The majority Rockliff Liberal Government has a 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's future.

Minister for Planning, Michael Ferguson, today announced that the Whaleback Ridge Renewable Energy Windfarm has been declared a Major Project under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993.

Major Project status will allow the project to be assessed by an independent panel established by the Tasmanian Planning Commission.

The proposal involves up to 500 wind turbine generators with a projected generating capacity of approximately 3,000 megawatts (MW) and ancillary infrastructure, including a network of access roads, electrical infrastructure, and operations facilities.

“Progressing Whaleback Ridge is a step forward in realising our renewable energy agenda, increasing our on-island generation and bringing jobs and opportunity to the West Coast, all important in keeping our power prices the lowest in the nation,” Minister Ferguson said.

“The proponents estimate it will create up to 550 permanent jobs and 4,500 jobs during construction, should all aspects of the project be realised.

“Our Government introduced the Major Projects process in 2020 to provide a pathway that balances certainty for proponents and transparency for the community with appropriate rigour of an independent assessment.

“This is the third significant development proposal to be assessed under our major projects process, and the second renewable energy project.

“This proposal is just the type of large-scale, complex proposal that our Major Project assessment process was designed for.

“It also demonstrates the need for our Renewable Energy Approvals Pathway, which will provide a pathway for large scale, complex, renewable energy projects through the Major Projects assessment process.”

The independent panel will now develop draft assessment criteria for public exhibition. The community will have multiple opportunities to have their say on the project over the course of its assessment.

Only a majority Rockliff Liberal Government will ensure that significant job creating projects come to fruition, unlike a Labor-led Coalition of Chaos.