King Island anti-wind campaign funded by ‘Rich List’ absentee landowners: report

The campaign to stop the development of a $2 billion wind farm on Tasmania’s King Island has been funded by two non-residential multi-millionaires, according to a report published in Crikey today.

The No TasWind Farm Group has led a highly organised and well-funded campaign to stop development of Hydro Tasmania’s 200 turbine project, which would be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere.

As we wrote back in June 2013, their efforts to block the King Island TasWind project have included importing noted anti-wind activists – including Waubra Foundation CEO Sarah Laurie – hiring a pricey Sydney PR firm, and taking to social media (the King Island Facebook page is said to be administered by the anti-wind side).

In September last year, they resorted to legal action, seeking an injunction on any works connected with the proposed wind farm, including Hydro Tasmania’s planned feasibility study, which the island’s residents voted in favour of (59%).

Now, Crikey has revealed that, according to the minutes of last month’s No TasWind Farm Group annual general meeting, its major donors were BRW rich listers Bill James and Michael Crouch.

According to BRW, Bill James is one of three founders of travel giant Flight Centre and is worth $855 million. His family is believed to own land on King Island, but according to locals he does not live there.

Michael Crouch, the other major donor, is worth $310 million after founding Zip Industries, says Crikey. He owns Waverley Station, a cattle farm on King Island, but also does not live there.

In financial documents also seen by Crikey, No TasWind is shown to run almost completely from donations, with $95,770 donated in the last financial year. The group had $61,590 in legal fees and recorded a profit of $36,326 for the year.