One of the biggest wind farms under development in Australia, Origin Energy’s 1.46 gigawatt (GW) Yanco Delta project in New South Wales, has made a $5 million downpayment on the construction and staffing of a new medical centre in the state’s Riverina region.
The funds form part of the Yanco Delta Wind Farm Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA), which became payable after the huge project, located around 10 km north-west of Jerilderie, secured transmission access rights in April 2025.
Origin says a $5 million cheque was officially handed over to the Murrumbidgee Council last week, to go towards delivery of the Jerilderie medical centre, which will provide general practice, dental care, allied health and minor procedures.
Murrumbidgee mayor Ruth McRae says the project will also address the challenges rural communities face in attracting and retaining healthcare professionals.
“This purpose-built facility will not only enhance the services currently available but also support the recruitment and retention of medical staff in the Jerilderie area,” McRae said.
Origin bought the Yanco Delta wind project from Virya in May 2024, paying an initial $125 million and then a milestone payment of $175 million with the granting of access rights.
A separate VPA will see a further $5 million paid to Edward River Council when the Yanco Delta project reaches a Final Investment Decision, which Origin hopes to commit to in 2027.
Origin’s head of approvals, access and social advocacy, Lauren Barnaby, says voluntary contributions totalling $31 million over the life of the wind farm will support neighbourhood, community and indigenous programs, as well as a program of regional strategic partnerships.
“For over a decade, Origin has proudly supported NSW communities through community investment programs and I’m delighted our latest contribution will be used by Council on such an important piece of infrastructure to support community health and wellbeing.”
Meanwhile, a different Barnaby – former National Party leader and current federal member for New England, in NSW, Barnaby Joyce – has galvanised his hatred of renewable energy into a Private Members Bill designed to repeal Australia’s net zero legislation.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Joyce said the “lunatic crusade” to net zero was “treacherous to the very security of Australia” and “impossible to have any effect away from self immolation.”
“We have created an energy fiasco of massive cost and unreliability that has smashed our cost of living,” Joyce says in the post.
“We have inflicted great hurt on the most economically vulnerable. We have created a taxpayer multi billion dollar subsidisation of this failure with borrowed money.
“There is no more time to assess, to ponder, to nuance or to amend. Net Zero must be repealed and as such, I will, at my first opportunity bring forward a Bill to do that.”
Joyce, who fought for the nuclear energy strategy that is now broadly accredited with the spectacular defeat of the Coalition at the 2025 federal poll, calls wind farms “swindle factories” and rages against wind met-masts.
He has even changed his preferred brand of boots in protest against renewables. Which is unfortunate, because his electorate is sitting on a renewable energy goldmine according to recent ANU research.
The ANU says Barnaby’s electorate of New England in northern NSW is the most valuable patch of land in Australia for solar and wind — capable of delivering half the country’s electricity needs.
“There’s billions on the table and many local jobs to match,” senior ANU Researcher Dr Cheng Cheng told Renew Economy’s SwitchedOn Australia podcast in April.
And yet, Barnaby has vowed to fight it all the way. “This involves making formal my intention to proceed with a Private Members Bill which then goes before a Parliamentary Selection Committee to decide whether it is brought forward for debate,” he said on Friday.
“The Selection Committee meets at every parliamentary sitting and it is important people are aware of how this machinery of government works.
“The billions being made by a select few out of the destruction of our economy and the security of our nation will not tolerate any threat to their business plan. I am certain that their lobbying, privately and publicly, will become frenetic if this Bill has the prospect of debate.”
