Farmers for Climate Action (FCA) welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission to the
inquiry. We represent more than 8,400 Australian farmers, including 3,200 in NSW, and 85,000
community supporters advocating for strong climate policies that protect and benefit farming
communities.
The inquiry’s Terms of Reference note interest in alternatives to traditional renewables. FCA
notes policy proposals currently under public discussion include overturning state and federal
laws prohibiting nuclear power generation.
Farmers for Climate Action’s firm position is that consideration of any power generation
source must consider water use and impacts on farmers, their water, and the impacts of
removing farming water on local communities and economies. As such, Farmers for Climate
Action commissioned Professor Andrew Campbell, the former CEO of Land and Water Australia,
to research and develop our submission to this inquiry. The issue of agricultural water access,
price and impacts must be addressed transparently in consultation with agricultural communities
prior to any overturning of moratoria on nuclear power generation.
Polling consistently shows a quiet majority of regional Australians support renewables when
done right because these projects deliver drought-proof income for farmers and shared benefits
for communities.
Recent polling of regional areas by CSIRO, 89 Degrees East and Porter Novelli has continued to
find more than two-thirds support and around 18 per cent opposition to projects on local
farmland. All farmers who host renewable energy projects have done so voluntarily – they have
made this choice because it works for them, unlike other forms of energy generation which do
not require landholder consent, such as coal seam gas on farmland without the owner’s
permission.
FCA offers to (virtually) connect the Committee with our farmer members who are successfully
hosting renewables, with clean energy making their land more profitable and productive, and the
drought-proof income making their family farms more financially sustainable.
Farmers are leading the clean energy shift. We urge the Committee to centre farmer voices in
shaping REZs because this is a once in a generation opportunity for farmers and farming
communities. We welcome further engagement and thank you for considering our submission.
Yours sincerely,
Natalie Collard
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1800 491 633
Web: farmersforclimateaction.org.au
Post: FCA C/- Melbourne Connect Co-Working, Lvl 2 700 Swanston Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Professor Campbell’s Research Paper is available here.
