The Mortlake South Wind Farm 200k-for-a-Letter dirty deal – is this just the tip of the iceberg?
17th May, 2021
By Wind Farm Living
What other wind farm money deals have been done under the table that we don’t know about?
Who has been paid? and Who has been paid off?
How is it that a Moyne Shire wind farm committee deletes from the public record questions and discussions about wind farm money?
Ref: April 2021 Mortlake South CEC meeting, (see below)
Neil Blain asked eleven questions on notice.
Five of the six questions were to do with Re-Alliance. The sixth was about the 200k letter deal.
All six questions were about wind farm money, and all six were omitted from the unconfirmed minutes.
We need to ask why?
Then we need ask … are we witnessing a corrupt Council in action?
It seems that it is Moyne Shire’s intentions is to shut down and remove from public record all questions, explanations, and documentation around wind farm money.
It also seems that Moyne Shire wants to manoeuvre Re-Alliances into the mix to hide the money trail..
For the Attention of the CEC Reps. (Community Engagement Committee)
Don’t allow the Shire to shut down questions about wind farm money and/or Re-Alliance.
State your objection when the Council says “ we can’t answer that question because it’s an operational matter”
All questions about wind farm money should be fully discussed and documented at all CEC meetings.
Nothing should be deemed an “ operational matter” or “not relevant”.
The meetings should allow for open and transparent discussion on all matters to do with wind farm money.
Some tips for you at your CEC meetings..
- Take your own notes at each meeting.
2. Put all your questions in writing and ensure that questions and answers are recorded accurately in the minutes.
3. Never be dissuaded from asking questions about the wind farm money and/or Re-Alliance.
4. If they try the “it’s an operational matter” or “that question is not relevant” or any other shut-down line on you, then consider it to be a clandestine money deal cover up, and just go harder.
5. If the Council “disappears” your questions, answers, or discussions on any CEC matter, then call them out.
There are millions of wind farm dollars in the pipe line, and we need our Council to be squeaky clean.
If they are not squeaky clean then we need to make them squeaky clean, by calling them out or referring them to the Local Government Inspectorate.
If you are concerned about any wrong doing, corruption, secret money deals and/or pay-offs, or wind farm complaint that has been ignored, then it is your right to submit a complaint to the Local Government Inspectorate.
https://www.lgi.vic.gov.au/make-complaint-local-government-inspectorate
Remember:
• It seems that the Councillors are complicit in the 200k-for-a-Letter dirty deal, which is now complete with the employment of the Climate Emergency Council officer.
• Our Councillors are responsible for a system that allows for the manipulation of the CEC minutes.
• By inviting Re-Alliance into Council Workshop sessions, our Councillors are complicit in sowing the seeds for a corrupt system that shuts down transparency and hides the wind farm money trail under the guise of an
“operational matter”.
• Our Councillors are answerable to the constituents of Moyne Shire.
Questions on Notice for the 28 April 2021 Mortlake South Wind Farm CEC meeting.
Questions 1-6 enquire about wind farm money and the roll of Re-Alliance.
Questions on Notice for Moyne Shire – Neil Blain
- Can Moyne Shire please provide a summary of the RE Alliance presentation relating to pooling wind farm community funds given at the Moyne Shire Council workshop at the end of March 2021?
- Which Moyne Shire Councillors and staff attended the RE Alliance presentation at the council workshop?
- Given that attendance at Moyne Shire Councillor workshops is by invitation only, which Councillor or member of Council staff invited RE Alliance to make it’s presentation?
- Given that the original council motion from Cr Colin Ryan relating to this was in July 2019, what work has been done by Moyne Shire representatives in progressing this motion since then?
- Is Moyne Shire aware of whether Acciona intends to take part in the RE Alliance proposal?
- Can Moyne Shire please provide CEC with any official VRET documentation from the VRET process that shows that $200,000 was to be provided to Moyne Shire by Acciona?
- Has Moyne Shire accepted sponsorship from Acciona for any recent Moyne Shire advertising campaigns or competitions (eg its Love Local Campaign or others). How much did Acciona donate to Moyne Shire (Acciona was a “Silver Sponsor”) for this advertising campaign?
Unconfirmed Minutes: 28 April 2021 Mortlake South Wind Farm CEC meeting.
The unconfirmed Minutes starts Neil Blains’ Questions at Q7.
Questions 1-6 have been omitted from the minutes and consequently from the public record.
Neil Blain’s attachment 3, which includes all questions 1-6, will also likely “ be disappeared” from public
records.
CEC meetings are an opportunity for Moyne Shire Council to be “open and transparent” in their dealings with the community.
Wind Farm Living,
Moyne Shire, Victoria, Australia
For wind farm community engagement consultations to have any success at wowing the locals and to garner ‘social licence’, they must be conducted in an open and transparent manner.
Rural communities have been subjected to years of wind farm subterfuge, secret meetings, secret sign-ups and agreements, often under statements of ‘commercial in confidence’.
Any failure of the Developer, Operator or Local Council to answer the communities wind farm related questions and concerns will only result in additional mistrust and objections by concerned residents.
~ DeFrock ~
DeFrock 