20th March 2025
Community leaders from the Hunter and New England Renewable Energy Zones have travelled to NSW Parliament House to urge politicians from all parties to get behind the renewable energy transition and to ensure it benefits both communities and nature.
Representatives of community groups in the New England and Hunter Renewable Energy Zones joined Nature Conservation Council NSW (NCC) to call for stronger planning laws, environmental protections, and local engagement to ensure clean energy development safeguards wildlife, restores degraded landscapes, and creates long-term prosperity for the regions.
"Climate change is one of the biggest threats to nature, and with almost 1,000 threatened species in New South Wales, we can't afford more delays to climate action and the renewable energy transition", said Eve Altman, NCC Clean Energy Campaigner.
"What we need is to continue the rollout of renewable energy but to do it in a way that fully takes advantage of the opportunity to do planning and infrastructure right - to build in stronger nature protection, enforce best practice and include nature restoration and protection into the assessment process.
"Renewable energy is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our regions, with significant investment underway. That's why we're working with communities in the Renewable Energy Zones to make sure they benefit and that nature is protected and restored through the rollout."
Heidi McElnea, Regional Partnerships Co-ordinator, Community Power Agency said:
"In the New England region alone we have 20 renewable energy projects in the pipeline.
"This represents an exciting opportunity to wean our country off harmful fossil fuels and limit the damage of climate change, while shoring up our country's energy supply. But we need projects to be clever about site design and placement so we are protecting what's important while enhancing and restoring damage to landscapes.
"We want the change to renewable energy to happen with communities, not to them.
"Now is the time to make sure we have the right laws and guidelines in place to protect nature."
Annette Kilarr, Convenor of Climate Action Armidale of Sustainable Living Armidale, and Member of the Community Reference Group (CRG) of the New England REZ North, said:
"The rollout of the New England Renewable Energy Zone represents a significant land-use change for our region and is central to national climate action.
"I have travelled to NSW Parliament to ensure that the renewables transition is good for both the environment and our communities.
"The protection and restoration of nature must be central to the planning process, with place-specific ecological priorities identified upfront.
"First Nations, agricultural, and scientific communities must be involved in co-created regional benefit plans to ensure the transition is regenerative, not extractive."
Kerry Walker, Spokesperson for Hunter Wildlife Rescue said:
"In the path to renewables, we want the NSW Government to enact its 'driving ambition to protect what's left, restore what has been degraded and set biodiversity on a path to recovery'.
"The Hunter region has a long history of coal mining and coal fired power generation. These industries have supported numerous communities and been the backbone of the Hunter's prosperity.
"We are ready and positioned to lead the transition from harmful fossil fuels and limit the damage of climate change, while maintaining our country's energy supply and security. But this development can't be at the cost of our local ecosystems, already under duress from mining activities, housing development, widespread agricultural clearing and extreme weather events such as the catastrophic drought and wildfires that we've experienced.
"Large scale renewable projects and the continuing fragmentation of habitat corridors threaten the diminishing native flora and fauna that is critical for our own survival. We must not make the same mistakes as in the past.
"Now is the time to make sure we have the right laws and guidelines in place to protect nature."
Peter Coughlan, representative of Hunter Renewal said:
"The Hunter economy, people, and landscape are moving towards a post-coal future. The question is, how well will we manage this change?
"If managed poorly, we risk being left with a degraded landscape and struggling communities. If managed well, we can create a diverse and resilient economy with a thriving natural environment.
"We need strong laws and well-resourced public agencies to ensure coal companies pay their dues and restore the land.
"The NSW Government urgently needs a plan to address mining voids and rehabilitation-one that is research-driven, enforceable, and ensures a future for both people and nature."
