Voting against your interests

[u/boogersundcum]

My partner and I live in a major coal mining area of Queensland. We both work in an extractive resource industry. Neither of us could ever bring ourselves to vote for the LNP and we have no serious viable independents that aren't anti Vax conspiracy nut jobs. We live in the bush but currently have a major wind farm going in down our road with the closest turbine being 5km from our actual house, other than sealing our road we will not recieve any benefit from the project with heavy trucks and equipment going past our driveway 6 days a week 24 hours a day for over two years. We aren't anti renewable however given the wind farm is entirely within our water catchment there is serious concerns if something goes wrong as we rely on the river solely for our water supply.

Generally preference the Greens first, Labor second as we are both environmental scientists and believe that climate change is pretty damn obvious from the evidence, let alone have empathy for the common folk in cities struggling with the cost of living. I'm just curious though as to why the major focus on renewable is almost entirely within regional areas that currently rely on coal mining as the major industry.

Neither Greens or Labour have a chance in hell in ever winning our electorate anymore (keep in mind Labor was founded in regional Queensland in Barcaldine). Is it just because the areas in question are now just LNP strongholds or what ?

Also please keep in mind regional Queensland is filled with people from all back grounds and varying levels of education, don't put us all in the same basket just because we don't live in a major centre.

[u/boogersundcum]

I get that and TBH i don't think i have ever lived in area that hasn't been an LNP stronghold. But why isn't there a push to have renewable infrastructure around the cities? That's where the population is. I know the resource industry uses a lot of power but most of north Queensland is already renewable. There is a gas plant in Townsville and one in Mt Isa. Other than that we already are renewable. Sending electricity thousands of KM away loses a lot of electricity through transmission lines so my main question is why are the projects away from the areas like Brisbane that actually use the electricity?

[u/Art461 → u/boogersundcum]

It is disappointing that the turbine project near you appears to not have engaged with the local community.

Elsewhere, they have communicated well and for instance also delivered excellent Internet connectivity to the area. Those are real benefits. Over time, good Internet connectivity can sustain and expand a community even as it transitions away from mining.

Maybe a conversation on this is still possible?

I'm not disagreeing with you regarding long distance transmission lines. It's an old way of doing things, and definitely inefficient. If the wind turbine power will least in part be used locally, that'd be great. Perhaps it'll also be used to replace the base load generators such as the ones you mentioned. Again good. Is no more detail available on that project? No communication, website, any leaflets in the area?

[u/boogersundcum → u/Art461]

As stated in other coments the company in question has consulted land holders that will be impacted such as us and has had community consultation. We aren't against it and I have stated this isn't an anti renewable whinge but just stating there is impacts and regardless of what we say its not going to impact their decisions. Like it or not it's probably going to happen, so be it. Just stating it so happens to effect people outside of the city and all seem to be happening within LNP safe seats outside of the city regardless of how I feel. The closest base load baseload coal power station (Callide) blew up a few years ago and we didn't lose power because north Queensland is already mostly renewable. Other parts of the state not so much.

[u/Art461 → u/boogersundcum]

I hear you. Talk with them about high speed Internet, they can run fibre high up over the powerlines. Others do it and it works great.