Moyne mayor Jim Doukas is unhappy the state government has decided to dump enforcing permit conditions on some wind farms on local councils instead of dealing with it themselves.
Cr Doukas is arguing new state legislation requiring local government to be responsible for enforcing wind farm permit conditions could impose high costs on councils.
Councils will now be responsible for enforcing conditions such as noise levels on eight wind farm projects unless the permit conditions say the state planning minister is responsible.
The Moyne Shire – south-west Victoria – lobbied the state government last week, saying the planning minister should be responsible for the enforcement of all the permits.
Speaking in support of the bill last week, Member for Western Victoria Simon Ramsay said he was aware that some councils were “not overjoyed at the prospect of taking on the responsibility of the enforcement and compliance of wind farm permits that were issued under the previous government”.
Cr Doukas says the legislation unfairly makes for ‘messy’ and confusing new rules that will hurt the council.
Having the state responsible for the enforcement of the wind farm permits would allow wider community concerns to be heard rather than only those who protested loudly.
Mr Ramsay said he will work towards helping the councils adjust.
“I believe support should be provided to those councils that must now take on this responsibility, given their previous lack of involvement with the issue,” Mr Ramsay said.
He said it followed through on the government’s pre-election commitment to give local councils a greater say in the issuing of wind farm permits and for enforcing compliance with their permit conditions.
The eight wind farm projects covered by the legislation include the planned Woolsthorpe and Mortlake south wind farms.