Nine regional shires set to host renewable projects issue renewed call for input and community benefits

A host of local governments from across the Wheatbelt have demanded a seat at the table regarding decisions about the renewable energy projects being built in their backyard. The shires of Narrogin, West Arthur, Kulin, Moora, Northampton, Victoria Plains, Dandaragan, Mingenew and Moora issued a joint statement on January 30, highlighting the need for mandatory community benefit arrangements for areas where renewable projects will be built. The nine shires — which are all members of the 40-shire strong Country Local Governments Renewables Alliance — are set to be the hosts of a suite of new wind, solar and battery storage projects. Representatives say they have been sidelined in decision-making and fear community needs will be ignored. Shire of Narrogin president Leigh Ballard said local government must have a say in the decisions that shape their landscapes, economies and futures. “There is a simple principle at stake. If decisions are being made about our communities without us, then something is wrong,” he said. “Local governments are elected by their communities, accountable to their communities, and closest to the impacts of these projects. “We must be at the table, not watching from the sidelines.” The statement from the nine shires comes after the wider CLGRA submitted a 13-page submission to the State Government’s Draft Guideline on Community Benefits for Renewable Energy Projects in August last year. The document’s main proposals include enacting binding mechanisms that secure the developer to the project for its entire lifespan, mandating community benefit agreements, and that contributions must be administrated locally and align with the projects’ nameplate capacity within each host local government. In the submission, the alliance wrote that the State’s guidelines should not be “discretionary or vulnerable to future policy shifts or white board politics”, but community benefits must be “compulsory, secure and fair” to minimise the risk to the small towns hosting the projects. In the recent statement endorsing the original submission, Shire of West Arthur president Karen Harrington said certainty is critical for both communities and industry. “Community benefit contributions should be mandatory and secured over the life of a project,” she said. “Linking these arrangements to Western Power approvals and ongoing network access provides certainty, reduces risk, and ensures commitments made to communities are commitments kept.” Shire of Northampton president Liz Sudlow said benefits must flow to the communities that host the infrastructure. “Where projects span multiple local governments, contributions should be allocated according to where the generation or storage actually occurs,” Cr Sudlow said. “Decisions about local futures should not be made by centralised agencies or by bureaucrats sitting in Perth, on our behalf, however ‘strategic’ those decisions may be presented.” Victoria Plains shire president Pauline Bantock said that local governments are best-placed to manage funds transparently and accountably. “Councils already have audited financial systems, restricted cash reserve mechanisms and established community engagement processes,” Cr Bantock said. “Empowering local governments to manage these funds locally strengthens trust, protects social licence and helps the State achieve its renewable energy objectives.” The nine shires are calling on Premier Roger Cook and Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation Amber-Jade Sanderson to release the “long-awaited guideline” and that it must reflect what is “just, practical and right” for host communities. They also ask that local governments, on behalf of their impacted communities, are recognised as a “genuine partner” in delivering Western Australia’s energy future. “Local governments emphasise they are not seeking control for its own sake, but responsible local stewardship,” the statement reads. The statement concludes that “with the right framework in place, community benefits can become a catalyst for stronger regional communities, ensuring the energy transition delivers for all Western Australians and in particular, for those that are having to host them”.