Wednesday, 27 November 2024

Goorambat East solar farm

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (19:20): (1333) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment, and the action that I seek is for the minister to inform Goorambat locals, Landcare groups and wildlife carers exactly what actions are being taken to rectify the damage done during the land-clearing phase of the Goorambat East solar farm and what actions will be taken to ensure the situation in Goorambat will not be repeated at other energy projects.

An energy developer is building a 630-hectare solar facility near Goorambat, just north of Benalla in my electorate. The Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio appeared at the site in October for a ceremonial sod-turning when construction of the facility began, but sods of dirt are not the only things being displaced during construction. The developer has cleared almost 130 trees in order to make way for the solar panels to cover the land. Those trees were homes to possums, microbats, parrots, rosellas, swallows and galahs, but the homes of those animals have now been destroyed, and the displaced animals have been rescued by local carers.

I recently met with a volunteer from Benalla who provides wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, who told me about the extensive damage that has been done by the land clearing. The volunteer and other carers have been keeping records of the animals that have been displaced by this extensive tree removal and estimate that they have taken around 90 animals into care, but that number does not include the animals who were injured or who died during the tree fall or were killed on the road. Wildlife carers have told me that the most damaging aspect of the situation is that the land is being cleared during peak breeding season. It is not just birds living in trees who are being displaced; it is young chicks who do not even have feathers yet and cannot fly away when a tree is falling. The middle of the breeding season, when birds are nesting, is the worst time possible to start clearing land. Native birds and bats as well as pregnant possums are having their homes cut down at the very moment that they are caring for their vulnerable young. There are even reports of endangered regent honeyeaters being seen in the area, and the destruction of hollow trees in this area at this time of year is deeply worrying.

If tree clearing must be done, animals and nests should first be removed with a high platform. The developer is using the slow-fall method for felling the trees without clearing nests, which means young birds and animals that cannot flee might be trapped or killed under branches when the tree lands.

Separately to this incident, the Minister for Environment has announced grants of up to $3000 to support wildlife rescue volunteers, but the minister should remember that prevention is better than cure. Wildlife rescue volunteers would not have so many animals to save if the government prevented tree felling in breeding season.