ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
SENATOR JUDITH ADAMS
THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF RURAL WIND FARMS
This inquiry drew an enormous response from international
and Australian researchers and wind farm developers as well as from the general
public.
| Total Submissions |
1017 |
| Pro - Wind Farms |
535 |
| Anti - Wind Farms |
468 |
| Neutral |
14 |
Throughout the inquiry the statement from the National
Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has been relied upon by developers
in the wind industry to suggest that Australian research had settled the
question of any adverse health effects, caused by living in close proximity to
wind turbines.
The NHMRC's 'rapid review' of the evidence concluded that:
'There is currently no published scientific evidence to positively link wind turbines
with adverse health effects'.
NHMRC gave evidence at the Inquiry, Senate Budget Estimates
and held a scientific forum on 7 June 2011—'Wind Farms and Human Health'.
The forum was facilitated by Dr Gael Jennings with the
opening address by Professor John McCallum (NHMRC), Professor Geoffrey
Leventhall and Professor Mariana Alves-Periera formed the first Scientific
Panel to speak on 'Current evidence and health impacts'.
The second Scientific Panel comprised Dr Bob Thorne—human
perception and infrasound and Dr Simon Chapman—psycho-social factors.
The third panel comprised Dr Sarah Laurie (Chair), Ms Bernie
Janssen, Mr Donald Thomas and Mr David Page—personal stories.
A summary was presented by the NHMRC's Chief Executive
Officer Professor Warwick Anderson. After lunch small group workshop sessions
were held, at which evidence gaps, public concerns and other issues were
discussed.
Following the scientific forum, Professor Anderson presented
a communiqué on the day's proceedings:
Wind Farms and Human Health Scientific Forum 7 June 2011
I am pleased to provide a preliminary communiqué on today’s
Wind Farms and Human Health Scientific Forum.
The constructive approach taken by all participants will
assist the National Health and Medical Research Council in its review of its
Public Statement on Wind Turbines and Health.
In developing the Forum, we were committed to achieving a
balance of representatives. The forum was attended by consumers, leading
international researchers, Australian researchers and industry representatives.
As a result of the wide range of views that were brought to the Forum, NHMRC
will be able to continue to build on its understanding of the issues.
Today, we heard presentations about the acoustic issues in
audible and sub-audible noise, the experiences of people living near wind farms
and a discussion about some of the sociological and psycho-social factors that
need to be taken into consideration.
We also invited our participants to work together to discuss
a range of questions. Their responses to those questions will be considered by
Council as part of the review of the NHMRC statement.
The NHMRC has the responsibility under its legislation, and
the capacity, to provide health advice. We can provide an objective overview of
the scientific literature to help to balance out where information is unclear
or missing.
The NHMRC will ask its Council, which comprises eminent
researchers and the Chief Medical Officers of the States and Territories, to
consider the outcomes of today’s Forum and an NHMRC literature review as part
of its review of its Statement.
Today’s Scientific Forum was the first time that NHMRC has
used web streaming. This made the presentations and discussions in the morning
session available to a wide range of people. We are pleased that we were able
to provide that accessibility in Australia and internationally.
Finally, I would like to thank the speakers and participants
who came together today to discuss their research and experience with wind
farms. I am grateful for their willingness to give us their time today.
NHMRC Council meeting
As
NHMRC informed the Committee on 21 June 2011:
At the NHMRC Council meeting held on 16 and 17 June 2011,
Council members considered the outcomes of the forum and recommended that NHMRC
commissions experts to systematically review the scientific literature,
especially focussing on the possible health impacts of audible noise and
infrasound.
Depending on the results of this review, the NHMRC Public
Statement would be updated and consideration would be given to targeted
research in this area.
NHMRC will continue to keep the Community Affairs Committee
informed of their work on this important issue.
As a member of this Committee I am pleased that the NHMRC is
prepared to continue investigating the issue of any adverse health effects
caused by wind turbines.
In April I had the opportunity to join a Parliamentary
Delegation to travel to Denmark, Sweden and Greece. Renewable energy was the
main issue the delegation undertook to study and the three countries we visited
all had a large number of wind farms.
We met with a number of wind farm developers and all were of
the opinion stated by the NHMRC that 'there is currently no published
scientific evidence to positively link wind turbines with adverse health
effects'.
Community groups in all three countries were concerned about
health issues that may have been caused by living close to wind turbines. To
date they do not have any peer reviewed scientific evidence to substantiate
their concerns.
An independent study partly funded by the Danish government
and published in the Acoustical Society of America Journal June 2011 confirms:
beyond any doubt that the low-frequency part of the spectrum
plays an important role in the noise at neighbours and that the low-frequency
sound must be treated seriously in the assessment of noise from large turbines.[1]
This published peer reviewed research from June 2011 has
found that:
...results confirm the hypothesis that the spectrum of wind
turbine noise moves down in frequency with increasing turbine size. The
relative amount of emitted low frequency noise is higher for large turbines
than for small turbines...
Large turbines affect the same area—or possibly even larger
areas—with noise when compared to small turbines with the same total installed
electric power.[2]
As a Western Australian Senator I am concerned at the number
of proposed wind farms that are to be constructed in rural Western Australia.
It appears that wind farm developers are taking advantage of the generous
subsidy offered by the Government to meet renewable energy targets.
The height of the turbines is increasing and the latest wind
farm proposal to be constructed at Williams in the Central Great Southern
Region of Western Australia will have turbines of 194 metres.
Lack of early community consultation has caused a great deal
of angst in small rural communities where wind farms are to be developed and it
seems unfair that Local Governments have been given the responsibility to make
the decision as to whether the application is to be approved.
If it is proved that adverse health effects are caused by
living in close proximity to wind turbines it will be essential that a setback
ruling is legislated. Currently there is no setback rule in Western Australia.
Senator Judith Adams
Liberal Party
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