Most wind farms are located along the Great Dividing Range and the majority are in our region. The final decision on their location/s comes from people in Sydney and it is interesting to note there are no wind farms or towers in or around Sydney.

So it is time for some location balance in development approval decisions where wind farms and towers are to be located.

With this in mind we should have wind towers located on North Head and South Head at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. Plenty of wind there and the noise of rotating blade tips would be no worse than the sound of waves crashing onto the rocks below.The Premier and the Prime Minister might be able to see them from their Sydney offices and homes.

Then we could have a row of towers along the ocean cliff tops of the Royal National Park. Nobody lives there so it won’t affect anyone. Or would the NPWS object to cliff top dwelling critters being disturbed?

Further south we could have 50 to 80 towers along the Illawarra escarpment. This would be a good outcome to counter all the high energy consumption and emissions from the Port Kembla steelworks. I’m sure the people of the Illawarra would love that.

Finally we should have two wind towers located on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. Cockatoo Island is adjacent to Balmain electorate whose voters have elected The Greens for the past two general elections. I’m sure the Chardonnay sipping socialist yuppie greenies of Balmain would love to have wind towers in their own backyard so they could practice what they preach!

Now, try suggesting to the decision makers in Sydney any of the above locations and see how far you don’t get.

Barry McDonald,

Goulbun.