Tougher Laws Sought for Renewable Energy Developments in Rural Queensland

A coalition of rural community groups is calling for tougher laws to govern renewable energy developments, citing concerns over turbine setbacks, decommissioning rules, and protections for neighbouring landholders.

Regional Voices Queensland, a loose alliance of about 12 community action groups, brought together landholders, farming industry representatives, and politicians for its first major meeting at the Franz family farm beside the Wambo Wind Farm, 280 kilometres north-west of Brisbane.

Renewable Energy Regulations

The meeting, co-organised by Member for Maranoa David Littleproud, focused on reforms to planning laws, with more than 70 participants travelling from communities including the Southern Downs and other parts of regional Queensland.

Regional Voices Queensland chair and Property Rights Australia board member, Jim Willmott, described the alliance as a "supergroup" formed after community organisations dealing with individual projects identified common concerns.

"What we found is a lot of community groups were dealing with individual projects themselves, but they all had the same common issues," Mr Willmott said.

The group is calling for a minimum 3-kilometre setback from residences and up-front decommissioning bonds.

Mr Littleproud said affected landholders were seeking practical safeguards rather than opposing renewable energy outright.

"They're not asking for anything irrational," he said. "They're actually being quite considered and it's coming from a lived experience."

Farm co-owner Glenn Franz, who does not host the turbines, said the experience of living beside the wind farm had highlighted gaps in existing protections, particularly around visual amenity and the financial risks associated with dismantling turbines at the end of their operational lives.

"We've got 13 wind turbines surrounding us within a 3km zone," Mr Franz said. "There's got to be safeguards for the future."

"It'd be nice to have the security up front, not as a pay-as-you-go-down-the-track sort of scheme."

AgForce policy adviser Anna Lethbridge said safeguards needed to extend beyond project hosts to neighbouring producers, including protections against contamination and impacts on agricultural accreditation.

"From an AgForce perspective, we're not opposed to renewables," Ms Lethbridge said. "If you are going to host a project, you need to be fully informed of all the risks so you can make an informed decision."

Queensland regulates wind farm developments through its planning and environmental assessment framework, including State Code 23 and applicable approval conditions.

Since 2025, new wind farm applications must undergo impact assessment and provide financial security for decommissioning.

However, Regional Voices Queensland is concerned the wording is vague and could still leave landholders or taxpayers liable.