DEAR News Of The Area,
The media narrative suggesting regional people oppose renewable energy projects when the data unarguably shows the opposite is now the subject of a published academic paper (“Growing discontent on data centres as farmers fear renewable rollout repeat, The Land, 7/6).
Poll after poll after poll, from Porter Novelli, 89 Degrees East, CSIRO and more, all find huge support for local clean energy projects with opposition much less (but amplified by media coverage and social media algorithms that promote conflict).
Recent polling in April showed overall local support for clean energy projects at 63 per cent and opposition at 17 per cent. In coal regions, Hunter showed support of 60 per cent and opposition at 17 per cent, Gladstone showed support of 65 per cent and opposition of 17per cent, and the Latrobe Valley showed support of 60 per cent and opposition at 18 per cent. In Illawarra the support was 68 per cent and the opposition 12 per cent, Central West Orana support was at 60 per cent and opposition at 20 per cent; in western Victoria the support was 69 per cent and opposition was 12 per cent. Even in New England, support held strong at 55 per cent with opposition less than half that figure at 24 per cent.
Professor Rebecca Colvin’s peer-reviewed paper, published in Science Direct, finds that in addition to social media and media promoting conflict, people are more likely to speak up against things than for them.
Farmers for Climate Action represents 8000 farmers across Australia. Our “Billions in the Bush” report found Australian farmers are on track to make a billion dollars in total from clean energy rent by 2030.
Modern solar contracts pay up to $1500 per hectare per year while the farmer continues to graze sheep underneath.
Modern wind farms typically pay $40,000 per wind turbine per year in rent to the farmer, while cattle and sheep continue to graze around it.
Hosting solar and wind projects is entirely voluntary and how a farmer chooses to farm on their land is their choice.
If farmers do not stay united around that principle, farming will become very difficult.
Regards,
Verity Morgan-Schmidt,
CEO, Farmers for Climate Action.
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