social media rants – on how people who are getting sick from WTS are suffering mass-psychosis – after being lent on by his bosses. He continues, apparently, under a fake Twitter account using the name @WaubraSarah. If this is true, and we have an excellent source, we would not be surprised.
Simon Chapman does have form for using social media channels under assumed names. And the second tweet on the fake account is about him. Maybe you just couldn’t help yourself, eh Simon? But a tad childish, wouldn’t you say?
January 18, 2013
Police are investigating an allegation of assault during a recent wind farm “community” meeting in South Australia. Stand-by for our next post on this.
January 16, 2013
A Victorian coastal council is about to release its annual property ratings which will show a significant drop in value for residences close to the local wind farm.
January 4, 2013
We hear the Fraud Squad in Victoria is chomping at the bit to start looking at certain wind farm developments but is waiting for Environment Minister Ryan Smith to let them off the leash.
January 3, 2013
Which Federal Victorian Liberal MP with family interests in land that has planned or approved wind farms is using the political network to sway the Victorian Government?
January 1, 2013
1. What director of what community wind farm resigned because he didn’t like what was really going on behind the scenes? Additionally, we are told, he was appalled by (dare we say it) the spin.
2. And which state government regional employee, with responsibility for monitoring wind farm performance, was moved sideways after reporting to his superiors he suffered crippling headaches while in close proximity to turbines?
3. What family of wind farm landholders claims publicly that all family members are still living on their property – in close proximity to turbines – when in fact several of them have had to move away due to WTS?
December 31 2012
Hey, we hear people in the wind industry are starting to think the gig is up and come the New Year, it might be time to look for another job.
Not only do they think the industry is going to topple, the big guns want to get out before the s…t hits the big fan in terms of compensation and legal action.
We think they could be right! Our advice. Go for the first-mover advantage. Do it now.
STOP THESE THINGS 
Check out these tweets from Ken McAlpine, the director of public affairs with Vestas,
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What’s this? Do we have echoes of SA NIMBY, David Clarke’s anti-mobile phone tower Ramblings here?…
“Locals fighting to keep @McDonaldsCorp out of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges where I grew up. Keep up the good work”
Poor old Ken McAlpine. Imagine the ‘horror’ of those ‘scandalous’ 10 meter golden arches threatening and commercialising this treasured community at the peril of the locals for a the benefit of a multinational corporation. Terrible.
Imagine if such a development were to automatically pave the way for a corporate precedent; inviting the next parasitic venture to assail the Ranges in another assault of exploitation- (God forbid, Pizza Hut or KFC).
Ken, we empathise with your concerns about how a McDonalds development might divide the community, spoil the visual impact and amenity of the beautiful place where you grew up. We honestly do. It’s just ‘distasteful’ that a McDonalds might be proposed for the beautiful Dandenong Ranges.Stick it in someone else’s backyard!
Or Ken, let’s work together: STT community and industry -hand in hand.
How about we swap? We’ll take on a Maccas or 10 at Rugby, Cape Bridgewater, Waubra, Macarthur, Windy Hill, Lake Bonney, Lal Lal and Mt Mercer, Capital and Waterloo so that the “the beautiful Dandenong Ranges” where you grew up can escape the threat of a McDonalds and instead take on the hundreds of our “majestic” and harmless turbines?
What do you say, Ken? WIN WIN?
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Here are the tweets….
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Ken McAlpine Ken McAlpine @KenMcAlpine
Locals fighting to keep @McDonaldsCorp out of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges where I grew up. Keep up the good work @SAVE_TECOMA #burgeroff
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sarahrees Samantha Dunn anja Libby P David Redfearn OAM
5:04 AM – 7 Jul 13
Philip Dalidakis Philip Dalidakis @philipdalidakis 21h
Never thought of u as a NIMBY! @KenMcAlpine: Locals fighting to keep @McDonaldsCorp out of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges where I grew up.
Details
Ken McAlpine Ken McAlpine @KenMcAlpine 21h
@philipdalidakis Busted.
Details
Rachel Dapiran Rachel Dapiran @rdapiran 21h
@KenMcAlpine @philipdalidakis You could have a joint NIMBY ticket with those pesky anti wind farm types.
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Philip Dalidakis Philip Dalidakis @philipdalidakis 21h
Gold Rach! “@rdapiran: @KenMcAlpine @philipdalidakis You could have a joint NIMBY ticket with those pesky anti wind farm types.”
Details
Ken McAlpine Ken McAlpine @KenMcAlpine 20h
@rdapiran @philipdalidakis I feel ill and I have this annoying ringing in my ears. But I’m pretty sure it is the Geelong club song.
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Rachel Dapiran Rachel Dapiran @rdapiran 20h
@KenMcAlpine @philipdalidakis Ha! I’ll pay that.
From the Daily Mail 7/07/13 (via the GWPF website):
The mafia is ramping up investment in wind farms to launder criminal earnings and benefit from generous EU subsidies, a report by Europe’s policing agency has warned. Attracted by generous EU and state handouts, and coupled with lax controls, the Europol analysis found that Italian gangsters are increasingly seeing renewable energy as easy pickings.
Full report: http://www.thegwpf.org/criminal-energy-mafias-renewable-investment/
Yikes! Look what’s threatening the beautiful city of York in England. A ring of the damn things. Sounds like it’s time for the Grand Old Duke of York to bring out his six thousand men and start marching.
http://www.thegwpf.org/green-vandalism-historic-city-york-threatened-circle-40-wind-farms/
http://youtu.be/2KqfRZ_7YCE
Even Wind Farm Operators Hate These Things.
Origin Energy CEO, Grant King, was quoted in The Age on June 1 as saying Europe “was struggling with the high level of subsidies required” to sustain its renewables energy sector in areas such as wind and solar. “Spain is largely bankrupt due to subsidies” on renewable energy. “Europe’s economic circumstances are increasingly uncompetitive. Subsidies will be withdrawn” he said.
Origin Energy are a major wind farm developer and operator in Australia. It is clear that their CEO understands that the high subsidies required for wind power push-up energy prices with serious deleterious effects on manufacturing and employment.
Australian state and federal governments must understand that their subsidies create high energy prices and make our businesses uncompetitive. At a time when we need to support the non-resource sector of our economy, our policies cripple it.
How fantastic that the proposed Mt Emerald Wind Farm in Far North Queensland is NOT dividing the local farmers and communities. It has in fact pulled us closer as none of us are hosts, nor would we want to be, as the land is totally owned by property developers Port Bajool, who of course do not live in the area.
Recently the Project Manager for Ratch stood with me looking at the Mount Emerald Wind Farm site, discussing the Port Bajool, ” Asia Pacific Energy Innovation Centre” and called it ” An Old Man’s Folly”.
Lack of ethics! Hopefully it will open the eyes of more now that a Federal MP’s family has seen for themselves what these companies are like. Personally I don’t think they even consider ethics or maybe don’t know what the word means.
If they don’t want to open the results for scrutiny – they have something to hide. Lets hope the relief you are having continues and it’s not just a token attempt at settling opposition.
Leopards never change their spots, could this “tiny wind” be the same person court telling Noel Dean he did not believe people became sick from Turbines but they would build more hospitals if they did.
Maybe Chapmans current research area is having an affect on his antics with social media – he should consider whether his behaviour is going to manipulate the results of his research, if so is it ethical?
AB, this is a story which could be repeated throughout the world, wherever these projects are installed. That this one has been exposed is a move in the right direction. I have no doubt there is similar corruption going on here – the problem is finding ‘whistle blowers’ to help ferret it out.
Hi I’ve linked to your site – http://palmerstonnorth.blogspot.com
Our battle has come to a head as the “judge” who approved the Turitea wind farm was not a judge at all. You can read about this outrageous fraud here.
Who on earth would employ anyone who used to work in the wind industry anyway!?! They would be better off changing their career altogether if they ever want to work again. Then again, once a rat, always a rat. They all smell the same.
BTW I hear Simon Chapman is jumping ship too and looking to start his own company selling asbestos cigarettes……”No, really, they’re good for you, any adverse reaction is just a result of you ‘thinking’ they’re bad for you. Trust me, I’m a professor of public nuisance…I mean public health!”